Imagine enjoying:

👉 Footy Finals

👉 Cocktail Competitions, and

👉 The best mojito you’ll ever try

Right in your own backyard!

It’s time to transform the humble garden shed into an epic backyard bar so you can enjoy happy hour at home.

No curfews, no driving, no worries.

We know you want to learn how it’s done, so we’ve listed out the steps below:

How to create a Backyard Bar

1. First things first: Create Space

First up, you’ll need a space to house your bar supplies & serve drinks from.

You’ll want to make sure it’s lockable and secure; so it can be used year-round.

If you don’t have an existing shed you can transform, you can get a Garden Room installed in just a few weeks.

They’re quick, easy & often don’t need council approval. More info on that here.

Here are a few designs to choose from.

Recommended Door + Window Combinations:

Once you’ve chosen the building to house your backyard bar, it’s time to choose the options.

Here are a few options we’ve seen work really well for backyard bars:

• Entry door/s (double doors give you easier access!)
• Deck/Verandah for shade + seating
• Large sliding window for serving
• Small sliding window  (position this opposite the serving window, for cross-ventilation).

2. Paint the Outside of Your Bar

Once your Bar is installed, it’s time to paint the outside.

A few coats of paint are essential. We recommend using a similar colour scheme to your house for a sleek, coordinated look.

TIP: This handy Dulux calculator helps you work out how much paint you’ll need

3. Add a counter

Every good bar needs a counter to serve drinks from, right?

Luckily there’s an easy DIY you can do to create a counter for your backyard bar.

Simply attach a plank of wood with sturdy brackets under your main window, and you’ve got yourself

You’ll want to stain the wood to make it weather & wine-proof and make sure your bench will be sturdy enough to take the weight of a few mates leaning on it.

Not keen on DIY? ServiceSeeking.com.au is a great place to find qualified local tradies in your area

4. Add bar stools & seating

Once your bench is in, hunt down some stylish stools to sit at your bar window.

TIP: Temple & Webster, Early Settler and Freedom have great outdoor furniture options.

Make sure you check measurements before purchasing, so the stools suit the height of your bench.

For something a little comfier,  we recommend adding a few outdoor lounges & cushions.

5. Fit out the inside & add finishing touches

A good place to start for fitting out the inside of your bar is by deciding the style you’re going for, and how much you’ll need to include inside.

Your Backyard Bar can be a basic serving area, or a fully-fitted bar with storage cupboards, a fridge and a sink.

If you’re creating a rustic backyard bar, you could leave the framing exposed, and just paint the timber frames black.

For a more sleek, polished look, you can add plaster, paint & lighting inside – just like you would inside your home.

Add an ice bucket for keeping drinks cool, and string up some lights to make evenings with friends just a little more magical.

TIP: Create a Backyard Bar Pinboard. This will help you bring your ideas together and stick to your colour scheme. You can also add products to your board as you find them, for example bar stools, a bar cart, paint colours etc.

How INSANE is this garden bar? 😍😱 This one is in the UK, but you can get the look here in Australia with a Melwood Mod No.12 (3.6m x 3.2m). Source: Facebook  (click for more images)

Get all your Backyard Bar Questions Answered

If you’d love to see Melwood buildings in person, we have 3 locations in Sydney which you can visit. Click here to view locations & schedule your visit.