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This is my outdoor bar. The idea for this started when I was a bartender and thought it would be cool if I owned one. I had read enough bar magazines and worked/drank in some awesome venues, that I had everything pretty much planned out in my head years before even starting.
I built in 2020, starting in September, with some money I stashed away to travel with before COVID happened. I tore out an old overgrown garden bed at the end of my pool, next to a large paved area which used to have a dining table and chairs.
The frame has 6x 3.6m 90x90 pine posts giving it a height of about 2.3m at the tallest point and about 3.6m wide. The headboards are 140x45 Mgp10. The rafters and joists and bottom framing are 90x45 mgp10 and the framing for the walls is 70x45 mgp10. The decking boards are 3600x90x22 merbau, finished with Cabot’s merbau stain which I also used on the posts and frame work. The bar front is 140x45 mgp10 that I cut and angled.
The bench frames are all 70x45 mgp10 with bench tops from ikea.
The cladding is melamine sheeting in drift wood on the bottom half and some basic lattice on the top half that I found at the end of a bunnings aisle. The bar back is painted mdf. On the outside marine pine is used all around the bottom half of the bar, painted to match.
The roof is colorbond steel sheeting that I had left over from a car port kit that provided a few extra and the underside is painted in dulux Duramax copper rose with matte black rafters. The roof is slanted downwards to let rain water flow into the garden behind it.
The bar top is a kaboodle bench top in squid ink. There is a full sink, with a wash area and mixer tap, fully plumbed thanks to my little brother. The waste pipe flows into the garden behind the bar.
There are 4 coach lights on the bar, 3 outside on each post and 1 inside on the back bar that illuminates the sign. The bar also has a pendant light over the work area. The lights are operated by a grid connect Wi-Fi powerboard connected to an app on my phone by Arlec.
Protecting the bar are clear cafe blinds on the front back and both sides.
The paint used is Squid Ink by Porters Paints and it is by far the best paint I have ever used. The colour was exactly like the pictures and nearly 2 years later and countless storms still looks new.
The lounge area is a marquee gazebo with retractable shade cloth and solar string lights plus marquee outdoor furniture. There is also a jumbuck gas pizza oven next to the lounge area.
mall up the project took about 11 weeks. About 7 full days for all the frame work as I was on holidays and then only working on it during weekends after that.
The bar is called The Alfred, named after my grandfather who was a carpenter and his face is used in the bar’s logo in the centre of the back bar.
Everything minus the bench tops, bottle shelves, sinks taps and stools was purchased at bunnings.
I had zero building experience before taking this on, hence why one end is about 100ml narrower than the other, and only a rough sketch and my imagination guiding me. But it gets plenty of use by my family and friends and didn’t fall down in the storms so I must have done something right.
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @nathanh. It's incredible to have you join us, and many thanks for sharing this brilliant project.
Sensational work bringing all this together! Even for a seasoned pro, this is outstanding work, but you've done remarkably well for a beginner to building. Congratulations on a really impressive build.
Your bar is a lovely addition to the outdoor entertainment space, and you should be proud of all you've achieved.
Thanks again for sharing, and I can't wait to see your next project.
Mitchell
Let me also extend a very warm welcome and congratulate you on a stunning result @nathanh. This is the kind of area that you can imagine spending countless happy times with friends and family. Enjoy and look out for plenty of community members asking questions about how to replicate your handiwork.
Jason
