Last September we finished our butcher block countertops, but we didn’t do our bar area. I mentioned in that post that I was open to suggestions and got the great idea to cover it in pennies and epoxy. Well, EIGHT months later it is finally finished!
This is one of those projects that if I was to do it again it would be super easy. I now know exactly what not to do, which means I’ll fly through all the other penny coutertops I have planned. Oh wait…no, this was the only one. Sigh.
However, if any of y’all want to make a penny countertop, then you are going to LOVE me for saving you a headache. LOVE ME. So here we go…
First we de-laminated the contertop to make it easy to get to the nails to remove it… except that there was NO WAY that sucker was coming off. Turns out that installing this counter was one of the few things the builders of our house took the time to do right. New plan – make penny countertop while installed.
Step two was painting the countertop black, since you were going to be able to see bits of it between the pennies.
Next we had to figure out how we wanted our pennies. We bought a bunch from the bank, but I didn’t like that some of them were really nasty looking. I wanted some color variation, but I also wanted all of them to be at least semi shiny. I did some research online and saw that people recommended Tarn-X for easy penny shining so I picked some up at… Home Depot? HEB? I don’t really remember…it was awhile ago now.
Anyway, Tarn-X didn’t work, it just turned my pennies and dull pinkish color….
So I went about finding a new way to shine pennies….
So whats the best way? Soak the pennies in vinegar and salt (just a few good shakes of salt, not a ton), let sit for about a minute, then shine with a baking soda/water paste.
Then I set out to shine all 30+ dollars worth of pennies one by one.
Haha, just kidding. No way was I going to shine pennies one by one! What I actually did was go “buy” $50 worth of pennies from the bank (they come in HEAVY $25 boxes) and pick out the clean(ish) ones and deposited the dirty ones back into our account. So what do you do when you have a ton of pennies to sort? Offer free food of course!
Then the gluing began.
so.much.gluing.
(As a special treat, here I am and I’m NOT in my painting clothes….a real rarity around here.)
I know there is a bottle of wood glue next to me, but don’t be fooled, it doesn’t work. We used Gorilla Glue.
Here is where it gets messy. I wanted the pennies to wrap around the countertop and look all modern and awesome. To do this we had to cut A LOT of pennies… it’s not easy to cut pennies by the way. I couldn’t do it, Adam and his brother Taylor did all the grunt work there. They used “end snips” to do this, you can see them sitting next to the bowl in the picture below.
Now for whatever reason, the pennies kept not lining up. (Not because we started in random places like the picture above makes it seem..that was taken after I started taking pennies off). We did the entire side, then we started on the top and some of the pennies wouldn’t fit. You can’t try and force them either, because the pressure would just cause pennies elsewhere on the countertop to pop off like popcorn. Super annoying.
We came to the conclusion that we couldn’t have the pennies wrap around the edge. It was a very sad moment. Not quite as sad, though, as the moment I realized that I had to pry all my carefully glued pennies off one by one.
So after about a week of working on it, we were back to an empty black countertop. We brainstormed about what kind of edge to use and decided on copper flashing (to keep it copper/modern on the sides.) Then I went online to buy some and saw that is costs about $1,000 a foot. Okay, so it’s not quite that much, but you get the jist…it was too rich for our blood. So we fell back on ‘ol reliable….cheap rustic cedar.
After adding the edge (with about a 1/8 inch lip) we filled it with pennies. We didn’t use glue or anything, it was super easy. WHY OH WHY did we not just do this in the beginning?
Then it was time to epoxy. I only have pictures of the prep work because the rest of it was really time sensitive and messy.
The epoxy (which I bought HERE) was actually fairly easy. We just mixed according to instructions, poured, and spread with a putty knife. The epoxy was self leveling, so we didn’t have to be too exact. We did get a ton of bubbles, so we went over it with the blow dryer to bring them to the surface. Whichever ones we didn’t get with the blow dryer I popped with a toothpick. We let it sit overnight and in the morning it looked glossy and perfect!
The end, right?
Not quite. We noticed that the epoxy wasn’t quite deep enough and some of the pennies were still exposed a bit. That’s no bueno.
Since the epoxy was so easy we decided it was worth another coat. Baaaaaad idea, the second coat was a disaster. It didn’t self level, so it was super wavy and looked terrible. Lesson learned…when doing epoxy, make sure you do a THICK coat – thin ones don’t turn out well.
The box said you could get a satin finish by sanding and waxing so we decided to go for that and see if we could even things up. Here it is sanded, you can see where it was still uneven after sanding.
Waxing didn’t help, you could still see shiny parts and dull parts. At this point I was over working on the countertop, so I decided to just give it a coat of polycrylic and call it a day (month). It worked perfectly… well, perfectly enough for me!
Whew, I’m glad this post is written and I can stop thinking about it! I do love the countertop though, it’s one of a kind. I like that the color is similar to our counters in a totally not similar sort of way. Also, it’s indestructible. Really, it can take a beating… you can leave water on it (it’s where my dishes dry) AND it’s easy to clean. Perfect :)
Shannon Fox says
May 2, 2012 at 8:42 pmThat turned out great! It was a very informative post. I have seen a few penny projects and this was a great space for it. Very unique and a wonderful accent. Enjoy!!
Cari says
May 2, 2012 at 9:31 pmWOW! I love it!!! Great job!
Kristen @ My Covered Bridge says
May 2, 2012 at 9:42 pmThat is gorgeous!! And I LOVE the butcher block counter as well!
Cometgirl63 says
May 2, 2012 at 9:47 pmlooks great!
Brittany says
May 2, 2012 at 10:13 pmWow! This is AWESOME!!! I pretty sure I need a penny countertop. Thanks so much for sharing! :)
Phil says
May 11, 2013 at 9:06 amThe penny counter top is great. How do you figure out how much epoxy to purchase to coat the entire counter?
nicolette @ momnivore's dilemma says
May 3, 2012 at 12:51 amwow…it looks incredible. what drama with that epoxy, huh?
incredible story to boot!
i’ll be featuring you this monday, and of course, sharing at pinterest. :)
thanks for posting this to creative juice. this is one to remember for the next house. i’m sure the hubby would love that idea for his future bar in the man cave.
Aroura says
May 3, 2012 at 1:38 amI’ve seen stuff like this all over pinterest, but it’s good to know what kind of work actually goes into it! I love how it turned out, though!!!
Holly says
May 3, 2012 at 2:10 amI love it! It turned out amazing!!
We’re getting ready to redo our kitchen and have been talking about this idea for our island.
Now I want it even more!!
JoJo says
May 3, 2012 at 5:44 amOh this truly looks GREAT. What a lot of work, but the results will be enjoyed for years and it’s certain to be a conversation piece.
I wish my husband would be open to something so unusual. Maybe I’ll start off by doing the top of a side table that I recently dragged home. Thanks for providing so much information about your experience with the epoxy.
Rose :: Fine Craft Guild .com says
May 3, 2012 at 6:25 amGREAT WAY TO FEEL RICH!! That is so lovely! Come link it up at our party http://www.finecraftguild.com/party/ It’s worth sharing it with others!
Queen Mary says
May 3, 2012 at 7:19 amExcellent story — love that you included the trial and error bits — very helpful to the rest of us who may think you didn’t TRY something else that would work more easily.
[email protected] says
May 3, 2012 at 8:34 amVery cool & you had lots of help! That’s always great. (1st time here)
Ellie says
May 3, 2012 at 9:29 amIt looks great! Too bad it was such a headache, but you really do make it easy to replicate!
Robin says
May 3, 2012 at 9:35 amSo cool! I love how it turned out! I am stopping by from the catch a glimpse link party and I am a new follower! I blog over at http://www.garagesalesrus.blogspot.com/ check us out when you get a chance!
