Love Your Patio with these 5 Awesome DIY BarsEUGENE CHRINIAN

Love Your Patio with these 5 Awesome DIY Bars

During the scorching summer months, there’s no better way to soak up the sunshine and cool off than by spending time at your outdoor bar. If you don’t already have one, don’t worry. There are countless ways you can bring the sophistication of a bar to your own backyard. For example, you can repurpose forgotten antiques, use unconventional materials, or build something entirely new. Taking the do-it-yourself route will not only help you tap into your creative side, it will also save you money.

Whether you are preparing for a summer backyard barbecue, or you simply want to spruce up your patio, here are seven outdoor bars that you can easily create yourself:

1. Potting bench bar

The potting bench has long been a useful tool for home gardeners who need storage for everything from trowels to fertilizer. However, you do not need to be a gardening expert to make use of these pieces. With their ample shelving units and built-in buckets, potting benches can also make excellent outdoor bars.

Most potting benches have underneath storage, which makes a perfect spot for you to hold your various drinks and spirits. You can also attach a colorful hanging curtain to the front of this area if you want to mask potential clutter from view. The rest of the shelves can hold glasses, decorations, and snacks. If your potting bench has an upper shelf, you can affix an upside-down glass holder to it. To truly make your new potting bench bar your own, you can make other alterations, such as adding a towel rack to the front and polishing it with a fresh coat of paint.

Image courtesy LynnK827 | Flickr

2. Tiled bar

An excellent project for those who enjoy making items from scratch, creating a tiled bar can bring a whole new look to your patio. You should first construct the base of the bar using materials that will best fit your aesthetic. A simple wooden bar is always a popular option, but you can also try more unconventional materials, such as corrugated tin, to create a more rustic design.

After constructing the bar itself, you can adorn the top with the tiles of your choice. If you want to achieve a simpler look, purchase a slab of white tile. However, you can go for a more eccentric appearance by choosing a colorful option, like Mexican tile. Then, make sure that you secure the tiled surface by using both tile adhesive and grout before debuting your new bar.

3. Wooden door bar

What better way is there to repurpose an old door than by turning it into an upright patio bar? You can leave the piece looking weathered or paint it in a new color before you begin adding the other elements that your bar will need. Perhaps the most important component is storage, so you will need to add a few shelves to the face of the door. An upper shelf makes a perfect spot for storing bottles and hanging drinking glasses. You should also attach a shelf at waist level so you can easily serve up cool drinks. To keep this surface steady, try fastening two table legs to the outside portion of the shelf.

With the frame of your door bar completed, you will be able to add unique embellishments, such as hooks for hanging wine and bottle openers, holders for storing towels, and an ice bucket for keeping your drinks cool. You can take the project one step further by attaching a mini chalkboard that will serve as a drink menu during get-togethers.

Image courtesy Ryan McFarland | Flickr

4. Folding Bar

If you find yourself needing a patio bar at the last minute, then you should look no further than the folding bar. You can create one of these in just a few days, and this project perfect for those with limited space as it can easily close when you are done using it. Though you can be creative when designing the layout of the inner shelving, you should always leave one half of the bar open to ensure there’s enough room for taller bottles and glasses to easily fit inside without being crowded. Alternatively, you can create a shorter adjacent shelf that can perfectly fit your glasses and other bar necessities.

The most important aspect of the folding bar is the door, which you can attach with hinges and suspend with either rope or chains. By simply adding a hook and eye to either side of the bar’s exterior, you will be able to securely shut the entire piece.

5. Cinderblock bar You can use cinderblocks to build a one-of-a-kind patio

bar regardless of how basic or complex your plans are. For a quick solution, you can line up a few stacks of cinder blocks at bar height and lay a long wooden countertop across them. Simply add a few tall chairs, decorative greenery, and drink fixings, and your bar will be ready to serve.

You can also use cinder blocks to make a smaller bar and plant holder. Start by creating a mini wall out of 12 cinderblocks stacked four high, but turn every other block so it is perpendicular to the wall. You will now have small sections of open cinder block that you can line with wood or gardening cloth and fill with plants of your choice. A stained wooden plank atop the cinder blocks will make an excellent place to house your drinks.

Image courtesy Robert Bejil | Flickr