Building your shed bar from scratch

Gather your tools and materials

Building a new shed bar is a lot of work and therefore requires a lot of preparation.

When building a new shed bar, it would be helpful to know what kind of bar you want to create. For this guide, we will be showing you a simple but attractive way of building your new bar shed.

Here are the tools and materials you might need if you want to build your shed bar from scratch.

Materials you’ll need to build your shed bar

  • Wooden beams
  • Spindles and railings
  • Decking boards 
  • Plywood
  • Tools
  • Chop saw
  • Combi drill
  • Angle grinder
  • Handsaw
  • Nail gun
  • Spirit level
  • Hinges
  • Measuring Tape
  • Screws and nails

It’s important to know the safety precautions before initiating any kind of work. The misuse of power equipment, as well as other tools, could result in serious harm. 

Asking a friend for help would help the project go quicker and could make it safer.

We know you want to get cracking on with the fun bar furniture, but we need to create a sturdy shed first. 

Building the Shed Base

We want to make sure that the shed is level and sturdy so you may need to even the ground prior to laying your base. The first thing to ask yourself is, do I want this base to be permanent or temporary.

If you want your base to be permanent:

  • The benefit of having a permanent base when building your shed bar is that it will be extremely sturdy, however, once built it will be very difficult to move. One way to go about establishing a permanent base is by laying slabs on builder’s sand. Instead, after digging your foundations you can lay concrete on top of hardcore.

If you want your base to be temporary: 

  • Even though you might want to remove the shed one day, having a temporary wooden base will still provide a sturdy structure and keep everything off the ground. This is also beneficial if you don't want to create a large impact on the earth below. When using wooden beams, make sure you treat the beams to help avoid rot and affect the structure of the shed.

It’s also a good time now to nail down some plywood to form your shed floor. 

Building and fixing the wall panels

Next, we have to install some wall panels. A good tip is to make sure your side walls are sloped and the back wall is slightly lower to ensure rain does not collect on the roof. 

Build the outer frame using timber beams and support the shape by adding smaller timber studs inside of the frame. Please note that each stud needs to be a different height as the side walls are sloped.

Finish your walls with some panelling or textured wood to create a cleaner finished look.

You could avoid all the hassle and purchase a bespoke shed from us at Ace Sheds. We have a diverse range of suitable garden sheds and all you will need to do is convert it to a shed bar!

Building and fitting the roof

Building a sturdy roof is vital as you need to make sure your shed is watertight. If you are making your own roof, measure and cut rafter boards to the appropriate size and fit the outer boards to the walls. Nail in each rafter board at an angle to secure the frame in place and then apply a sheet of felt to prevent water from seeping in. 

You can then add your chosen roofing material such as corrugated metal or clay tiles.

Converting your existing shed into a bar

Convert the shed into a bar

We need to now create a frame for the counter of your new shed bar. Cut down a wooden beam to the height you wish your bar to be but keep in mind space for the counter. Fix this to the wall of your shed near the door.  Cut another beam to fit across the bar but minus the space needed for a counter flap or entrance area. This should be connected to the floor and the first beam. Then repeat two more times with the same lengths and place them on the top part and the side of the frame.

Measure out two pieces of plywood with one of them being longer than the other, so you can create the classic L-shaped counter. Then trim the larger piece but leave space for it to extend beyond the window area of the shed. This extended section acts as a serving ledge giving it that bar-like feel. The second piece of plywood should fit over the frame if measured correctly. Fix the counter into place and make sure you level your counter with a block beneath the seam for more support.

Extras

Now it’s time to make your shed feel like a real bar with a bar shelf and counter flap! This is only optional but we feel that these two additions give your new bar shed an authentic feel.

Installing a shed bar shelf

The perfect spot to display memorabilia or some pint glasses, the bar shelf is the piece of furniture to complete your new shed bar.
Start by measuring the back wall and cut two lengths of timber to fit. Next, attach them to the support braces. Then cut a length of plywood to fit the width of the back wall and then place it on your supports and fix it with screws.

Installing a shed bar counter flap

Measure and cut a piece of timber to fit against the support braces on the side of the shed where the flap will rest and fix using screws. 
 
Now it’s time to make the flap. Measure out the size of what you want your flap to be and start cutting the plywood with your handsaw.
Then, place your new section onto the edge of the bar counter and secure the flap using screws.

Make sure the flap works and then you’re good to go! 

Painting, varnishing and finishing touches

Your new bar shed is now finished, and all that is left is to add a nice paint finish with some wood protectant to keep your shed all year round.

If you have any questions about our sheds or need more guidance building your own, browse our latest blog posts. We are always on hand to help with any shed or summerhouse related questions, so don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today.

We’d also be happy to build your shed for you! We love creating bespoke sheds so be sure to explore our range of garden sheds.

Get your new shed bar from Ace Sheds

That’s it and now it’s finally time to crack open a cold one! The best part now is to enjoy your amazing new bar shed and invite your friends and family over. 

Would you rather convert a pre-built shed? Here at Ace Sheds, the leading shed manufacturer and supplier based in the South East of Kent, we provide premium quality sheds to suit your needs. Whether you want a simple shed or a bespoke one to fit your garden, we have a wide range to choose from. With over 30 years of experience and our quality craftsmanship, it’s no wonder why we have so many satisfied customers 

All our orders come with free installation so you can have peace of mind knowing your new shed will be created by our expert installers. 

✔️ Trustpilot Certified - have a read of what other satisfied customers have had to say about our services and products.
✔️ SSIP Approved - safety is at the top of our list of priorities, which is why we follow all SSIP regulations.
✔️ CHAS Approved - we work hard to comply with CHAS health and safety standards to qualify as a CHAS approved garden shed provider.