Home Improvement: Building your own bar

[Holes]

I am going to build my own bar in my basement. Has anyone built their own bar or know anything about it?

I am thinking of an L-shaped bar with one tap. I have a sink in the basement and was planning on building the bar around it. The bar would be able to hold about 4 to 5 bar stools.

I am in the preliminary stages of planning and would welcome advice.

[ToiletCrusher]

Simplest answer - If you have a Volunteer Fire company in your area, try calling around to see if they have old bars from their parlor rooms that they are looking to rid of. That's how I gots mines. I just need a house to put it in.

from there you can simply refurbish it.

Otherwise, a quick google search will help you with plans.

I would go with the long portion being between 8 and 10 feet. You should look up brass rails for the feet, "pleather" for arm rests, and use slate for your bar top. Also, use pine because it is cheap, strong(ish) and can accept most any type of stain.

[Holes]

Simplest answer - If you have a Volunteer Fire company in your area, try calling around to see if they have old bars from their parlor rooms that they are looking to rid of. That's how I gots mines. I just need a house to put it in.

from there you can simply refurbish it.

Otherwise, a quick google search will help you with plans.

I would go with the long portion being between 8 and 10 feet. You should look up brass rails for the feet, "pleather" for arm rests, and use slate for your bar top. Also, use pine because it is cheap, strong(ish) and can accept most any type of stain.

Thanks for the tips TC. I started with the old google, but I also wanted to get some .netters opinions/stories/etc.

I still have to frame out the basement, put up drywall, and carpet before I begin on the bar. But it is never too early to start dreaming of it.

[ToiletCrusher]

Thanks for the tips TC. I started with the old google, but I also wanted to get some .netters opinions/stories/etc.

I still have to frame out the basement, put up drywall, and carpet before I begin on the bar. But it is never too early to start dreaming of it.

I highly recommend going to a bargain outlet. We have one here called Ollie's. You might want to lay mold resistant padding down and then faux laminate hardwood flooring in the area you want your bar. It's really inexpensive and very durable. Don't forget to seal and level your basement floor. That is KEY to success.

[boosterp]

I had built one for a friend.

I too used pine with the tops being 3/4 inch plywood and all other surfaces using 1/4 inch plywood. Around the sink if yours is in good shape I would use tile (did on the other and looked nice) because of the water and durability. I also had put in an area for a small frig and a wine frig. The only thing I did not do was the top i.e. where you hang glasses from. Instead they bought a glass hanger from some web site that hangs from the ceiling via chains, it looked nice. The only issue I had (this was put in in their fourth bedroom) was I had to do a lot of the assembly in the room yet had to stain it (cherry) outside. Thus, after I screwed it all together I had to cover up the screws and touch up with stain. I wish I had pics but I do not know where they went.

It was a fun little project and my buddy who helped me was a master of the router.

[Holes]

I had built one for a friend.

I too used pine with the tops being 3/4 inch plywood and all other surfaces using 1/4 inch plywood. Around the sink if yours is in good shape I would use tile (did on the other and looked nice) because of the water and durability. I also had put in an area for a small frig and a wine frig. The only thing I did not do was the top i.e. where you hang glasses from. Instead they bought a glass hanger from some web site that hangs from the ceiling via chains, it looked nice. The only issue I had (this was put in in their fourth bedroom) was I had to do a lot of the assembly in the room yet had to stain it (cherry) outside. Thus, after I screwed it all together I had to cover up the screws and touch up with stain. I wish I had pics but I do not know where they went.

It was a fun little project and my buddy who helped me was a master of the router.

How long did all this take?

[boosterp]

How long did all this take?

2 1/2 days and he paid me with a lot of beer.

I think one day to build the frame, the second was the top, finishing the top and sides, and staining.

3rd day was putting it all together.

I can not remember where we got the plans from though.

[Drunky McBetidont]

2 1/2 days and he paid me with a lot of beer.

I think one day to build the frame, the second was the top, finishing the top and sides, and staining.

3rd day was putting it all together.

I can not remember where we got the plans from though.

http://www.monsterguide.net/how-to-build-a-bar.shtml

[Holes]

Thanks, I have found various sites that are similar to this. But I like the Oak board tip at the end.

[boosterp]

http://www.monsterguide.net/how-to-build-a-bar.shtml

Some good ideas.

I still think we used all pine but to reduce the look of where plywood joined we used some wood putty. also, on the two pieces that come together to form the L you cut at a 45 to make it look more uniform. We did not put in a gutter for pouring drinks, but that would have been a nice addition.

[JAndreaNineSixorz]

Basement bars rule. My dad had an amazing bar in the house we had when I was little (I'm not sure if he built it or it was there already.) He's got a pseudo-bar in their current house that I think will soon convert to a big bar.

Here's something my dad did that was really cool but requires a fairly specific floorplan... My parents had gotten a new fridge so my dad put the old one in the laundry room in the basement. The fridge was directly on the other side of the wall from the bar. He drilled a hole in the back of the fridge, put a hose through the wall, and put a tap on the other side. Basically, it was a makeshift kegorator. It worked fucking great, and my parents had some extra freezer space in the basement.

What sucks is that the fridge went out, so my dad bought an actual kegorator. He can no longer use the tap in the wall because the distance from where the hose comes out of the kegorator to the tap is longer therefore the beer is warmer and foamier. Since he had the fridge butted right up against the wall, there was very little distance for the beer to travel.

I just thought this was a cool idea. :)

[Dude!]

I had built one for a friend.

I too used pine with the tops being 3/4 inch plywood and all other surfaces using 1/4 inch plywood. Around the sink if yours is in good shape I would use tile (did on the other and looked nice) because of the water and durability. I also had put in an area for a small frig and a wine frig. The only thing I did not do was the top i.e. where you hang glasses from. Instead they bought a glass hanger from some web site that hangs from the ceiling via chains, it looked nice. The only issue I had (this was put in in their fourth bedroom) was I had to do a lot of the assembly in the room yet had to stain it (cherry) outside. Thus, after I screwed it all together I had to cover up the screws and touch up with stain. I wish I had pics but I do not know where they went.

It was a fun little project and my buddy who helped me was a master of the router.

seems like a lot of work
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