DIY Pallet Bar for under $100

We saved so much money building this DIY Pallet Bar ourselves!

Our backyard is one of the big things that sold us on this house when we were house hunting. Not only did the inside of the house meet all of our needs, but the backyard was a good size for our large brood of small minions that need to be outside getting as much energy out as possible!

Since moving into our house in Houston, Jon and I have been talking about putting in an outdoor bar. We looked at all the prefabricated ones, but they were either too expensive or would not last in the Houston rainstorms.

We started with smaller projects in the backyard. We added a playset from Sam’s Club and started a container garden. And then we spent months talking about all the potential things we could do next!

On Mother’s Day, I spent part of the day sitting in the backyard and perusing Pinterest. On a whim, I showed Jon a picture of a pallet bar someone else had built and he commented that he could do “Something like that.” Well, that was all I needed to hear. The next day I went pallet hunting and we built the pallet bar in less than 4 days, working in the evenings when Jon got home from work.

I LOVE the way it turned out! Jon designed and built it using what he calls the “Lego Method.” We sat down and he dictated the instructions for our DIY Pallet Bar as we have had so many ask for them!

DIY Pallet Bar Instructions

Material & Tool List

• 9 pallets
• 7 2x4x8 Outdoor Treated Wood
• 3 inch galvanized decking screws (brace & roof planks)
• 1 1/2 galvanized deck screws (bar top_
• 1 1/2 inch screws for the counter tops & slats
• Dewalt Hammer Drill (to predrill for bar top)
• Dewalt Power Drill
• 1/8 drill bit for pre-drills
• Dewalt Sander & Sandpaper
• Varathane Kona Wood Stain
• Wood Weather Proofing Sealer Spray
• Black External Shielded Extension chord to run your lights
• Edison Outdoor Lights
• 25-50 zip ties
• RTic cooler filled with ice, sweet tea, soda, & beer for your husband while he works

Project Breakdown

We used 9 pallets for our pallet bar. Jon broke it down using his “Lego method”

• 4 pallets used for the base walls of the bar (2 in front and 1 one each side)
• 3 pallets that will be cut up for slats to be used as part of the counter & roof
• 3 pallets for the bar roof

Seven 2x4x8 Treated Wood Beams

• 4 for vertical side pillars
• 2 for horizontal beam support

These instructions are not exact plans, but my husbands explanation of how we designed and built our bar.

Start by building the bar base. Using 4 of the best of the pallets, set them up to connect the front and sides. Use 3″ screws and secure front/sides.

Three of the not-so-great-looking pallets will be cut up to create the bar counter top. Use a the circular saw to cut between the braces to create enough slats to make the counter.

Cut slats to 14-18″ or whatever you prefer as the bar top. Secure them to the top of the bar using hammer drill to predrill and then screw in with outdoor galvanized deck screws. You will come back later and sand/prep for paint. Just make sure the bar top is aligned with space for your side pillars that will hold up the roof.

Use 4 of the 2x4x8 pillars to connect the bar itself and setup for the roof. Cut the appropriate length for the planks that will brace the roof. A-frame or horizontal frame is up to you.

Once the pillars up, determine how high you want the roof to be. If you want it at 8ft, don’t cut the pillars. However, Keiki wanted the roof at an angle so I cut one to 7″6 using my portable dewault circular saw (diamondd blade and 6 1/2) and left the other side at 8″.

Using the other 2×4’s I brazed the roof setting up the planks on front and side which gives the roof its stability and also secures the base.

Cut the roof pallets so that only one side of the pallet had slats, the other side was open. Get a buddy to help lift up the pallets and place on roof and set in place.

Add more slats to the roof and secure in place with more slats on roof. You will need ladders and if available a scaffold to walk back and forth once in place.

Once it all is in place, start sanding…everything.

After the beams and pallets are sanded, wipe it all down and prep for stain. The bar took two coats of the stain. The pine wood really soaked in the stain and dried quickly. After the stain was dry, we sprayed it with the weather-proofing sealer. It will be outside and needs to able to stand the rain and the elements.

Let the bar dry for 24 hours and come back the next day to see if you need to apply more stain. I ended putting a third coat on the bar and bar top.

Once that is completed you an hang lights, run electrical or whatever else your heart desires. I wanted lights and an outlet so I ran a power line and connected it under the roof. Make sure if you do put in electrical that you use outdoor wiring and outdoor/all weather boxes. We used the zip ties to secure the lights and chords to the bar.

Can’t wait to decorate our DIY Pallet Bar for different holidays and BBQs!

Now I am secretly planning the next DIY Pallet Project. Maybe a Pallet Couch or Pallet Playhouse.

What pallet project would you build?