Creative and stylish: do-it-yourself bar counter!

The bar counter in your home is not only a functional piece of furniture. It is also a wonderful piece of furniture that will give the room a cosiness, the effect of a trendy cafe, saloon or Irish pub. Therefore, the creation of a bar counter in the interior of a living space is becoming more and more popular and in demand. This is also explained by the fact that the bar counter, both in the kitchen and in the living room, allows you to effectively delimit the space in the room. With the help of this element of the interior, you can zone the kitchen or dining room, separating the areas for receiving guests and cooking. The bar counter is also good to use as an auxiliary item when serving: this will allow the cook to expand the work surface. We will consider several options for how to make a bar counter with your own hands easily, simply and quickly, without incurring any special financial and time losses.

Choosing the right bar counter: what you need to consider

Before you start making a bar counter with your own hands, you need to choose which shape and size is best suited, in which this element will be installed. There are certain traditional rules for this, to which you can add a little from yourself. First of all, you need to understand that in our conditions it will not work to use the bar counter as a dining table, as we are used to seeing in American and European films: we too often like to gather in large companies. But still, the interior of the kitchen with a bar counter is very convenient for evening gatherings with a couple of friends. And in the manufacture you need to use general advice.

  1. The bar counter is not a dining table, its height is about 110-115 centimeters. Therefore, the chairs for her should be high, with footrests and low backs.
  2. This height of the structure just begs to be used to its maximum effect. Under the bar, on its working side, make cabinets and drawers where you can easily place dishes, a collection of wines, baskets of vegetables and various little things.
  3. On the top module of the rack, you can install a system for hanging cups and glasses and add extras such as a built-in bottle opener and an ice bucket. This will save a lot of space.
  4. If you are installing a bar counter in the kitchen, but the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room is very small, give up a fixed large structure. It is better to make a light folding stand, which, if necessary, will become a continuation of the table.

We will not engage in the installation of expensive structures made of chrome and natural wood, because our goal is a budget option that is easy to do on your own. Therefore, consider the list of materials and tools needed in the work. In some cases, it can be supplemented.

The list of necessary materials and tools for the manufacture of bar counters

Taking into account the fact that in the manufacture of bar counters you can use any improvised means and materials, and there are many types and shapes of these interior items, we have included in the list everything that can be useful for creating a simple but beautiful counter:

  • for the body and the upper module (cover) of the bar counter;
  • Wooden slats;
  • Pieces of PVC pipe for the support leg of the stand and the lamp body, diameter 180 mm;
  • Steel pipe used as a horizontal leg support, 50 mm in diameter;
  • Lacquer or acrylic paint;
  • Screws, dowels, dowels;
  • Putty;
  • Screwdriver;
  • Hacksaw;
  • Drill with drills;
  • Electric jigsaw;
  • The file is round;
  • Grinding bar;
  • Spatula and paint brush.

The elements from which you will make a bar counter with your own hands must be durable. Therefore, if you are using chipboard, glue several sheets together with glue.

Tip: in order not to spend money on a large number of chipboard sheets, you can use old countertops. They are perfect for both, and for the top module of the bar counter. As in any other work with your own hands, in the manufacture of a bar counter it is very convenient to use any means at hand.

Classification of bar counters: choose the most suitable

Now there are a lot of bar counters of any type and type. You can use any of them, based on your own taste, the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room in which this piece of furniture will be installed, and the design of the room. Consider several types that will not only enliven the design of your home, but are also quite simple to manufacture.

  1. The most common type of bar counters is classic. The classics have always been a win-win option in everything. The features of this style are the use of natural colors, for example, wood in shades of white, beige, black, and the observance of simple, concise forms. Chrome parts are also used to create contrast.
  2. Bar counter used as a dining table. This option is valid only if the room is large enough. In this case, the rack performs not only its original function, but also structures the space, filling the void and delimiting the kitchen into sectors. Thus, the room does not look empty and easily accommodates several areas with different functionality, without requiring the construction of additional walls. This can be achieved by setting the bar top perpendicular to the rest of the kitchen furniture.
  3. A combined composition that zones the room instead of a partition, separating the kitchen from the living room or dining room. Such structures usually have two levels of height. For example, the lower level is located on the side of the kitchen and acts as a dining table, and the higher one is located on the side of the living room.
  4. A two-level counter in the center of a large kitchen. In this case, a stove and a cutting table can be located at a lower level, on which the hostess will cook, and on the other hand, a table for serving and serving dishes.

