Our step-by-step guide to making a penny countertop, tabletop, or bar top
Project guide
How to Make a Penny Bar Top, Table or Countertop
Penny projects look stunning and are surprisingly easy to build. This guide walks you through every step, from supplies to final cure.
Why make a penny bar top?
Penny bar tops, tables and countertops make a striking showcase for a home, restaurant or business. Don't let the size of the project intimidate you: with the right supplies and this guide, it's very doable.
Sealed in our Bar & Table Top Epoxy, your pennies sit under a crystal clear, glass like finish that resists scratches, spills and everyday wear. Planning a different penny project? You'll still find plenty of useful tips below.
Step 1: Gather your tools and supplies
It's no fun starting a project and realizing you forgot something. Use this list to check what you have.
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UltraClear Bar & Table Top Epoxy
Crystal clear, durable and self leveling. Use our epoxy calculator to see how much you need, and order here.
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Pennies, and lots of them
Most banks will exchange cash for penny rolls. Ask at your local branch.
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Regular glue
A small squeeze bottle or thin glue stick keeps pennies from shifting. Avoid super glue and hot glue, which can react with resin.
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Gloves and mask
Always wear nitrile or butyl gloves with uncured epoxy. Add an N95 mask if ventilation is poor.
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Graduated mixing containers
One quart containers for seal coats and five quart containers for flood coats, up to a gallon. Use a fresh one for every batch.
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Drill and mixing bit
A mixing drill bit on an electric drill blends flood coat batches. We also sell a cordless drill.
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Paintbrush with strong bristles
A firm brush for the seal coat. Try our seal coat brush.
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Stir sticks
Reusable stir sticks for hand mixing seal coat batches.
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Propane torch or heat gun
Essential for removing air bubbles. A torch works slightly better; our heat gun works great too.
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Acrylic caulkOptional
Seals raised edges so no resin leaks through. See our acrylic caulk.
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Heaters and enclosureOptional
Epoxy cures best at 75°F to 80°F. Space heaters plus a plastic, PVC pipe and duct tape enclosure help hold that range.
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Orbital sanderOptional
No raised edges? The epoxy wraps around the sides. Sand drips smooth after it cures.
Step 2: Prepare your workspace
- Pick a spot with room to move around the project.
- Remove anything flammable from the area.
- Clean your surface. Read our guide to clean project surfaces and our guide to seal coats.
- Cover floors and nearby surfaces with plastic sheeting.
- Wear an N95 mask if ventilation is poor or you have respiratory concerns.
- Set out every tool where you can reach it, then double check for hazards.
If you need a temporary enclosure for temperature control, set it up now and keep the inside clean.
Step 3: Glue the pennies and seal coat
The seal coat prevents most air bubbles from forming later. Start applying it as soon as it's mixed.
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1
Glue down your pennies
Glue each penny to the surface so none can move or lift. Edge to edge in a grid is popular, but any pattern works.
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2
Mix a seal coat batch
In a one quart container, add equal parts hardener and resin, no more than 16 oz of each (32 oz total). Stir by hand with stir sticks for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping the sides and bottom. Don't use the drill for small batches.
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3
Paint on the seal coat right away
Brush it over the surface and the pennies. It doesn't need to be perfectly smooth; the flood coat will level everything out.
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4
Wait 4 to 6 hours
The seal coat partly cures but stays ready to bond with the flood coat.
Step 4: Mix and pour the flood coat
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1
Measure the flood coat
In a five quart container, mix equal parts resin and hardener, no more than one gallon combined per batch. Mix more batches in fresh containers as needed.
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2
Blend for about 5 minutes
Use the drill and mixing bit on medium speed. Scrape the sides halfway through, and keep the bit low so you don't whip in air.
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3
Pour right away
Pour smoothly and cover every spot. Don't overfill; let it self level to 1/8 inch on its own.
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4
Remove air bubbles within 15 minutes
Keep a heat gun or torch a few inches away and move steadily over the whole surface, never lingering more than a second. With a torch, never let the flame touch the epoxy. Then check at eye level and clear any bubbles left.
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5
Add another flood coat if needed
If pennies aren't fully covered, or you want a thicker finish, wait 4 hours, then repeat this step.
Caution: Don't apply heat after 15 minutes. The partly cured epoxy can be damaged by heat. And never pour a single layer thicker than 1/8 inch; it adds bubbles and can leave an uneven surface. Add more flood coats instead.
Step 5: Let it cure
Keep the room between 75°F and 80°F and let the epoxy cure for 72 hours, undisturbed.
After 72 hours, your penny project is ready to use. The epoxy keeps hardening over the next few weeks to reach its full Shore D 98 hardness. Congratulations!
More epoxy project resources
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Spotlight: epoxy penny projects
Customer penny bar tops, tables and countertops.
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Preventing and removing air bubbles
Tips for a bubble free finish.
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The three types of epoxy coating
A beginner's guide to coat types.
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Penny bar top video tutorial
Watch the whole project step by step.
Find more guides on our UltraClear blog.