Jan Elizabeth says
May 3, 2012 at 12:39 pmWow, that turned out amazing! You had a few disappointments along the way, but the end result is just gorgeous. And if you still want copper flashing down the road and it’s more affordable , or maybe you find some for a deal, it looks like that part of it might be possible to change out. (That would be stunning!)
I didn’t realize pennies could look so glamourous!
Emily says
May 3, 2012 at 12:40 pmWOW! What an awesome project. It’s great to hear about all the real grunt work that goes into something like this. Thanks for sharing!
Megan says
May 3, 2012 at 2:40 pmThis project turned out just beautiful! Thanks for sharing all the steps. It really is helpful and fun to read. Megan
Anonymous says
December 31, 2012 at 11:42 pmi hate it
Anonymous says
March 25, 2013 at 9:35 amI can only guess that you are so negative because it is nearly midnight on New Years Eve and you are surfing the web alone…for this I am sorry, even more so for the idea that bringing someone else down could make you feel better.
[email protected] says
May 3, 2012 at 3:56 pmWow!! fantastic. This looks amazing. I am visiting you via the party at Somewhat Simple. I look forward to seeing you at My Dream Canvas.
Danielle says
May 3, 2012 at 3:57 pmVery creative. Love this! Thanks for linking up!
Danielle @Blissful and Domestic
http://www.blissfulanddomestic.com
JIll says
May 3, 2012 at 4:35 pmThat looks amazing!!! Great job!! Thanks so much for sharing this with us at Thursday’s Temptation.
Jill
Arda says
May 3, 2012 at 8:32 pmWow, I’ve seen a floor like that. It looks great!
[email protected] says
May 3, 2012 at 9:40 pmI am amazed and wowed by this spectacular project.. Pinned and shared it on my facebook page.. Thanks for linking up at friday fun party :)
Kate says
May 4, 2012 at 8:04 amWOW, that looks awesome! I would love for you to share this (and any other house projects) at my “May House Par-tay” at http://www.cheapcraftymama.com!
Mindie says
May 4, 2012 at 8:41 amWow that looks very cool!
Bonnie says
May 4, 2012 at 9:05 amThis looks so gorgeous! Found you via The Grant Life link party :)
-Bonnie @ Revolutionaries
http://www.revolutionariesblog.com
Greta says
May 4, 2012 at 9:25 amWow, reading this made me frustrated for you! It turned out really cool, though.
Brooke @ Inside-Out Design says
May 4, 2012 at 12:22 pmThis is awesome!! I’ve never seen a penny countertop before- it looks so good!!
Myric says
May 4, 2012 at 1:19 pmThis is really amazing!
There is a link party going on in my blog today. I would LOVE for you to share this :)
http://myricandreasen.blogspot.com/2012/05/link-party-and-give-away.html
xoxo
Myric
Shiloh says
May 4, 2012 at 1:21 pmThis is soo cool. I hope my hubby likes it, because I think I’d love to try something like this. Lol, I love the indestructible part.:)
Abby says
May 4, 2012 at 2:51 pmWow! That’s a lot of work, but in the end it turned out great! I love it!
SwedishCornerDownUnder...Pernilla says
May 4, 2012 at 4:18 pmLooks great! Well done :)
Greetings from Australia
~Pernilla
Megan E. says
May 4, 2012 at 4:23 pmI love this! I’m considering covering my painted counters with epoxy– what brand did you use, and where did you purchase it??
Ashley says
May 4, 2012 at 5:11 pmWe used THIS epoxy and we bought it at Home Depot (though it’s slightly cheaper and tax free on Amazon). It works really well and is fairly easy, as long as you do thick enough coats.
Devon @ Green House, Good Life says
May 5, 2012 at 9:11 amAshley, not sure if you’ve heard — we Texans are going to have to start paying sales tax on Amazon in, I think, July. (Boo.)
Ashley says
May 5, 2012 at 11:11 amWhaaa? Please say it isn’t so! I buy pretty much everything off of Amazon…it’s so convenient and almost always the cheapesst, not including no taxes and free shipping. CURSES!
Devon @ Green House, Good Life says
May 5, 2012 at 11:36 amDon’t shoot the messenger: http://www.statesman.com/news/texas/amazon-texas-reach-deal-to-settle-sales-tax-2328279.html?cxtype=rss_ece_frontpage.
Ashley says
May 5, 2012 at 11:55 amI knew the law states that if you have a brick and mortar store in Texas that residents must pay sales tax when buying online…Amazon does, but it’s not like you can go there and shop. They should settle and half tax or something. Anyway, thanks for letting me know…I guess I should buy all the stuff thats been sitting in my cart before July 1st. It’s too bad I can’t get credit for my purchases throgh my own Amazon affiliate links!
Lewanne says
January 9, 2013 at 8:56 pmAshley, Do you have to remove the old countertop in order to make the epoxy stick? Just wondering.
Ashley says
January 10, 2013 at 8:32 amNo, you don’t (at least I don’t think so). We took the laminate off ours because we were trying to get to the nails in order to remove the whole countertop and do the project outside. The countertop ended up not wanting to come off, and if had known if wouldn’t I would have just painted the laminate black and gone from there.
Sarah @ My Project Bag says
May 4, 2012 at 5:15 pmLove it! Need to find something I can cover with pennies…
Mikki says
May 4, 2012 at 9:25 pmWOW!! How awesome is that!!! Love it!
Don’t know if it would work in my kitchen, but I know I could do this somewhere..
Great job!
Stopping by via Addicts Anonymous.
Kelly says
May 4, 2012 at 10:32 pmHoly Abraham Lincoln! That was a lot of work. It looks great, and it must be fun to have a one-of-a-king counter.
(I came over from Serenity Now. Thanks for posting the link!)
Ashley says
May 5, 2012 at 11:22 amLOL, holy Abraham Lincoln…
Kelley says
May 4, 2012 at 11:13 pmLove this! I think it came out great!
[email protected] says
May 5, 2012 at 7:35 amLooks great!! One of the best I’ve ever seen. Thanks for sharing :)
Devon @ Green House, Good Life says
May 5, 2012 at 9:14 amSo awesome. Just wondering, though — what was the epoxy plan if you had been able to get the pennies to work on the sides? Seems like gravity wouldn’t have been your friend….
Ashley says
May 5, 2012 at 11:18 amWell, in my head we were going guide the epoxy over the edges with the putty knife and let it cover the sides, letting it drip onto a plastic sheet and then cleaning up the bottom drips. It’s pretty thick stuff, so I wasn’t worried about it running off the top. I figured the edges wouldn’t be smooth (kinda ripply), but I was okay with it…mostly cause it’s was the best plan I could come up with.
Anonymous says
January 1, 2013 at 10:30 pmFYI you can use a paint brush to do the sides and yes the apoxy will drip off but you can brush on multiple coats. I have apoxy on my countertops however mine do not seem to be indestructible, maybe I need to put come polycrylic over it??
Laurel Stephens says
May 5, 2012 at 9:17 amThis is an incredible project and an even more incredible tutorial. You are going to save people countless hours of aggravation, me being one of them. I’m not ambitious enough to cover a counter with pennies, but I love how this looks. I’m going to try my hand at a penny tray. I just must have something of my own that looks this cool. Thanks for sharing. Your counter is inspiring and beautiful.
Ashley says
May 5, 2012 at 11:20 amGlad to help! A penny tray is a great idea…it will be beautiful and should be pretty easy.
Toodie says
May 5, 2012 at 9:38 amI. LOVE. IT!!! Looks really great and I appreciate your tips on what NOT to do. LOL I’m jealous of the awesome job you did.
