Stain the tabletop piece to match the barrel. Follow the same steps as above, but you’ll probably need a few extra coats to match the aged wood of the barrel. For optimal results, stain both top and underside of the table, and don’t forget the edges. Finish with a polyurethane coat all the way around. plywood is affordably and easy to work with, so that’s what we’ll be describing, but you can also choose oak for consistency and authenticity. Trace out the circumference of your table on the board with a beam compass, then cut using a jigsaw equipped with a fine finish blade. Sand the edges of your new cut to dull the side, as this will make the table more comfortable. Choose a stain to match your decor. Tape off the metal components using painter’s tape and apply the stain, wiping off excess stain as you go along. Leave to dry, and apply additional coats until you reach the color of your liking. For a natural look, leave as is. For a polished, finished look, add a coat of polyurethane evenly to the entire barrel. Remove tape. You can also use your handyman skills to cut out a section of the barrel and place a shelf inside. Save the cut out pieces and reassemble them if you want to make a cabinet door, or leave off for a truly “open” bar. Find inspiration from all the whiskey barrel tables listed above! You’ll want to make the tabletop at least as large as the barrel top, probably a lot larger. Measure the diameter of the top of the barrel. Then decide how large you would like the tabletop to be. For a bistro-style table, you’ll want at least a 16″ overhang all the way around, which means that you will need to add 32″ (16″ for each side) to the diameter of the barrel top. If you are going for a larger table, consider a 20″ or even 24″ overhang. For smaller serving and end tables, a 2-6″ overhang should suffice.