On Aug 8, 2:48 am, "PVR" wrote:
I wish to make a board eight feet long and 16" wide. I shall use purchased
red oak [and biscuit joints to make a bar top]

Oak and maple are 'sweet' woods; if any water gets in, they will
support
molds, and black marks are likely. For a bar, resinous woods are
usually
preferred (mahogany, or teak, or ipe). That said, an oak glue-up with
water-intolerant glues will be fine as long as the finish coat is
impermeable.
I've never thought satin urethane was ugly.

Of course, if the finish coat IS impermeable, you could top the bar
with
a sheet of plywood and get good appearance and adequate durability.