Sure, a Styrofoam ice chest and a card table might do. But for a backyard gathering that people will remember, why not put together a bar that’s a conversation piece?

With the necessary tools, skills, and building permits, creating a backyard bar that wouldn’t look out of place at a Caribbean resort is possible. There could be a polished hardwood bar top, swimup bar stools (pool required, of course), and a pass-through serving window connected to the kitchen.

However, it makes more sense for most homeowners to focus on a bar’s essential elements: glass storage, bottle display, places to sit, and perhaps a sign reading “Bar Open.” Often, you can create what you need from household and flea-market items that began life as something else.

Upcycling 101 You will find that a bookshelf can display bottles as well as it can books. The inside of a media console, where an old TV used to reside, will nicely accommodate a wine rack. And the work surface of a potting bench is ideal for assembling mixed drinks, especially if the assembly includes chopping mint or slicing a lemon. Getting the pieces ready can take little more than adjusting shelves and adding a fresh coat of paint or varnish.

Just remember that your bar will be exposed to the elements, even if on a covered patio. Make sure the coating is exterior grade and, to improve adhesion, roughen up the original surface with sandpaper before applying. And if people still don’t see that you’ve done more than haul an old dresser out into the backyard? Add a cutting board, corral bottles and glasses on pretty trays, lay out your bar tools, give a shake to your ice bucket, and confidently announce, “Drinks are served.”

Make it permanent If the bar is meant to stay outside all season, you’ll want to add features such as lighting (battery-powered LED string lights are popular) and seating, which can be as simple as a bench or a couple of kitchen stools. The most essential item, depending on your location, may be a shade or awning. One caution with sun or rain protection is to make sure it is firmly secured, such as a triangle sunshade that’s attached with eye-nuts to trees or building corners. Better yet, if possible, set up the bar under a gazebo, pergola, or solid patio roof.

“Hosts of large gatherings have gotten creative, and we’ve seen coolers that started life as washtubs, wheelbarrows, and little red wagons.”

Roll ‘em If you only need a temporary bar setup for something like a Fourth of July barbecue, you’ll want elements that are easy to move and store. A bar cart is an obvious solution. Almost anything with wheels or rollers will work, but an old-style wooden market cart, once commonly used by vegetable and flower vendors, is a sure bet for keeping the party, and the conversation, rolling. Look for them on sites such as eBay and Wayfair. Again, if it needs painting, use exteriorgrade paint for durability. To better secure items on the cart, add one or two deep baskets or trays and attach stemware holders underneath a shelf. The holders are available at most hardware stores and are usually easy to attach.

The big chill Hosting a big celebration calls for keeping large quantities of wine, beer, and soft drinks cool. Party tubs made of copper or stainless steel are popular, but even the largest hold perhaps a dozen standard drinks or 6 bottles of wine. Hosts of large gatherings have gotten creative, and we’ve seen beverage coolers that started life as washtubs, wheelbarrows, wine kegs, birdbaths, concrete fountains, wooden troughs, and little red wagons. Way out in the country, we’ve even seen the loader on the front end of a bulldozer pressed into use. For any of the above, line the vessel with plastic, and keep some ice separate, just for drinks.

Among the most comment-generating drinks and ice vessels are actual small boats, one type so popular for this purpose that it has a special name: the booze canoe, or, in some regions, the beer canoe. You take a standard canoe, firmly berthed on dry land, and fill it to match the size of your guest list. Eighty guests, for example, would require about 1,000 pounds of ice, beer, booze, and other drinks. For insulation, line the inside of the canoe with a layer of Styrofoam sheeting, available at stores such as Office Depot and Lowe’s. And for safety, once the ice has melted and the booze is gone, don’t let guests attempt to launch the canoe into the water.

For more ideas, read the complete HOME Summer 2022 e-edition, here.

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