Framing Walls with Built in shelves
#1
04-04-02, 08:31 PM
Framing Walls with Built in shelves
Started my basement finish job febuary of 2001, watersealed , installed a walkout bilco prefab entrance way (turned out really nice) and now just about done framing stage in my basement...I ran out of money 4 months after I started last year, but I have saved up $5000 to get going again... I plan on having sports bar so for display of memorabilia i want to install some built in shelves in the walls.. What I did was make about 3 different size openings, (basically framed out windows).... What would be best way to make custom shelves with what I have, what do I use for back of shelves? plywood? Then sheetrock whole thing? any and all info would be greatly appreciated on any type of shelves/display cases or anything along the lines of a sports bar.. Thanx alot everybody..
#2
04-05-02, 06:24 AM
Rons26,
I'm doing something remarkably similar. I just framed the walls as usual, and then inserted pre-fab "inset shelves" into the wall by cutting out a hole the sheetrock. The shelve is a self-contained unit that inserts into the hole in the sheetrock, and you nail the frame of the unit into the wall. The unit is then almost flush with the wall, with the shelf being "in the wall" to a depth of a few inches. You can store baseballs, trophies, etc. on the shelfs.
Another thought for you. In my sports bar, I have an actual bar. I had a custom bar countertop made, about 24" deep. The top of the countertop has a 1" lip around it. On the countertop itself, I placed some old baseball cards, ticket stubs, program covers, etc. in a random display. The countertop vendor then placed clear, scratch resistant plexiglass on the countertop inside the lip, and sealed the edges. You can now view the items under the countertop while you're at the bar, and spills don't get on the items. I got the idea from Bobby Valentine's sports bar in southern CT. The counter wasn't all that expensive, and it's a good conversation piece.
I made sure there was plenty of wall space for plaques, pictures, etc.
I also found a bar supply house, and bought one of the high, round tables with bar stools to put in the room opposite the bar itself. The supply house had sports-themed fabrics to choose from for the barstools.
If you're a sports bar, don't forget the big screen TV.
Good luck.
I'm doing something remarkably similar. I just framed the walls as usual, and then inserted pre-fab "inset shelves" into the wall by cutting out a hole the sheetrock. The shelve is a self-contained unit that inserts into the hole in the sheetrock, and you nail the frame of the unit into the wall. The unit is then almost flush with the wall, with the shelf being "in the wall" to a depth of a few inches. You can store baseballs, trophies, etc. on the shelfs.
Another thought for you. In my sports bar, I have an actual bar. I had a custom bar countertop made, about 24" deep. The top of the countertop has a 1" lip around it. On the countertop itself, I placed some old baseball cards, ticket stubs, program covers, etc. in a random display. The countertop vendor then placed clear, scratch resistant plexiglass on the countertop inside the lip, and sealed the edges. You can now view the items under the countertop while you're at the bar, and spills don't get on the items. I got the idea from Bobby Valentine's sports bar in southern CT. The counter wasn't all that expensive, and it's a good conversation piece.
I made sure there was plenty of wall space for plaques, pictures, etc.
I also found a bar supply house, and bought one of the high, round tables with bar stools to put in the room opposite the bar itself. The supply house had sports-themed fabrics to choose from for the barstools.
If you're a sports bar, don't forget the big screen TV.
Good luck.
#3
04-05-02, 06:34 AM
I am planning on doing same exact thing on my bar, did you build bar yourself, thats what I plan on doing, it must really look cool!!!!!!!! Any more info on how you did it would be greatly appreciated... As far as the shelves, where did you get the shelve setup to put into the wall? Did you build it your self? Thanx alot for reply and hope to hear again, would even like to see some pictures if thats possible.. thanx agin...
#4
04-05-02, 07:33 AM
Even though I was capable of framing, sheetrocking, etc. myself, building the bar to look to way I wanted was beyond my ability. I went to a kitchen/bath store and picked out cabinets and an island and had them install it. Instead of the normal countertops, they built the display top I described. It's much nicer than I could do. I also have a wall mounted wine rack with a wine glass holder underneath.
The part of the bar that "customers" sit at is 42" high, and the work surface (the bartender's part of the bar) is 36" high. Picture a split-level countertop, where I can work at countertop level and then lift their drinks, nachos, etc. 6" and place it at the counter for them. The refrigerator is also underneath this part of the counter. Behind me is another 36" high countertop with a sink, room for a blender, cabinets underneath, etc. The winerack and two wall cabinets are mounted on the wall above the sink. Both the bar and the counter behind are 5 feet long. I had some customization (pull out trash can, built in cutting board and knife holder, slide out shelves in the cabinets), and being a local store the owners were very accomodating and easy to work with. Much better service than buying this kind of thing at Home Depot.