Did you know that bar counters can be of various shapes: straight, round, corner bar and so on.

Having chosen the option you like, get to work, and we will help you with practical advice.

Small bar counter: the simplest classic option

To make a simple small bar counter, you do not have to spend a lot of time. This is the best option that is suitable for a room of any size, even for a small kitchen. Using this method, you can even make a corner bar by placing it perpendicular to the kitchen wall. So, you will need to cut out such elements from:

  1. Circle with a diameter of 175 mm. In the center of it, make a hole for the wiring;
  2. The circle is floor, with a diameter of 500 mm;
  3. Circle 300 mm in diameter, for the thrust bearing;
  4. Ring with an outer diameter of 300 mm and an inner diameter of 180 mm, for a ceiling hood;
  5. Frame for the down tube, which consists of two identical rings: outer diameter 240 mm, inner 180 mm;
  6. Wall between worktop and shelf, strip 870 mm long and 240 mm wide;
  7. Top and bottom shelves. If you want to give the rack smooth shapes, take two plates with dimensions of 32 x 440 x 1150 mm and round them. Step back from the rounded edge 190 mm, from the sides - 130 mm. In the designated place, cut a hole with a diameter of 180 mm: a vertical support pipe will be fixed in it;
  8. Tabletop. For it, make the same cutout in one of the 16 mm wide plates. You will get a blind hole in which the support pipe will be attached. Glue the workpiece with the second same plate, pull it together with clamps, wait for the glue to dry completely and cut out the countertop.

When you start making a bar counter with your own hands, photos will help you in choosing and working.

Assembling a small bar

Thoroughly clean the ends of the blanks, putty and sand. Double-paint or varnish all round blanks and parts used in the work and wait for drying before you start assembling. The manufacturing process of the bar counter is as follows:

  • Glue a vertical wall 240 x 870 mm between the bottom shelf and the tabletop, so that the wall passes in the middle of the tabletop, using dowels with a diameter of 5 mm;
  • Take a 450 mm pipe, which will serve as the body of the lamp, step back from its edge 20 mm and drill 6 through holes around the perimeter, with a diameter of 3 mm each;
  • Put a chipboard ring with a width of 30 mm on the prepared pipe, screw it through the drilled holes with screws. In this case, place the ring 12 mm from the bottom of the pipe;
  • From the opposite end of the pipe, fix the ceiling hood to complete the installation of the luminaire body;
  • To make the support leg of the rack, drill a hole in which the transverse leg support tube will be located, stepping back 200 mm from the bottom end;
  • Glue a template to the leg in the selected place (for example, a circle of paper 50 mm in diameter) and drill many holes around the perimeter with a 9 mm drill;
  • Take out the circle along the perforation and smooth the edges using a round file;
  • attach a circle with a diameter of 175 mm to the ceiling with dowels and screws, and lower the wiring 50 cm long through the hole in it;
  • Put the lamp body on the circle, fasten it with screws, install the ceiling hood and fix it;
  • Attach to the chipboard ring, using glue and dowels, insert the lamp into the hole and mount it inside the structure;
  • Screw the support rails to the rectangular ends of the shelves - top and bottom, attach the rails to the wall that will hold the rack vertically;
  • It remains to install the support leg into the thrust bearing: insert a transverse steel pipe into it, attach it to the wall with a round coupling.

The main structure is ready. Install the countertop on it and fix it, do the same with the shelves. If necessary, or paint details.

For your information: this version of the bar counter can change the interior beyond recognition. With a classic shape that can be transformed into anything with the help of accessories, you can transform this interior element into a ship's cabin, a tropical bar or saloon style.

Video about making a bar in the house with your own hands


Your apartment will change significantly when you install a bar counter in it and decorate it using imagination and creative thinking. Applying our advice in construction work, you can easily make a real palace even from a small space. Share with us your experience in the manufacture of such interior elements, suggest new topics, ask questions in the comments, and we will be happy to answer them. May your work be a joy, and your home become cozy and beautiful!

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