Megan and [email protected] Homemade says
May 5, 2012 at 2:15 pmThis too cool! Sorry you had such a hard time with it, but I hope it was worth it in the end. Now following though Facebook!
Dee says
May 5, 2012 at 8:22 pmYour counter top looks amazing!
Jackie says
May 5, 2012 at 10:22 pmI saw this idea on pinterest for flooring, but thought that would be ridiculous… I wanted to do it on a coffee table or something. But this is a really cool idea ! I think it’d be neat in the bathroom on the vanity. Anyway, thanks for sharing this ! It turned out beautifully !!! I’m anxious to do my own penny project now :)
Jen says
May 5, 2012 at 11:05 pmWow! This looks great! What a cool idea!
Kelly @ Eclectically Vintage says
May 6, 2012 at 5:06 pmPennies from heaven!! This is heavenly! Of course, free food would have enticed me to help you sort thru all those pennies too. Looks amazing.
Kelly
[email protected] says
May 6, 2012 at 6:39 pmYou beat me to the punch…I was about to come over here and ask you to link this awesome post up to my party and it looks like you just did!! What a fabulous project!! I’m sad that you had to pull so many up and start over, but it was worth it. Looks gorgeous!! Thanks so much for stopping by!
{HUGS},
kristi
Katherine says
May 6, 2012 at 10:11 pmWow, what a show stopper! I was cruising through the Saturday Nite Special pics at Funky Junk and your counter grabbed my attention. It’s is so cool. What a fun project.
Vanessa says
May 6, 2012 at 11:29 pmThat is so cool!! I just love seeing unique projects like this and it turned out just so fabulous. :-) Thanks so much for sharing it with us at Inspiration Friday!
Vanessa
Courtney Williams says
May 7, 2012 at 3:09 amOh! That’s a nice idea as a unique table style and at the same time it can be a family bonding when doing or creating this penny countertop.
Ansley @ Fabulousfied.blogspot.com says
May 7, 2012 at 10:33 amOh…my….GOODNESS! I am so ‘borrowing’ this idea for a project! LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE!
Emily says
May 7, 2012 at 11:41 amWow, even if this project was so much trouble it still turned out great! I’ve been thinking about doing something similar (with bottle caps) for my husband so I’m really glad I saw this. Hopefully if I’m ever brave enough to attempt it I’ll know what to do.
[email protected] says
May 7, 2012 at 12:42 pmWhat a cool project this was, I really like how it turned out. Stopping by from the Feature Friday Link Party at Blissful and Domestic.
Sarah says
May 7, 2012 at 12:53 pmI love how this turned out! I saw this once on HGTV but they used beer bottle caps {the husband was a collector} on their bartop! It looks great!
FABBY says
May 7, 2012 at 2:34 pmWOW, WOW, WOW!! Never seen anything as amazing as this! What an incredible job you did and it looks awesome. Have a great week.
FABBY
Robin says
May 7, 2012 at 4:14 pmOh, I can feel your pain! This was alot of work but the end result is really cool and unique. Thanks for sharing the experience and I don’t think I will be doing this any time in the near future even though it came out great! I’m way too lazy!
Robin
Robin Flies South
SweetMelissa says
May 7, 2012 at 6:42 pmAbsolutely LOVE it! Thanks for the “don’t do” tips!!
[email protected] says
May 7, 2012 at 7:40 pmYes, a lot of work, but wow what a great project. So love it, absolutely beautiful. Simply cool. And they a penny doesn’t go very far anymore. This sure proves that wrong! Totally cool! Thanks for sharing your creative inspiration at Sunday’s Best.
Tisha @ Delectable Home says
May 7, 2012 at 8:41 pmI really, really love it! Sounds like a lot of work though, and thanks for all the tips. I think I might try this on a tray. Thanks for linking up!
Kaysi @ Keeping It Simple says
May 7, 2012 at 8:59 pmHoly cow, this is AMAZING!!! What a fun idea and I love how you made them heads and tails
six sisters says
May 7, 2012 at 9:03 pmThis is the neatest countertop!! Totally love it! We hope to see you back next week to our “Strut Your Stuff Saturday.” Thanks for coming!! -The Sisters
Toqua's Crafts says
May 8, 2012 at 1:13 amOh my gosh! That is wonderful. Unique. Thank you for sharing all the info on how you did it and what you learned.
I’m here from Cowgirl Up!
Lori says
May 8, 2012 at 6:12 amMaybe a nickel backsplash! Wonderful job.
Danielle says
May 8, 2012 at 7:18 amHi there! I just wanted to let you know I featured you today over at Blissful and Domestic. Stop by and grab a button:>
Danielle @ Blissful and Domestic
http://www.blissfulanddomestic.com
Debra @ Bungalow says
May 8, 2012 at 7:46 amAwesome! I’ve seen a floor done with all the pennies heads up and in the same direction…..your counter is really unique, love it!
Cottage By The Sea says
May 8, 2012 at 9:47 amBrilliant post! Wonderful blog! I just found you via Pinterest. Having just remodeled our cottage I don’t have anywhere to add a penny countertop at the moment but I’m thinking it would be great on an outside patio table or a built in bar b’ qeue too. Thanks for the tutorial and I signed myself up to follow your blog and your Pineterest. Failte
kristin says
May 8, 2012 at 10:02 amLove this idea, so cool! Good thing you had lots of help. Thank you for linkin up.
OX
Kristin
Rob Mac Elhinney says
May 8, 2012 at 10:06 amNice work. I did a bar counter top for a client a few years ago. He was well traveled…and especially loved Ireland. As an Irishman myself now living in Chicago, I was able to get my hands on a bunch of older and newer Irish coins…..and did his bar top with them plus a two part bar epoxy. Worked out well. Again……nice work.!
Mrs. Handyverger says
May 8, 2012 at 2:32 pmIt turned out beautifully! What a labor of love, though. I give you so much credit for not just giving up. :)
Stopping by from Time-Out Tuesday. :)
lomr says
May 8, 2012 at 2:50 pmWhat an interesting idea, it looks like it came out great!
Aimee B. says
May 8, 2012 at 2:53 pmLooks great! Might be something I would consider for my kitchen counter-tops. How well does it do with accidental knife marks? I’d hate to put in all that work only to have my sons carve the epoxy up every time they make a sandwich. LOL!
Janet says
May 8, 2012 at 5:51 pmI think all of your hard work really paid off, it looks amazing!!! I felt for you as I read the post, I’m glad that it all worked out in the end. :)
Alison says
May 9, 2012 at 1:00 amWow. What a unique countertop!! I love it. Thanks for sharing at oopsey daisy!
Belle says
May 9, 2012 at 1:18 amWow! I’ve seen this on Pinterest, but you were brave enough to attempt it! Turned out awesome! I’d love for you to add it on my link party at: http://printabelle.com/?p=3188 Thanks!
Judy says
May 9, 2012 at 7:17 amI’m very impressed. It looks great and I bet it’s quite a conversation piece. Thanks for sharing at DIYbyDesign’s Swing into Spring party.
Mandy @ Sugar Bee Crafts says
May 9, 2012 at 12:15 pmThanks for linking to TAke-A-Look Tuesday – you were featured today!!
–Mandy, http://www.SugarBeeCrafts.com
Natalia says
May 9, 2012 at 1:56 pmThis is incredible, I love it! Great job! And even if it took forever, it was worth it, because it looks great!
Beverly {Flamingo Toes} says
May 9, 2012 at 2:02 pmThis is so great!! I love how unique it looks and I really appreciate you showing all the steps you tried!
[email protected] says
May 9, 2012 at 2:50 pmLove this project!! And so worth all that work! Found you at a linky party, and on Hometalk…. AND we are neighbors! I’m in Boerne!!