I also built a half wall separating the TV area from the bar, and the top of the half wall is a breakfast bar with the same display-type countertop. My wife claimed that one and displayed her college days soccer pictures, Bay State Games invitations, etc. You can sit at that with barstools as well. As we framed the basement, we just made this stuff up and built in all the good ideas we'd ever seen in our lives. The money we saved by framing, sheetrocking, and taping (my wife became quite good at this) was used for the bar, which we couldn't do.
For the shelves I described, it's just a one piece unit that you can buy at the Depot, Lowe's, or other type stores. If you can describe it properly, you can probably even search on it and buy it online. I saw it on the Home & Garden channel and took the idea from them.
I don't have the ability to scan in pictures, so I don't know how to show it to you.
The part of the bar that "customers" sit at is 42" high, and the work surface (the bartender's part of the bar) is 36" high. Picture a split-level countertop, where I can work at countertop level and then lift their drinks, nachos, etc. 6" and place it at the counter for them. The refrigerator is also underneath this part of the counter. Behind me is another 36" high countertop with a sink, room for a blender, cabinets underneath, etc. The winerack and two wall cabinets are mounted on the wall above the sink. Both the bar and the counter behind are 5 feet long. I had some customization (pull out trash can, built in cutting board and knife holder, slide out shelves in the cabinets), and being a local store the owners were very accomodating and easy to work with. Much better service than buying this kind of thing at Home Depot.
I also built a half wall separating the TV area from the bar, and the top of the half wall is a breakfast bar with the same display-type countertop. My wife claimed that one and displayed her college days soccer pictures, Bay State Games invitations, etc. You can sit at that with barstools as well. As we framed the basement, we just made this stuff up and built in all the good ideas we'd ever seen in our lives. The money we saved by framing, sheetrocking, and taping (my wife became quite good at this) was used for the bar, which we couldn't do.
For the shelves I described, it's just a one piece unit that you can buy at the Depot, Lowe's, or other type stores. If you can describe it properly, you can probably even search on it and buy it online. I saw it on the Home & Garden channel and took the idea from them.
I don't have the ability to scan in pictures, so I don't know how to show it to you.
#5
04-06-02, 08:09 AM
Mike,
Sounds like our projects are gonna end up alot alike... Sure wish you lived in NJ, we could save each other alot of time... The bar I intend to build will be about 10-12 feet long, and basement is about 750 sq feet total.. I am definitely going with the glass on top, I have a huge collection a sports cards to display that way, I just built some custom jersey cases to display them, I just want to frame in as much as I can now... I am hoping for it to be complete by december, when is your grand opening? Talk to ya soon and if you come up with any cool idea's along way drop me a line and I'll do same....
Ron
Sounds like our projects are gonna end up alot alike... Sure wish you lived in NJ, we could save each other alot of time... The bar I intend to build will be about 10-12 feet long, and basement is about 750 sq feet total.. I am definitely going with the glass on top, I have a huge collection a sports cards to display that way, I just built some custom jersey cases to display them, I just want to frame in as much as I can now... I am hoping for it to be complete by december, when is your grand opening? Talk to ya soon and if you come up with any cool idea's along way drop me a line and I'll do same....
Ron
#6
04-06-02, 09:35 AM
Member
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 2,999
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
Just a thought. You have boxed in the areas for for your shelves.
Now you sheetrock. And you will probably want the shelf unit described above. Now if it were me, before I installed my sheetrock, I would put in a piece of plywood on my studs, then sheetrtock over it. Then, before I installed my shelves, I would buy strips of mirror, and then set the top of my shelf so it came to the bottom of the mirror strip. Install your shelf, then another mirror strip. This will add dimension and also light in your room.
You might even think about install installing a little 4 watt light at the top of your frame work. This would be inset. The kind on a stove hood. Just a thought from someone who has sat in alot of bars. Another thought, is is your going to have a glass bar top, get the heavy glass like that on coffee tables. It is less likely to crack or shatter. You can even get shtterproof glass for bars now.
Now you sheetrock. And you will probably want the shelf unit described above. Now if it were me, before I installed my sheetrock, I would put in a piece of plywood on my studs, then sheetrtock over it. Then, before I installed my shelves, I would buy strips of mirror, and then set the top of my shelf so it came to the bottom of the mirror strip. Install your shelf, then another mirror strip. This will add dimension and also light in your room.
You might even think about install installing a little 4 watt light at the top of your frame work. This would be inset. The kind on a stove hood. Just a thought from someone who has sat in alot of bars. Another thought, is is your going to have a glass bar top, get the heavy glass like that on coffee tables. It is less likely to crack or shatter. You can even get shtterproof glass for bars now.
