Bar
The bar frame that we have diagrammed is 5'x 2' and 42" tall. With the oak sides and top the dimensions will be slightly increased. This is a good size to fit a server or two as well as a pair of kegs. However, the dimensions can be modified to fit the space that you have. Consider that a keg is about 17" in diameter at the center, so you need a minimum bar width of 3' in order to comfortably fit two kegs underneath the bar.
Contents
Also to be considered is the bar and server height. We recommend about a 6" floor level behind the bar. However, the bar can be adjusted if, for example, you prefer to have the servers stand on the floor (Note: having floorboards behind the bar protects the carpet and is easier to clean after all the spills from a night of pounding through 5 kegs in hope of landing with a blonde pre-frosh).
Materials
All of the lumber can be purchased at a Home Depot or Lowes store. Make sure to have the lumber cut down to the desired size for free at the store. If you would rather perform the cuts yourself, a cheap Black & Decker handheld jigsaw can be bought for about $30. This performs the task but is slower and much more tiring than having them cut by the lumber saws at the store.
You will need a couple of pounds of 2" woods screws for the majority of the floor and frame construction. You will need some 1 5/8" wood screws for fastening the plywood. The finishing nails will be used for attaching the bar facing and countertop.
Construction
Begin the construction of the bar floor by laying out the 2"x6" 's. These can be tied (attached) into the house floor by screwing in at an angle. A Ryobi handheld drill can be purchased for $30 and has enough power to adequately complete the job. Alternatively, the bar floor can be secured by tying the side 2"x6" 's to the wall. Use a right angle to ensure that the intersections are a sturdy ninety degrees (in lieu of a right angle tool, use a book or other right-angled object). Complete the floor construction by facing the 2"x6" 's with the 3/4" plywood, using the 1 5/8" screws.
A sturdy, square frame will be most easily constructed by first attaching the upright 2"x6" 's to the crosswise 2"x4" 's. NOTE: First make sure that the 2x4 's are the same length as the bar floor length! Use wood glue in addition to the screws at all the connections for supreme rigidity. No one is impressed by a wobbling bar. In fact, most partiers will laugh at a bar that feels unstable.
Drill and glue the attached upright pieces to the bar floor. Be sure to check that this section is level. This will be the frame for the bar front and sides. Next, attach the upright 2x4 at the back center of the bar. This 2x4 will be aligned with the back 2x6's on the sides of the bar frame. Its far edge will be 22" from the frame's side upright 2x6's. This piece will need to be 34.5" long. Once this is leveled and affixed, measure up 16.5" from the bar floor and attach a crosswise 2x4 between this upright piece and the crosswise front 2x4. Once again, be sure that this piece is level before tying it in. Lay a 22"x22.5" section of plywood over this cross piece, going into the bar corner. This will be a shelf. Attach the 57" long back 2x4 across the top of the back upright 2x4, connecting the two sides of the frame. You have now finished the bar frame!
The next step is to stain and attach the bar facing. Practical U suggests a bar of oak plywood with a dark or reddish stain. The oak, however, accounts for nearly half of the bar cost. A cost-cutting and glamour-cutting measure would be to use cheap plywood for the sides and/or bar top. This will, of course, make the bar look much cheaper. Regardless of the type of wood used, we strongly suggest first staining the wood or sealing it with polyurethane. This will preserve and protect the wood from a year of spills.
When cutting the wood to size, remember that you want the bar counter to have a lip of 1"-2" overlapping the bar sides. Make sure to take this into account when making measurements. After cutting the wood to size and applying the stain, attach the finished sides to the bar. Apply a small amount of wood glue, and then finish attaching the sides with the finishing nails. Pound the nails most of the way into the wood with a hammer. Then place the tip of an awl on the nail head, and pound the nail slightly deeper than the wood surface by hitting the butt of the awl. This protects the wood surface from damage by the hammer and hides the nails from view. Use the same method on the countertop, making sure that the bar back is flush with the crosswise 2x4, and that the other sides have a small lip.
The final steps are garnishes that will make your bar stand out from others. The first is to stain the wood trim and nail it to the lip of the bar. The top of the trim will be flush with the bar surface. Finally, clip the rope lights underneath the lip behind the trim. With a dark bar in a dark room, this will give a small amount of light that will highlight the bar's color and great finish.
Now you have a sharp, functional bar.
Materials List
- Lumber
- White Pine
- 2" x 6" x 65.5'
- 2" x 4" x 23'
- Plywood
- 4' x 8' x 3/4" Pine
- 3 pieces 4' x 8' x 3/4" oak
- 9' Oak Trim
- White Pine
- 2 hinges
- Stain
- Finishing nails
- 2" wood screws
- 1 5/8" wood screws
- wood glue
- 9' Clear Rope Lights
estimated cost: $230
Diagrams
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