Pretty Chaotic Mom says
May 9, 2012 at 4:35 pmOh WOW! That looks BEAUTIFUL! You’re home is also very very beautiful!
Kim says
May 9, 2012 at 8:03 pmthis is AMAZING! I would love for you to share at on my link party!
http://www.thesasselife.com/2012/05/crafty-sasse-wednesday-link-party-36.html
Hope to see you there :)
Holly Lefevre says
May 10, 2012 at 2:01 amThat was a lot of work…but it is so worth it.Just gorgeous and so unique!
Anita says
May 10, 2012 at 6:57 amVery original and clever. Great job and it is a really cool and unique countertop. Thanks for sharing at Cowgirl Up and I hope you come back next week.
Nicole says
May 10, 2012 at 5:39 pmThis is the coolest countertop ever! Very creative!
I found you at the Link Party over at Thrifty Decor Chick. Thanks for sharing!
Roeshel says
May 11, 2012 at 8:28 pmAshley! It’s gorgeous! WOW! I love it! I’m going to share a link back in this week’s highlights. :) Thanks so much for sharing your hard work, tips and creativity!
Haley D. says
May 12, 2012 at 1:23 pmYour countertop is amazing! I am so saving this idea because we are in the planning stages of a remodel. Thank you!
Hannah King says
May 13, 2012 at 3:12 pmI love this project so much I decided to try it myself! I don’t have a bar, but I do have a wooden serving tray that I have been wanting to modify. I decided to “age” some penny’s with tuquoise paint (to add an accent color) and a sponge and intersperse them with the other penny and I think it looks great! Thank you for the inspiration!!
Ashley says
May 13, 2012 at 3:55 pmThat sounds awesome! I would have never thought of aging them…you should post a picture on my facebook page so everyone can see!
BeColorful says
May 14, 2012 at 11:47 amWow, I had to scroll for days to finally submit my comment. :D So you just knew I had to feature you on this week’s Motivated Monday at BeColorful. Thanks so much for sharing.
pam
Kimberly says
May 14, 2012 at 11:43 pmThis is late for your project, but if you want a shiny copper edge, you might try gluing copper flashing or foil on the wooden edging you installed. They are both affordable and easy to glue. Foil is more likely to wrinkle or get deformed. Flashing takes a little more work to bend and shape. But either would be affordable. A rubber mallet would help shape the flashing. The foil is more like using kitchen foil.
http://www.enasco.com/product/0401500%28A%29
http://www.lowes.com/pd_59448-205-850678_0__?productId=1093759
Meredith S. says
May 21, 2012 at 1:21 pmAshley,
was the one epoxy kit enough for the whole length of the counter top or did you have to buy more than one kit?
Ashley says
May 21, 2012 at 3:49 pmWe used a kit and a half.
Sherry says
May 21, 2012 at 2:46 pmI was wondering how you figured out how much in pennies you needed and would it be safe to do this on a kitchen counter top that you prepare food on?
Ashley says
May 21, 2012 at 3:51 pmOne penny is one inch, so it takes 144 pennies to do one square foot…and I have no idea about food safeness, sorry!
Donna Connolly says
May 22, 2012 at 5:56 pmThat is FANTASTIC! I love your idea… Ketchup cleans pennies and copper just like new!
Have a fun week,
Donna
Kari says
May 25, 2012 at 2:37 pmVery cool! My husband hoards pennies. He would lose it if he came home to all his pennies epoxied into a counter or something. LOL Seriously, great job!
Kathy aka Pie says
June 5, 2012 at 8:56 amThanks a lot…..now where can I put a penny counter in my house?
Jenna says
June 18, 2012 at 12:25 pmLove this! So unique! Question for you…my friend is wanting to do a penny backsplash and would like to seal it. I know you didn’t end up doing edges, but if you had…were you planning on sealing them and how would you have done it?
Ashley says
June 20, 2012 at 2:30 pmI was just planning on letting the epoxy run over the edges and then smoothing it all out. I have no idea how you would seal it an a totally vertical surface. Maybe cut out some thin plywood in the exact shape of the backsplash, cover with pennies and epoxy, and then install with some liquid nails? that’s the best I’ve got.
Christopher says
July 1, 2012 at 8:38 pmHey Ashley,
I’ve never responded to these kinds of blog posts before but I would like to just take a second and say thank you very much! My wife and I were looking at doing the pennytop idea in my parents house and this gives us so many new ideas (and saves us from the headache you went through!).
Thanks again!
-Christopher
Ashley says
July 1, 2012 at 11:16 pmThanks for taking the time to comment! I read a lot of blogs but rarely comment as well…I’m more of the silent blog stalker kind, lol. I love that your parents are cool enough to let y’all do a penny countertop in their house. Good luck and have fun! If you want to send me pics of the final product I would love to feature it on my facebook page!
Dawn says
July 9, 2012 at 1:56 pmLOVE the penny idea! It turned out good. Am enjoying looking at all your projects. Must say I was inspired by your {Awesome} Paisley Stenciled Table that I saw on Pinterest.com. I used your idea to make an Awesome Stenciled desk of my own. Love to see creative things……keep it up :)
Adam says
July 13, 2012 at 2:06 pmI’ve read a couple of your DIY projects/learning experiences. It’s really nice to hear that I’m not the only one who runs into problems that require creative (and durable) solutions. I love the idea of the epoxy countertop. I’ve always wanted to do this. On those rare occations when I stop by Joe’s Crabshack, it always reminds me how much I want to still do that kind of project. I’m wondering if using 100% epoxy would be better or 100% poly…? I would definitely get extra epoxy if I was worried about running out. Thank you for putting up your experiences (good and bad).
Ashley says
July 16, 2012 at 7:33 amDo you mean 100% poly as in polyurethane? Would your just pour it over your pennies like we did epoxy? I’m not asking because I have an answer, it just never crossed my mind to use poly. It just might work, though I’m not sure it would make for a better finish than the epoxy…it would be cheaper though.
Adam says
July 17, 2012 at 9:13 pmWell, we used polyurethane for a DIY resurfacing job on old laminate countertop. We didn’t need for it to be that deep, but I’m wondering if it would have turned out better if we did lay it on really thick. The polyurethane would probably take longer to set because it’s so much thinner. I probably put on 1/16″ of it over the laminate and that was from 4-6 coats. It took two weeks to cure too… It’s really clear though. In hindsight, maybe the epoxy would have been better. Again, thank you for the details and information. It’s helpful to know of other options for custom countertops.
S. Martin says
July 16, 2012 at 3:16 pmHave you calculated how much this costs per sq ft? Other projects like this mention $7.50/sq ft. but just the pennies are about $1.25, the rest would be the epoxy. I am planning a counter top and you tutorial is perfect. Thanks for sharing.
Ashley says
July 17, 2012 at 12:14 amI think $7.50 a square foot sounds really high. I never calculated the cost per sq ft for ours though. Let’s see, it’s about 12 sq ft, we used about $40 worth of epoxy and wood, so that’s a little over $3.30 a foot, plus $1.25 for pennies is about $4.50 a square foot. Whew, math at midnight…not my strong point :)
[email protected] says
July 20, 2012 at 12:55 pmWow, its a good think you had some cheap labor for shining all those pennies! :) looks great!
Thanks so much for linking up. Make sure to grab a button or link back! Good luck and feel free to follow us on facebook for all the contest updates!
