How To Build A Folding Outdoor Bar
Updated: Feb. 22, 2023No good tailgating or backyard setup is complete without a solid bar. Build this folding, portable version in a one day!
Time A full day
ComplexityIntermediate
Cost$101–250
Introduction
This folding outdoor bar is a really fun project to build. It tests your ability to complete to cut different width grooves and matching the grooves to board thickness. It challenges your notch-cutting prowess. It expands your knowledge about different ways to glue up boards. But when you are finished, it might be the most satisfying project to put together and showoff. We bought 7/8-in. thick cedar and milled it down to the 3/4 in., but you can use any 3/4 in. thick material to complete the folding bar.Tools Required
- Clamps
- dado stack
- Drill/driver
- Flexible putty knife
- Jigsaw
- Miter saw
- Table saw
Materials Required
- 1-1/2” x 30” Continuous hinge (2)
- 1-1/4” brad nails
- 1” screws
- 1x2 cedar
- 1x6 cedar
- 2” barrel bolt
- 2x2 cedar
- 3-1/2” chest handle
- Exterior wood glue
- Screw eye
- Wood putty
Cutting List
Project Plans
Project step-by-step (8)
Cut the shiplap boards
Cut the 1×6 cedar to 39-in. on the miter saw. Clamp a sacrificial board to the table saw fence. Cut a 3/8” deep x 5/8” wide rabbet into the edge of the 1×6 cedar on the table saw. Flip the board over and cut a 3/8” deep x 1/2” wide rabbet on the table saw. Note: Three of the boards don’t need the 3/8” deep x 5/8” wide rabbet for one edge of the panels and three of the boards don’t need the 3/8” deep x 1/2” wide rabbet for the other edge of the panel.
Build the panels
Tape one face of scrap boards, cut to the width of each panel, with packing tape to make clamping cauls. Glue the 1/2” wide rabbets and align the boards. Clamp the cauls on the top and bottom of each end of the glue-up to keep the boards in place. Cut a 3/4-in. wide x 3/4-in. deep. groove into the center of the 2×2 boards with the table saw. Cut the 2×2 edging (B, C and D) to length on the miter saw. Spread glue into the grooves of the 2×2 parts and set them in place. Secure the edging with 1-1/4 in. brad nails.
Cut and add hinge mounts and cleats
Crosscut the 1×2 board to length on the miter saw for the hinge mounts (K) and shelf cleats (L and M). Resaw the 1×2 boards to 3/8 in. thick on the table saw. Using a sacrificial push stick and featherboard makes this step much safer. Glue the hinge mounts in place. Drill pilot holes and counter sink and fasten with 1-in. screws. Measure 16 in. from the top of the panels. Glue the shelf cleats to the panels so the top edge matches the marks. Drill pilot holes and counter sink and fasten with 1-in. screws.
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Attach the side panels to the front
Clamp the side panels to the backside of the front panel’s side edging at a 90-degree angle. Set the continuous hinges on the inner side of the assembly. Drill pilot holes and fasten the hinge in place with the included screws to make the bar wall.
Assemble the bar top
Glue up four 1×6 boards (E). Trim the ends of the glue up to a final length of 48 in. with a circular saw and straight edge. Cut a 3/4-in. wide x 3/4-in. deep. groove into the center of the 2×2 boards with the table saw. Cut the 2×2 sides (G) and front (F) to length on the miter saw. Spread glue into the grooves of the 2×2 parts and set them in place. Secure the front and sides with 1-1/4 in. brad nails.
Glue up and notch the shelf
Glue up three 1×6 boards (J). Trim the ends of the glue up to a final length of 39-3/4 in. with a circular saw and straight edge. Set the shelf in place and mark the notch locations. The notches will need to go around the hinges, side edging (C) and hinge mounts (K). Clamp the shelf to the worksurface and cut out the notches with a jigsaw.
Fasten the alignment boards in place
Set the bar wall upright and center the bar top on the bar wall, ensuring that the side panels are at 90-degrees. Mark where the side panels (inside and outside) hit the bottom of the bar top. Glue the 1×2 alignment boards (H) to the bottom of the bar top and fasten with 1-1/4 in. brad nails.
Add hardware
Center the chest handle, 4 in. down from the top edge of the backside of the front panel. Drill pilot holes and fasten the chest handle with the included screws. With the bar top on the bar wall, set the 2 in. barrel bolts on the interior alignment boards (H) and mark where the bolt hits the side panel edging. Drill a 5/16-in. diameter hole at the mark. Set the barrel bolts in place, drill pilot holes and fasten with the included screws. Measure 20 in. down on the edge of both side panels. Drill pilot holes and screw in both sides of the hook-and-eye latch.
