Thanks for your feedback guys. I think I’m going to test the polyurethane technique with some junk cards in a small, shallow plywood tray. I suspect that, like with any project, I’ll make mistakes on my first try. I’ve also read that, for some reason, small bubbles slowly appear in the acrylic — and need to be watched for and popped with a needle.
When I complete the final project, I’ll be sure to post photos of my man cave’s new bar top!