Jenny says
July 22, 2012 at 5:26 pmYou have such great ideas!! You have inspired me to do my own hardwood floors and my own version of a penny counter. Thanks for all you post!! :)
Tim says
August 11, 2012 at 12:00 pmI saw what you did there. You got lazy! you needed to start it all at once but you started the top then the side then started on another part. When you lay down tile you get the same problems. I also know why you got lazy and didn’t fix it. Resin is self leveling and you would have had to pour the side in a mold which isn’t possible with what you were doing. Don’t go blaming this on “oh my it just wouldn’t line up if we pushed it, it buckled. bullshit you didn’t think this thru and what you did took no expertise or skill. To have done this properly you would have had to take the counter off apply the pennies and flip the counter upside down. once upside down it would have to be suspended above a mold and the resin poured in just like making a fiberglass part. The mold would have had to been covered in a releasing agent for the resin to turn out both smooth and clear. You are a lazy piece of shit and your project is bullshit as well. This has no place being documented! You are self indulgent pigs that are the bane of society.
Ashley says
August 11, 2012 at 1:15 pmObviously we didn’t do this project as professionally as you would have. I see why you think we got lazy as well, the photo with the pennies on the side and that gap in the middle makes it look like we just started gluing pennies on in random places. What actually happened was that I started popping the pennies off after completing the side, then realized that I forgot to take a picture. Perhaps I should have clarified. Calling me “the bane of society” is obviously pretty extreme for a silly penny countertop project though, so that can’t be the root of your anger and I don’t take it personally.
Jan Elizabeth says
August 12, 2012 at 1:55 pmHonestly! What kind of a commenter are you? A rude one, that’s for sure! I can’t believe some people – to go on someone’s personal, well-respected blog and be insulting and call names like that.
Ashley, I’m glad you have thick skin because this person is WAAAAY out of line! I am just outraged. Grrr!
Kindel says
August 31, 2012 at 10:00 pmOh, please don’t pay attention to that rude commenter! I think your project turned out wonderfully and I appreciate your honesty with the hang-ups that you had! You are just showing all of your readers to not be intimidated by projects like this! Mr. Rude doesn’t have to live in your house or use your countertop so just ignore him! :) You are awesome! Please keep doing what you do!
Deanna says
September 6, 2012 at 9:41 pmYou are so classy and composed in your response to that bottom feeder! I love your penny project and also check several times a week to see your new posts! Keep up the awesome work!!
Anonymous says
September 1, 2012 at 8:22 pmwhat a jerk I loved it ….don’t like it don’t go on any blogs …stop being a jerk…Ashley i love your blog and check it 2 or 3 times a week to see what you have done ..Keep up the good work….
Kat says
September 1, 2012 at 10:27 pmOMG! You know I have seen several things on your site that have inspired me. There are also several that I looked at and could appreciate but didn’t really mean all that much to me and couldn’t use. I can’t imagine when you put yourself out there for us to enjoy your projects and share a lil bit of yourself with us to receive comments like the one listed above. I’m really sorry. Please don’t let him bother you that much and keep up the good work and to the guy who wrote the comment , shame on you, you obviously need a time out so go stand in a corner.
Jan Elizabeth says
September 2, 2012 at 4:07 amLol! You tell’em, Kat.
Ashley says
September 4, 2012 at 4:23 pmLol, thanks for the support Kat!
Kristi says
September 3, 2012 at 9:44 amlol i see what YOU are doing here, Tim, trying to troll to get some fantastic bully reputation. You should troll somewhere else, where your overblown anger would make more sense, like a political or religious blog. Your comment just makes you look like an idiot, getting all out of sorts over a craft project. lol. I mean, no offense, Ashley, but your project isn’t exactly making any huge mark on society. It’s simply a fun project, which I think took some creativity and I can see that many people took inspiration from it as well! Good job! Tim, if you have any other interests, or passions, that have any relevance to your quality of life, try trolling over to that blog. Good luck.
Anonymous says
September 7, 2012 at 12:39 amTim,
Here’s an idea: if you don’t like a project or a blog, then feel free to stop reading it with one simple click of the mouse. Maybe you would further benefit by spending time on researching the meaning of the phrase, “pick your battles,” at which point you might figure out that you need professional help with that little anger issue ya got goin on there, Pal.
jan says
August 11, 2012 at 11:44 pmthanks for documenting your cool project. I presume your pennies are copper like ours used to be, i which case, I reccomend lemon juice for shining. its awesome.
Kelli R. says
August 12, 2012 at 2:23 amhttp://www.epbot.com/2010/09/money-money-money.html
It looks awesome but the issues you encountered are all offered options at Epbot. They did a rounded edge table and it’s amazing
Ashley says
August 12, 2012 at 9:38 amI saw and loved their rounded edge table, its the look I was trying to get with mine. Square edges kills it though, lol.
Shan says
August 16, 2012 at 10:59 pmIt came out wonderfully!
susan says
August 18, 2012 at 3:02 pmHi we did an epoxy counter in our wetbar in the basement. We put hockey cards (hopefully not valuable ones …LOL) on the counter and covered with epoxy. We had a problem as well with the epoxy in that it is opaque in some areas but I just think it looks like hockey rink ice. If I do anything again with the epoxy, the blowdryer idea is useful.
Susan
Farhan says
August 19, 2012 at 11:07 amHome DIY always fascinates me, lovely!
Jessica says
August 22, 2012 at 12:49 amThis looks awesome! I will definitely be trying this with a counter top in the future. For now, it wouldn’t go with the kitchen decor, but I like the idea that someone posted about just painting and then covering with epoxy. When you painted yours black for the first layer, did you sand the laminate or prime it? I was wondering how it held up when it dried.
Ashley says
August 22, 2012 at 7:36 amWe ripped the laminate off entirely and painted the wood/mdf stuff that is underneath it.
Inspire Me Heather says
August 22, 2012 at 8:26 amYour counter looks great – I liked your tutorial too, looks like you all had fun! I’ve got this linked to my pennies post as well today, nice job!
Chris says
August 22, 2012 at 11:04 amThe bank can order you all new pennies so no polishing needed. And they will be dated with the year your countertop was made : ) As for the sides, perfaps routing out the cedar, doing mini penny counters inside, then mounting to the countertop? Thoughts for future “penny counters” : )
Anonymous says
August 22, 2012 at 12:05 pmim thinking of doing that on a desktop thanks for the posting and tips on how to do it awesome job
Gail says
September 2, 2012 at 1:44 pmTomato juice works great for removing tarnish from pennies…
Jeri Niksich says
September 2, 2012 at 9:58 pmThe man’s intelligence really shows through with the language he used! I am at a loss for words…guess maybe because I don’t use the type of words he uses! Jeepers!
Robin Richardson form Junkin Revival says
September 3, 2012 at 11:11 pmI LOVE this countertop and you have inspired me to NOT give up on this desk that I have been working on forever! I thought the top was just heavily varnished and was going to sand down to bare wood so I could stain a nice dark stain…………..well what ever finish was on there would not come off with sanding or with stain/paint stripper so that idea bit the dust. Next idea was to paint it however since using the stain/paint stripper on it previously it was causing the paint to look funky and uneven toned. Soooo third try a charm right? WRONG! I then tried to decoupage fabric on the top, however, the mod podge for so reason was adhering funky and was causing the appearance of dark stains and streaks on portions. So it is currently sitting in my garage until I am not frustrated with it again to try something else (planning on decoupaging scrapbook paper to it) crossing my fingers!! So thank you again for showing that persistance does pay off and that my desk will turn out great (eventually).
Ashley says
September 4, 2012 at 3:36 pmOh my gosh, that desk sounds like a pain in the neck! I hate when something you think is going to be fun and easy turns into a nightmare project. It feels extra good when you finish them though :)
Sandra says
September 4, 2012 at 7:17 pmIsn’t it lovely that there are so many kind, wonderful people in the world, and comparatively few nasty, rude, plain ole mean-spirited human beings? I guess all one can do is forgive the nastiness, and assume he just is a miserable person who has absolutely no class, no respect for himself or anyone else. Sad, really. I feel sorry for him. Even more sorry for anyone who is so unfortunate to have to live with him.
