Building a home bar may seem a little daunting. How do you get started? How do you plan it? Is it hard to build a home bar? How much will it cost? All questions that might run through your head when thinking about building a home bar.
So with my ongoing pub shed project I got to answer all these question first hand. And it doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive, but it is a lot of fun.
Is It Hard To Build A Home Bar?
A home bar is not hard to build. In fact it is pretty simple and requires just a few tools and minimal fixings. Whilst it is easy to buy the wood to build a bar, you can use pallets and scraps or offcuts of wood to achieve a decent result.
My bar took about three hours to build and the same to sand it ready for varnish.
Planning Your Home Bar
It is a good idea to plan your home bar. Take a pencil to paper and design the bar you want. Workout what wood you may need and how much you will need.
This was my intention, but it didn’t workout like that. Instead I just started with five pallets and five scaffold boards which my son Joe got for me.
There was no plan on paper, just an idea of an L shaped bar in my head.
Planning is a good idea, but I didn’t plan, I just built. I got so into the building of the bar that I even forgot to take any pictures along the way. So the only pictures are of the finished bar.
However I will explain how I built my bar.
How To Build The Bar Frame
My bar frame is made of three pallets that are stood next to each other and fixed together. It is an L shaped bar, and for the longer side I took one pallet and then cut another one in half. I fixed these together using a few offcuts of wood from another project.
Then I took another complete pallet and fixed it at a right angle to the one and a half already standing. The half pallet that was left over I then cut in half again. Each piece was fixed to the bar ends to create a return on each side.
That is the frame done, it is rough and ready, but I knew it was all getting covered. Also it is a good strong base to build from.
How To Build The Bar Top
My bar top is made from four cut scaffold boards. I first took off the end bands by removing the clout nails. Then I measured and cut each board before fixing in place with angle brackets and screws.
I didn’t want too much of an overhang with the bar top, so allowed for about 70mm along the front and side.
Although I used a hand saw to cut the boards to length, I did use a jigsaw to round off the four exposed corners.
The bar now has a frame and bar top.
How I Clad The Front Of My Home Bar
At this point the bar looks like a few pallets fixed together with some boards fixed on top. Which is exactly what it is, but I didn’t want the bar to look like a pallet.
I was initially going to buy some plywood to cover the front and back, but instead I used some offcuts of wood leftover from when I built my fencing.
The idea was to fix them to the pallet to cover the gaps. The offcuts are 4 inches by 1 inch (100mm x 25mm) and most were 39 inches in length which is a little under a metre.
This meant they were not quite long enough as the bar height is 41 inches (1041mm). So I ran two lengths horizontal along the base of the bar, almost like a skirting.
So all the off cuts were now long enough to clad the bar. Each piece of wood is secured with screws.
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Finishing The Inside Of The Bar
Just like the outside of the bar, the inside was still just a pallet. So I needed to cover this too, which I did with some offcuts of OSB board.
There is about ten different cuts of OSB that are fixed to the surface of the pallet by screws.
I also added a shelf with a length of 2″ x 4″ (50mm x 100mm) and some OSB board. I didn’t have enough wood for a second shelf, so may add one at a later date.
Preparing The Bar For Varnish
The bar is built and the only thing left is to prepare it for varnish. I used a sheet sander to sand the front cladding and the bar top and edges.
This did take a while as the wood for the front cladding is rough sawn wood. It also made a lot of mess too, so I did wear ear defenders and a face mask, as well as gloves.
The bar is now ready to varnish.
How Big Is A Home Bar?
This is the only thing I did think of before I started building the bar. So I knew what size I was aiming for. However you can build a bar to whatever size you like.
My bar is L shaped and one length is longer than the other. The left side of the L is 67 inches (1700mm) in length and 17 inches (440mm) in depth.
The right side of the L is 55 inches (1400mm) in length and 21 inches (540mm) in depth.
The height of the bar is 41 inches (1041mm) to the top.
How Much Does It Cost To Build A Home Bar?
It can be expensive to build a home bar as it does take a fair bit of wood, and wood is pretty expensive at the moment.
Then there are screws and fixings, and of course varnish or paint too.
However I have not actually spent any money to build my home bar.
The pallets were supplied by my Son Joe. And the scaffold boards were supplied by his good friend and boss Lewis, who owns a scaffold company, so I do owe him a beer or two.
I already have a supply of screws and fixings, and the rest of the wood is all leftover from other projects.
I will have to buy some varnish though, so that will be my only expense.
Final Thoughts
So it doesn’t have to be a hard or complicated job to build a home bar. Also it doesn’t have to cost a fortune either. Old pallets and some off cuts of wood is all you need to produce a bar that is pretty decent.
It is a good idea to plan your bar first, but I just like making things up as I go along. Pallets are a great way to easily build the frame of the bar. They are also strong too.
I built mine in situ because the more wood you add the heavier it gets, and mine weighs a tonne. Even though it is really heavy and not going anywhere, I am going to fix it to the floor.
You only need basic tools too, I used a hand saw, jigsaw, screwdriver, pencil, spirit level and a sander.
If you are thinking about a home bar, it is worth having a go at building it yourself. If you have already built a home bar, then do share any tips you might have.
Rob is a passionate home bar and pub shed enthusiast with a passion for craft beer. With hands-on experience in designing and building his own home bar, Rob shares his knowledge, tips, and inspiration to help fellow enthusiasts create their own perfect space. Alongside the world of home bars and pub sheds, Rob also explores the diverse and exciting realm of craft beer, providing honest reviews to help you discover your next favorite brew. Join Rob on a journey of flavor, design, and craftsmanship right here on Home Bar Kit.