Raise the Bar on Outdoor Entertaining

Want a DIY project perfect for entertaining? This unique bar takes only a few days to stain and assemble and gives you a great reason to have friends over. We built it for a small outdoor patio but you can make it larger depending on the size of your outdoor space (or your appetite for entertaining).

Step 1: Prepping

Purchase unstained wood planks at your local home improvement store. You’ll also need:

• nails
• a hammer or glue gun
• exterior stain
• a sprayer or paint brush
• a tarp

 
We repurposed tile from another project for the top. You can use wood or buy tile that complements your stain colour.

Step 2: Staining

• Choose a stain colour that best suits your outdoor space and style.

For a more rustic feel, try New Bark, Smoky Suede or Port Wine.

For a coastal look, try Shipmate Blue, Harbor Green or Pollen.

We chose a soft neutral: Gray Marble.

• Stain the wood planks (don’t forget the sides).

Lay a tarp on the ground and place the wood planks on top. Stain one side at a time and allow the first side to fully dry before starting on the other side. For clear, toner, and semi-transparent stains, apply one thin coat with a high-quality brush, roller, paint pad, or sprayer. For solid stains, apply two thin coats with a brush, roller, or paint pad. We used a brush, which was great for the small, hard-to-reach areas. You can use a sprayer in combination with a brush.
 
Allow all pieces to fully dry before starting to assemble.

Step 3: Assembling

• Build the base and frame of the bar using the stained planks of wood.
• Once the frame is complete, nail the wood planks to the front of the bar.

We nailed 4 planks to the top of the bar – 2 front, 2 back — and 5 planks to the front of the bar.

• Cut a few planks and nail them to the side of the bar to secure the structure.

 

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