AND, I love your project!! I would attempt it myself, but I gotta tell you, that was a lot of work, and I am tooo lazy, lol.
Melody says
September 5, 2012 at 8:29 amI Love your countertop and I think it came out beautifully! As for “Tim”…well, I believe the lazy banes of society are the people who don’t even attempt DIY on their homes and leave them looking like crap inside and out and the ones that don’t follow…”If you have nothing nice to say then don’t say nothing at all” are truly a horrible bane on society…Keep on keeping on girl…We love your posts :) Also, my husband and I DIY all our projects because that is what we can afford…perfect? No…Better? Yes MUCH!
Lauren says
September 6, 2012 at 4:02 pmI LOVE this! we are planning on making a coffee table for our living room using this! Thank you for all the great advice. It looks great!!
Henry Williams says
September 7, 2012 at 9:02 pmI just did my living room hallway. It was a lot easier because of you steps showing accomplishments and failures. You are the Bomb (dot) com! Thanks
notsoblond says
September 13, 2012 at 10:11 amI *love* this countertop, and LOVE that you posted it including your errors. I want to pennify something in my house and think a countertop or bar is fantastic.
Has your epoxy top held up well to scrapes/scratches?
lexy says
September 17, 2012 at 8:04 amIt looks gorgeous, though it would be frustrating to have so many versions of the plan fall through/mess-up. thanks for doing it, though, because learning from your mistakes = only making some (creative, new!) mistakes when I try it myself :P
Shea says
November 14, 2012 at 6:48 pmNow I now why the banks say there is a shortage of pennies! Good job…. I work with epoxy on concrete so I can relate to some of the problems you had. You saved it though! I’m working on a painted table with an epoxy and urethane coating. Here is a good article on the differences in epoxy coatings that might help other people.
Love it!
Trina says
November 22, 2012 at 10:12 pmPersistence is key! Thanks for doing all the grunt work for the rest of us. It turned out really cool.
sandy says
December 3, 2012 at 8:48 pmI never respond to blogs…but I can’t pass this one up. What a wonderful creative project – and thank you so much for taking the time to explain it all step by step. Gives me hope for doing something creative with my dining table. I love it!!!
Ashley says
December 6, 2012 at 9:09 pmThanks for taking the time to leave a comment Sandy! I’m a blogger and hardly ever comment when I read blogs as well…that’s like being a waitress and still being a bad tipper. Eek! I’m glad you liked my project and it would look great on a table. You could put anything under the epoxy as well, you don’t have to do pennies..I am partial to the pennies though :)
Michal Boyars says
December 10, 2012 at 10:43 pmComment about the Gorilla Glue that you used… I have been using your post as a step-by-step guide to a penny project that I am doing in my own home, and suggest *not* using Gorilla glue. Though it’s great for many things, bear in mind that it expands/ poofs up as it dries; That may explain why your pennies weren’t lining up when you laid them down… they shifted as the glue dried. Just a thought.
Btw, people have said great things about this glue for penny projects: http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=1418
Ashley says
December 14, 2012 at 9:34 pmI actually didn’t use the poofy gorilla glue… though not because I have any foresight and thought about that little problem. We used a gorilla glue “super glue”, it comes in a tiny little bottle and costs twice as much, lol. We tried the regular poofy stuff (you can see it in a pic I believe), but it didn’t stick immediately and the super glue did, so that’s what we went with. Thank for taking the time to send that tip though, I’ll update the post as not to lead anyone astray. What kind of penny project are you doing in your house?
Michal Boyars says
December 15, 2012 at 6:56 pmA penny mural! It is of stalks of wheat…let’s see how it turns out! :)
Ashley says
December 15, 2012 at 10:53 pmHoly cow that sounds amazing! So are you using the different colors of pennies to make the shapes? And when you say mural…how big is it? You HAVE to send me a picture when you are finished. Seriously.
Donne Brescia says
December 30, 2012 at 11:52 pmI love these! I am going to post a link on facebook! Its a have to share!
Mary says
January 12, 2013 at 5:43 pmToilet bowl cleaner super cleans and shines coins all in one easy step. No brushing with soda paste, then buffing.
melody says
January 13, 2013 at 12:44 amsick as hell
Tifsport says
January 20, 2013 at 1:18 amJust wondering, if the wrapped pennies had worked how would you have epoxyed the sides of the counter without gravity making it drip off?
Ashley says
January 24, 2013 at 7:59 amSorry for the late response, I’m am just now seeing your comment. I had planned on just letting the epoxy drip off and use a squeegee to direct it (and put plenty of plastic on the floor). They did that in this blog post – http://www.epbot.com/2010/09/money-money-money.html – and it seemed to work alright.
Valerie @ Making It Worthy says
February 10, 2013 at 3:49 pmHi Ashley,
I just did a painted penny tile back splash in our kitchen and after seeing your countertop I’m wondering if I could have glued and painted pennies instead. It looks very cool, and I love the kitchen as well. :) (www.makingitworthy.com)
Deliliah says
February 12, 2013 at 9:48 pmI love your blog, I am planning on covering my Kitchen floor in pennies with alot of help from my son. I hope the epoxy works, I can’t find any other product that would give the thickness I need to cover the pennies. I love your bar
Patty says
February 22, 2013 at 9:44 pmWow! Love it! We have a ton and I mean ton of 1940’s steel pennies and late 1800’s indian head pennies. I think we will make a couple accent tables now that I see your project. The indian heads are only worth up to a dollar each and the steel pennies arent worth more than a few cents. Unless a person finds a 1943 copper penny, then don’t waste time taking it to your local coin dealer! Rare and worth alot!
Althea says
March 4, 2013 at 11:01 pmLove it, what a job! I had to laugh when you said you poured it and left it overnight to set up. In my house the next morning it would surely have added cat prints in the surface!
David Kristufek says
March 15, 2013 at 4:30 amWonderful ideas, my wife and I live in an old farm house over 100 years old that we r trying to fix up as cheaply as possibly considering I am unable to find work where we live. so anything like this I cherish, please feel free to contact anytime you like always lookin to share new ideas. I am an artist I love to reuse things like this as well, check out my art and tell me what you think.
Kristufek, an environmental artist.
Lizz says
March 15, 2013 at 2:51 pmGirl this is the coolest project ever! I luv your blog, its so unique and creative… keep it up I am inspired!
Steve says
March 26, 2013 at 8:12 amQUESTION: Delightful post, beautiful floor. I also love your paper bag floor! I wonder about the quantity of epoxy. Your first was too shallow – about how much did you use? I am trying to figure out the quantity of epoxy I will need for my project – two areas, each about 4×4 feet. My surface will be different (just bare wood, I think) but I want the durability you produced. One will be a dog grooming areas for my wife’s pups, and the other an outside rain-exposed tabletop. How many square feet at what thickness do you estimate you get per quart or gallon? Thanks in advance for your help.
Ashley says
March 27, 2013 at 8:58 amI’m not really a math girl, so I’ll just give you what I know and you can go from there. The epoxy we used (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007177NZU/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B007177NZU&linkCode=as2&tag=domestiimperf-20) is one quart and the box says it will cover 6.4 square feet of surface. Our countertop is 8.5 square, we used about 3/4 of the container, and the total depth is about 1/8 an inch. Hope that helps!
Anonymous says
March 27, 2013 at 6:38 pmThanks for responding to my inquiry. I enjoy your site.
Sarah De Diego (Journeys of The Zoo) says
April 9, 2013 at 12:46 amBrilliant! I should do something like this now that the Canadian penny has been discontinued. Can’t wait to see what else you come up with.
