How To DIY An Outdoor Bar With Your Extra Wood Pallets And Pavers

A nice backyard is the perfect place to enjoy pleasant weather and tasty food and drink. Whether you want a low-maintenance oasis or an open area to entertain guests, an outdoor space is a must-have during the warmer months, and adding an outdoor bar can take your space to the next level. Using a couple of extra wood pallets — often found for free — and a few low-cost concrete pavers makes building this bar yourself extra simple. Just screw together two same-size pallets and top it with pavers for an easy project that promises hours of outdoor fun.

If you have any leftover pavers from taking your landscaping to the next level, you may be able to use them for this project. Whatever you use, it will need to span the width of two pallets screwed face-to-face. The average pallet height when lying down on its face is 6½ inches. Wood pallets aren't hard to come by, and there are plenty of places to find them, including on Facebook Marketplace and outside of businesses. As for the remaining materials, you'll need exterior wood screws, landscape adhesive designed to stick to stone and wood, and exterior grade paint with primer. Also, gather up your typical painting supplies, such as brushes, stirrers, and a drop cloth. The list of tools isn't very long either, and you probably already have them on hand. You'll need a sander, a hand-sanding block, and a drill/driver for the screws.

There are many ways to reuse wood pallets, but this outdoor bar project is a must-try. The first step is prep. Gather your materials from pallets and pavers to tools and hardware. Then, get to sanding. You'll want to make sure your pallets are free from splinter-inducing rough edges. Always wear a mask when sanding, especially with pallet wood, which can contain toxic materials. While you're at it, check for weak points in the wood and stray nails or screws. You don't want to snag yourself or a guest during your bar debut.

Rather than collecting a plethora of pallets to construct a large L- or U-shape, you can simply screw two together in a fraction of the time. After painting a couple of coats on your pallets and allowing them to dry, clamp them face-to-face and drive a line of screws through each facing board. You can always screw on extra boards for additional support as needed. With the pallets together, top with pavers for just the right look. Then, remove one paver and squeeze a generous amount of adhesive on the combined pallets. Replace the paver and repeat the process.

Consider customizing your bar as well. Paint it a unique color, or use multiple types of pavers for an eclectic look. Screw on a bottle opener or add hooks for wine glasses. You can even add wood shelves or attach other storage. Your new bar's design is limited only by your imagination.