How To Attach Bar Rail End Cap

 Before attaching your end cap you will want to have some supplies and have the bar rail already screwed to your top. Here we show a mock up section of what a bar rail and bar top might look like. Wood glue, a brad nailer, sand paper, and the end cap are some of the main supplies you will need. There are a few different ways to attach the end cap and also to lay out the bar rail on the top in order to get a flush finished edge after attaching the end cap. We will explain these options for you in the following examples.

Below we show some of the main supplies you can use to attach the end cap to the bar rail end. Wood glue, a brad nailer, sand paper, and the end cap and bar top.

You can put the end cap right on the end of your finished bar top so that is is extending out 3/4". In this example you might have the edge of the bar top already capped with a trim piece of wood.

Apply wood glue to the end cap or the bar rail end before attaching.

One way to do this procedure is to tape the end cap on after gluing. This will allow you to apply the end cap without having to nail it or have nail holes to putty. After gluing you can push the end cap around on the rail, it creates a suction cup effect that makes a tight glue joint. You can do the same thing if you decide to  nail the end cap. For the taping method allow ample drying time before sanding. About an hour should be fine.

The next option is to brad nail the end cap after gluing and pushing it around to create the suction cup effect. If you do not have a brad nailer handy you can use finish nails with a hand held hammer. For the hand nailing method you should pre-drill the nail holes so that the end cap does not split. Use a nail set to set the nails in the wood about 1/16" to 1/8". Hold the end cap so that it is flush with the bar rail all the way around. There might be a slight difference that you will sand later, but get the end cap as close as possible at this point.

Repeat these steps for another nail. After the glue dries this will be a very strong joint. Also, for this step allow the glue to dry for at least an hour before sanding.

This is what the bar rail end cap will look like if it extends out from the top by 3/4". In the next example we show you how to cap the bar top and make it flush to the end cap, giving it a nice finished look.

For this step you will need a 1/2" x 1-3/4" cap board to cap the bar top. This size might varry depending on the thickness of your bar top. Apply glue after sizing you board. You will want to miter the cap so that it wraps the whole side of the bar top and meets up with the inside cap board for the bar tender side of the bar.

Apply the cap board after making sure it is a good fit and is flush with the bar top.

Make sure it is flush to the bar top to minimize sanding later. If you use a plywood veneer there is not much sanding possible because of the thin veneer.

After all the parts are cut and assembled it is time to sand everything flush. You will want to use a heavier grit sand paper first, such as 80 grit, and then work your way down to 150 or 220 grit for a smooth finish. This will make the edges of the end cap and bar rail very smooth with no bump or edge.

Putty any nail holes for a great finish. This will make the nail holes blend into the natural wood. After finishing the nail holes will almost be invisible.

The heavier grit sand paper helps to take down any edge quickly. Be sure to sand enough to get the edge and any bump completely gone. This will make for a great finished product.

After sanding with a heavier grit sand paper, work your way down through the different grits to a fine sand paper. This will smooth everything out and take away any scratches left behind from the rough sand paper. One more thing to do is to round the edges on your cap board and also sand the round edges of the end cap. This is what a sanded finished assembly would look like. This is ready for finishing.

Notice how this cap board lined up with the end cap gives the bar top a great finished look. Planning for this while making the top and cutting the bar rail is the best way to have it come out as desired.