Besos, Sarah
Blogger at Journeys of The Zoo
Finding Humour in Everyday Life
Bonnie says
April 9, 2013 at 2:10 pmI love how it looks. :) The project was not only great because of the outcome, but how the siblings worked together to help you make it happen. :)
Lori says
April 13, 2013 at 12:50 pmI was wondering what type of epoxy you used. I have done a tabletop for a boat with pictures of visitors embedded in epoxy–like you said, blew out the bubbles with a hair dryer, and it worked great. I was able to set hot items on the table, direct from the oven. Can you do that with this? Do you think it’s practical to use all over the kitchen, or only where it’s more decorative than functional?
Ashley says
April 15, 2013 at 11:17 pmWe used this epoxy… http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007177NZU/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B007177NZU&linkCode=as2&tag=domestiimperf-20
I’ve never set hot items on it so I can’t really answer that. I’m not sure about the whole kitchen thing either, Adam says it’s what they use in bars and restaurants and it should be fine. I’d tend to agree, though I would still use hot pads and cutting boards for sure.
Charlie says
April 27, 2013 at 5:30 amNot to be a dick, but i’m pretty sure cutting pennies is not just difficult but illegal. I think that falls into the whole “defacing federal currency” thing.
Ashley says
April 27, 2013 at 10:05 amYou’re not being a dick, and you’re certainly not the first person to ask me this. Here is a snippet from the social security website (http://www.secretservice.gov/money_law.shtml)
“Anyone who manufactures a counterfeit U.S. coin in any denomination above five cents is subject to the same penalties as all other counterfeiters. Anyone who alters a genuine coin to increase its numismatic value is in violation of Title 18, Section 331 of the United States Code, which is punishable by a fine or imprisonment for up to five years, or both.”
From what I can tell, it’s not illegal to alter a coin if you are not trying to pass it off as being worth more than it is. It also specifies that the coin needs to be above five cents in value to be subject to penalties even if I was trying to pass pennies off as more then they are worth. So, as far as I can tell, using pennies for decor projects is perfectly acceptable. Perhaps not smiled upon, but not illegal.
Rory Reding says
May 8, 2013 at 2:27 pmAshley…you are truly an inspiration! You and TDC blogs have given me the confidence to try my hand at repurposing furniture, DIY, upcycle…etc…however, I do not have a supportive hubby. He thinks its all crap and doesn’t want it in his house. How do I try to convince him that this is cheap, fun and crafty??
Ashley says
May 9, 2013 at 2:44 pmOh no, an unsupportive husband is really a DIY buzz kill! If I was in your position this is what I would do…find 5, 10, 15 (however many he’s up for) DIY projects that you would be interested in doing and go through them with him. Ask what he likes and doesn’t like about each one. Then pick something to do that is EXACTLY what he said he likes (even if you hate it) and create it (furniture is probably safe). Make sure not complain about it at all, even if it is a huge disaster. Hopefully he won’t hate it and will appreciate the money you saved. Then go from there, creating things that suit his taste until he decides DIY isn’t so bad. Then go hog wild :)
AZ Maria says
June 10, 2013 at 12:44 pmWhere do you live, Ashley? Would love to be your neighbor – you are my kinda gal! lol.
Ashley says
June 10, 2013 at 4:01 pmIm in Texas!
sue priestly says
September 13, 2013 at 6:43 pmThe greatest idea I could help you with ( your job is amazing)
that pennies come clean and shiny with SWISH toilet bowl
cleaner. The product is safe for your hands believe it or not!
Great job in the kitchen!
Ben says
September 26, 2013 at 10:52 pmI’ve been dreaming of doing this to a room since I was twelve. But I am going to do it to the floor. I am now 26. Some day.
Ben
Donnetta says
October 21, 2013 at 6:17 pmNot sure if this question was already asked, there were SOOOOOO many comments…lol My question is: When you poured the thick epoxy on the pennies, did any of them try to move? Or are they heavy enough that they stay still while you’re pouring and spreading it out? Thanks very much & I love how it turned out! :o)
Ashley says
October 22, 2013 at 10:03 amNope, I don’t think this has been asked before! The pennies didn’t move and we didn’t glue them down (not after the initial glue fiasco at least). We did have the lip on the edge holding them all in and they were packed in there pretty tightly though.
Shayna says
October 23, 2013 at 1:26 pmWOW! This is awesome!! I realize y’all ran into a few snags along the way but, y’all really did a great job!! My husband & I are in the middle of remodeling our house (first time home owners & DIY’ers). Although he has the ability & the tools, it’s still such a learning process all together and can be super frustrating! Again, y’all did such a great job!! I found your blog through IHeart Organizing! So glad, new follower!
Elizabeth Kaiser says
October 31, 2013 at 9:44 pmGorgeous! Love this look, I’d really like to do something like this somewhere… someday! Thanks for all the tips!
Amit says
November 7, 2013 at 7:00 amwow… each penny worths a lot..
thanks for this great idea..
Kathleen says
November 24, 2013 at 2:48 am*GASP*
Why oh why didn’t I find this post before Canada eliminated pennies??? This would be PERFECT for my bathroom countertop. I want raised glass sinks, & this would look stunning beneath them!
Perhaps I could do the same with some pretty river pebbles, but it won’t have the sheen & spark of the copper.
Beautiful.
Ashley says
November 24, 2013 at 12:19 pmThis would be beautiful on a bathroom counter! It is indestructible too, I haven’t had a single issue with mine. Could you get your hands on some (okay, a lot) of american pennies? You could put ANYTHING under the epoxy though and it would work!
Jan Elizabeth says
November 24, 2013 at 6:17 pmI’m sure many people have a ton of pennies left over. If you advertised on Craigslist or Kijiji, you could probably find people who would love to get them off their hands.
Marla Carter says
January 22, 2014 at 5:32 pmThe best method I’ve found for cleaning anything copper, including pennies, is to cover with plain old tomato ketchup and let set for anywhere from 10 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how shiny and clean you want them. Lay them on the palm of your hand and gently scrub with a Scotch Brite scrubby, toss into a stainer or colander, rinse and buff dry with a clean cloth…..depending on the copper content of the penny (newer ones are more alloy than copper), they can come out of the bath looking almost new!
MML says
February 10, 2014 at 10:16 pmThere’s a similar tutorial on the epobot blog (the same woman that does Cakewrecks) that I think is a little more detailed. Might give answers to a lot of some of the people asking.
Dee says
February 14, 2014 at 3:01 pmThis is awesome, I’ve seen penny toilet seat covers but never a penny breakfast bar. Now you’re giving me lots of ideas and I want to now go home, rip out my countertops and line them with fancy colorful post cards and epoxy.
[email protected] says
April 29, 2014 at 10:20 amWow, what a great job you did! I’ve always wanted to make something with pennies and this is just beautiful. I’ve posted about this & like the idea of making a penny wall for a small nook. I’d use a piece of plywood and put the pennies on while it’s on a table. After it’s all done I could set it up as a back wall for the nook. I’m thinking it would be great for a bar area. Or even make a smaller square covered with pennies for wall art. I could see 2 or 3 of these really sparking up a wall. And I can work on small projects! I’ve seen old bowling balls covered in pennies too. Lots of fun!
If you don’t mind, I’d like to link back to this on my blog. Your tips are great!
Sara says
June 20, 2014 at 5:43 pmWow. The first time I see such a unique DIY. It required a lot of work. But the effect is great
Carl D'Agostino says
January 3, 2015 at 4:20 amI may begin similar, maybe end table top, with stamps. Just copy,paste, print from illustrations of net. Could follow themes like ships, trains, nature. I want tp begin a George Washington stamp one.
