HOW TO BUILD AN OUTDOOR GARDEN BAR
On long summer evenings, we all love to spend time in the garden with friends and family and have a barbecue. By creating your own outdoor bar, you can entertain your guests all night long. This is a great idea for your back garden, as well as for restaurants and pubs.
You can build your own structure using timber, or for an easy alternative, you can use a wooden shed as the main structure. Follow our helpful instructions to build your own outdoor bar or for general garden bar ideas to make the most of your summer evenings.
BEFORE YOU START
Before you start building, you need to prepare the area in which you’ll be building your bar. Remove any garden furniture or debris, sweep up any leaves, and ensure that the ground is level. If this preparation requires moving or lifting heavy items, ensure that you ask a family member for help.
You will need a fair amount of equipment to ensure that your outdoor bar is safely put together. We have included the equipment to build a platform for your bar to sit on, as well as the recommended shed style for your bar.
YOU WILL NEED:
- A Wooden Shed with Windows (Optional)
- Decking Boards
- Timber
- Handsaw
- Nail Gun
- Drill
- Spirit Level
- Tape Measure
- Hinges
- Screws & Nails
- Wood Paint
BUILDING THE PLATFORM
STEP 1 – MEASURE THE AREA
Make sure that there is enough space for your shed, with 2 metres extra in front of the bar. This will become a decking area that you can place chairs onto.
STEP 2 – CUT YOUR TIMBER TO SIZE
Cut two pieces of timber for the width and six pieces of timber for the length. You will need the four extra lengths to create inner joists. Position them in place before fixing together, to ensure that everything is the right size.
STEP 3 – ASSEMBLE THE BASE
Fix the outer frame together using an electric drill and screws. Next, place your inner joists within the frame and ensure they are equally spaced using a tape measure. Once you are happy, screw these lengths into the frame.
BUILDING THE SHED
STEP 1 – LAY DOWN THE FLOOR
Lay down the floor of your shed on top of your platform. Check it is level using your spirit level. Once you’re happy, secure it in place.
STEP 2 – PUT UP THE WALLS
Erect your walls and secure them into place. You may need help from a family member in order to do this safely.
STEP 3 – ATTACH THE ROOF SUPPORT BAR
Measure the centre of your front and back panels to ensure that the roof support bar will be central. Fix this into position.
STEP 4 – ADDING THE ROOF PANELS
You can now fix your roof panels to make the shed watertight. Once they are secure, you can add roofing felt, using felt tacks to keep it in place.
STEP 5 – ATTACH TRIMS AND FASCIA BOARDS
Finally, you can attach any trims which came with your shed, and fix the fascia boards on the front, covering the felt. You should pre-drill the holes to prevent them from splitting.
BUILDING THE DECKING
STEP 1 – MEASURE YOUR DECKING BOARDS
You should now move on to building the decking in front of your bar. Measure your decking boards to fit the space between your shed and the end of the platform. Safely cut them to size using a chop saw.
STEP 2 – SECURE THE DECKING BOARDS
Next, lay down your decking boards to ensure they fit correctly, using a spirit level to check they are level. You can then fix them into place, using 50mm screws.
STEP 3 – ADD POSTS TO THE CORNERS
Add some wooden posts to the corners to support your handrail. Once they are level, fix them into place with some 100mm screws.
STEP 4 – ADD THE RAILINGS
Cut the railings into the right length and screw them into place. Make sure these are extra secure.
STEP 5 – INSERT SOME SPINDLES
Finally, cut some spindles to the correct length and secure these into place, evenly distributing them. We would recommend securing them two inches apart.
BUILDING THE BAR
STEP 1 – ADD SOME POSTS TO SUPPORT THE BAR
Cut 4 pieces of timber to the same height of the window. Secure two of the posts against the inside of the front wall. Decide how wide you want your bar to be. We would recommend half a metre (50cm) wide. Use your measuring tape to measure the distance and mark the floor with a pencil. Once you are happy, secure them in place.
STEP 2 – CREATE THE TOP OF THE BAR
Create the top of your bar by cutting some plywood into shape. This should sit on top of the support posts, with a slight overhang at the front if you would prefer. Once you’re happy with the placement, secure it into place using a hammer and nails.
STEP 3 – COVER THE EXPOSED SIDE
To ensure that everything you store under the bar stays hidden, you can cover up the exposed side using some plywood. Measure the height of the posts and the width of the bar to find the dimensions. Once you’ve cut the plywood into place, secure it onto the side of the bar using a hammer and nails.
And there you have it! An outdoor bar in your own garden, perfect for entertaining guests and celebrating with your family.
ADDED EXTRAS
PUT UP SHELVES ON THE BACK WALL
To store your alcohol, you can put up some shelves on the back wall. Make sure they are level using a spirit level and add some brackets underneath for extra support.
LAY SOME ARTIFICIAL GRASS
Laying artificial grass on the decking in front of your outdoor bar will not only add some colour, but it is also ideal for wiping up any spillages. Simply use a mild detergent on a sponge and wipe it away.
FAIRY LIGHTS
Put up some fairy lights in and around your bar for a cosy feel. You can run an extension lead from the house into the bar, so that you can plug in fairy lights and any mini fridges.