Sunday DIY: Stash the goodies up high

No man-cave bar is complete without a shelf for the glasses and booze. Photo / Doug Sherring

Greig Morgan makes being on the shelf look perfectly desirable.

Last week I showed you how to build a rustic-style bar for your man cave. You should have plenty of time to knock it up for the holidays, when you can kick back and enjoy your creation. But wait, there's more: no bar is complete without a top shelf for your glasses and premium plonk, not to mention ornaments and lighting.

Step 1

Make a template for the shelf by using two sheets of 6mm MDF to follow along the shape of the walls by scribing a pencil line. I scribed along the corner section of wall following the shape of the bar (see last week) and butted one end against the wall. Next draw a rounded shape for the outer end, then butt joint the next sheet of MDF instead of joining on a 45-degree angle, and shape the outer edges to meet.

Step 2

Using a skill saw, cut the MDF along the waste side of the pencil lines, then cut around the outer ends using a jig saw. Plane or sand to the pencil line if necessary.

Step 3

With the template looking good when fitted together and making a nice fit when placed against the wall, place the template on your work piece and, keeping the naturally rustic edge as the show piece, trace a pencil line and cut to shape following the previous steps.

Step 4

Remove any outer bark, then sand following the natural shape of the outer edge of timber with a sanding wheel fixed to your drill. Using a belt sander start with the coarser 80-grit belt, working your way to the finer-grade belts and finish using the finishing sander with a 120-150g sandpaper.

Step 5

With the natural edges cleaned up, including shaping the outer ends, place the butt joints together as a dry run making for a tight fit. Now rebate 150mm across the joints to the depth and by the width of the plate, using a hand router or chisel on the top of the shelf.

Step 6

Glue both edges on the butt join using two-pot epoxy and rub both joints together. Fix the joints together by screwing the bracing in place and leave to dry.

Step 7

Measure and pencil mark the centre and equal spacings for the placement of your downlights, then follow the instructions on how to fix the lighting. I cut a hole for the lighting to fit through and the lighting had a spring to hold it in place.

Step 8

Ensure the timber is free of dust and grit by wiping with a damp cloth, and apply a liberal coat of floor finish with a broad brush, maintaining an even coat. When dry, lightly rub down with wet and dry paper then clean before applying the second coat. Repeat until you're happy with the result.

Step 9

Measure up from the bar or down from the ceiling to the height you would like the shelf and, using a level mark along the wall, use a stud finder to find the framing, mark even spaces for your angle brackets. Now place the bracket to the level shelf line and the centre stud line and mark and drill for the hole fixtures. Fix the bracket to the wall using the appropriate-size socket before placing the shelf on to the brackets and fix in, using the smaller screws.

Tips • Keep the wet and dry paper wet for a smoother finish.

• When drilling for the brackets, the drill bit should be the same diameter as the coach screw.

Materials

6mm MDF
Rustic milled timber
Two-pot wood glue
Sanding wheel
Bracing plate
80,100,120 grit sander belts
120,150 grit sandpaper
220 wet & dry paper
180mm Angle stainless bowmac bracket
80 & 40mmx12mm diameter stainless coach screws
Floor finish
Down lights

Tools

Skill Saw
Jigsaw
30mm chisel
Level
Stud finder
Hammer
Belt sander
Finishing sander
Drill
10mm drill bit
Tape measure
Socket set
Screw gun
Pencil
Paintbrush