Jenine says
January 9, 2015 at 9:58 pmHi, LOVE this project! I have a question…if you HAD gotten the pennies to line up, what was the plan for containing the epoxy? I notice you used the edge of the counter to contain it here…but if the pennies ran over the edge, would the epoxy have worked out?
For anyone else dong this and seeking to overcome the alignment issue – perhaps the alignment problem was similar to what would happen when installing glass mosaic tile… the wall and counter aren’t perfectly square; therefore, if you start at an edge, you will have issues with alignment once you get 5 feet away from where you started. Perhaps starting at the center and using a straightedge for lining up that first row, then snipping the pennies at the wall would be the way to go?
Also, I highly recommend Nexabond. Water free CA (super) glue. PERFECT GLUE! Expensive, but dang near perfection and lasts forever (thanks to the water free business). You will use it for wood glue (which is what it was designed for), fabric glue, gluing together plastic toys…amazing.
Excited to hear about the epoxy plan, I freaking LOVE your design and MUST do this on our bar counter!
Ashley says
January 12, 2015 at 11:34 amI honestly didn’t have an exact plan, I was just planning on letting the epoxy run over the edges and cover the pennies, with a little manipulation from me. The epoxy is really thick so I think it would have worked…though the edges, unlike the top, wouldn’t be perfectly smooth. That is also why we were trying to remove the countertop before starting the project, letting the epoxy run over the edges would have been messy and I didn’t want to do it inside my house. It all worked out in the end though, even though nothing really worked out!
Jessica says
April 24, 2015 at 7:29 amAMAZING! Such an original idea, it looks really really nice!
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Seroflorus says
August 7, 2015 at 8:05 pmWhew….so tiring to read all these link party comments to try to find the answer to one simple question: How much epoxy? that stuff is not cheap and I’d rather not mix too much.
Ashley says
August 10, 2015 at 10:12 pmEvery counter will be different so I can’t tell you exactly how much you will need, but I can give you the stats on our counter. One box of “Super Glaze” is one quart and the box says it will cover 6.4 square feet of surface. Our countertop is 8.5 square feet, and we used a box and a half, and the total depth is about 1/8 an inch.
Karen Lee says
August 26, 2015 at 11:43 am“DOG Bless You” for your Persistence & Diligence with your “Pennies Against You” Battle until you WON! I have a collection of coins and bills from around the world [Started in the 60’s!] and have always “Dreamed Of” creating something like this with them. Now; I can; and with the full benefits of your “Trial & Errors” that I am sure will save me much time & frustrations. But I’m sure I’ll create some Frustrations on my own; as I have NO Building of ANYTHING Experience; not even Legos! klee
Michael says
September 6, 2015 at 3:06 pmThank you for taking the time to detail your project.
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Ashley says
September 14, 2015 at 11:32 amI’ve never had that problem or complaint before, but I will look into it. Thank you for your feedback.
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Ryan says
October 10, 2015 at 10:43 amI wonder how much, in pennies, that you ended up using on the table?
Jim says
October 27, 2015 at 9:22 pmI really hope this page is still checked from time to time. If not;….well……I’ll just be glad to share my admiration for this project into the cold, vast emptiness of the Internet.
That penny counter is amazing, and I’m so glad you shared some of the pitfalls so that, should I try a similar project, I could avoid them and create some of my own. Two tings, though. First, in Canada, we no longer have pennies. Unless you can find a hoarder, there is no way to get any. I’m guessing I’d end up using vase gems or similar.
Second, and far more important, how much of that epoxy did you use for that counter, and what were its dimensions, please? I guess I can do my own volume calculations, but it would help to have at least a rough estimate as a jumping-off point. Now……off to explore this site. THANKS!
Jim
PS…I’ve seen those paper bag floors mentioned in the comment above mine, and they’re fantastic1
Jan Elizabeth says
October 27, 2015 at 10:01 pmYou can get pennies on eBay. :)
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Jo says
January 7, 2016 at 4:52 amJust a thought – if u were really set on a copper trim rather than a wooden one, u could use copper-leaf & size to attach it to the wooden frame, then u could seal the copper-leaf under some clear epoxy, like when u finish off decoupaged items.
Eli says
January 24, 2016 at 3:48 pmI found this post through Google…I just wanted to ask how, after a few years of living with it, has your penny countertop held up? Thanks!
Ashley says
January 24, 2016 at 8:04 pmOut of all the projects we’ve done over the years, this one is probably the one that’s holding up the best. It looks as good as the day we finished it.
kasia says
May 4, 2016 at 1:52 pmWhat a shame…it would look 100x better with pennies flipped on sides:(
kasia says
May 4, 2016 at 1:53 pmWhat a shame…it would look 100x better with pennies flipped over the sides
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July 10, 2016 at 9:56 pmYour idea is really creative. I love it. I’ll collect penny to do it. Thanks for sharing!
Latif says
August 2, 2016 at 10:08 amAwesome work done with the pennies on the table. And you are right about the problems as i know you can have issues with epoxy as we do have the same from time to time.also as we work in the same industry.
Darcie says
August 24, 2016 at 10:57 amJust found your penny post. We once paved the entry way of our dorm room in pennies with poster putty, then had to pry them up, so we decided never to do that again. It turned into a penny covered coffee table, which I still have and don’t know what to do with! It looks great, but doesn’t match the decor of many people. Ah well. A fun project nonetheless. Thanks for sharing! I love a good DIY.
Samantha says
September 7, 2016 at 5:22 pmI love how this turned out…..what a great idea. I covered over my kitchen countertop with faux paint to make it look like granite and then poured enviro-tex…..it’s such a magical product although a little intimidating to use. I’m wondering what I can use the penny’s on in my home now because I love that look….maybe a sidetable! Thanks for the inspiration.
Sara Santos says
February 2, 2017 at 12:25 pmI love it, and want to do this with an old L-shaped desk that I have. I would leave the top as it. Think it is clever and looks wonderful. thancks for sharing.
Jennifer says
February 9, 2017 at 10:10 amThis is so great.. I love it! and I really appreciate you showing all the steps you tried!
Nicole Gardner says
April 15, 2017 at 2:56 amI have to say I love your DIY blog :D Specifically this post where you cover the bar with pennies :) I have seen other people do it on FB where they actually cover the floor with pennies. It just look so stylish. It has its own charm. I love when the style and design in every home is a bit different.
Tim says
July 31, 2017 at 5:41 pmLove the satin finish. How has the polycrylic held up over the years? Curious how it withstood the abuse over the years and if it stayed adhered to the epoxy. Great project and writeup!
Ashley says
August 2, 2017 at 10:26 pmIt held up really REALLY well…I was actually quite surprised. We sold that house last year and the penny countertop looked as good as the day we did it.
Tim says
August 2, 2017 at 10:36 pmWow I am surprised as well! Thank you for the quick reply. Been wanting to do something with pennies and the satin finish really caught my eye in google images. I snooped around and your blog is great, keep up the awesome work. Cheers!
nisha says
September 1, 2017 at 6:11 amI like it very nice coins on decoration on pennies
nice
Kelly says
October 22, 2017 at 6:38 pmHey, despite the headaches you did a fabulous job. I installed a penny floor inside my front and back doors. Now I’m thinking a breakfast bar Penny countertop would tie the rooms together nicely. I used polyurethane instead though because it’s waaaay more forgiving than epoxy (in case you ever do another). Thanks!
Suzanne Edwards says
November 2, 2017 at 8:15 pmExcellent post in every way! Thanks for sharing your experience.
elaine says
November 13, 2013 at 10:14 pmI love it, and want to do this with an old L-shaped desk that I have. I would leave the top as it. Think it is clever and looks wonderful.