How to Build Your Own Tiki Bar

Do you dream of lazy days, sitting at a Tiki Bar sipping a Mai Tai, but just can't get away from your job? Are you ready to bring a little bit of the resort lifestyle to your backyard and build your very own Tiki Bar? Building a Tiki Bar can be a great way to turn a boring backyard into a unique and fun fixture that you and your friends can enjoy. Even if you don't have a backyard, you can easily build your own Tiki Bar in your basement with ease.

The first step in designing your very own home bar is to decide how much money that you want to spend. The larger the bar, the higher the budget will need to be. Once you have set a realistic budget for your project you can now start planning and looking for materials. To build an authentic tiki-style bar, you will want to look for materials that may not be readily available in your area. Materials such as Bamboo and Palm leaves are used in building an authentic Tiki Bar and some of these materials may need to be shipped to your area. This could be costly so this needs to be worked into your budget. If your budget does not allow, you can use other types of wood.

Thankfully, building a Tiki Bar that looks authentic need not involve brand new building materials. You can frame a the bar using old or reclaimed wood, such as 2x4's and 2x6's. The slightly weathered look will add to the character of the Tiki Bar. As for stools, a counter-top and used lumber, visit a local store which specializes in used building supplies or even antique stores. If you are planning on adding a sink and water to your Tiki Bar, you will want to purchase these items beforehand and make sure that you know how to install them. This may require a licensed plumber to ensure that the water is working properly. Staying on budget while building your Tiki Bar may require some imagination and improvisation.

Once you have all the elements at the job site, you can begin building. Start by framing the Tiki Bar to your desired size. Remember that you want to be able to prepare the drinks on one side, and have stools on the other side. A good height for the bar is 42 inches tall, which is a fairly standard height. You can actually frame it with regular lumber and then just use bamboo on top to make it look as though it was built with Bamboo. If Bamboo is just too expensive or not available, using Cedar is also very common in Tiki Bars. Once the frame is done, then you put the palm leaves on the roof and you're nearly done.

Depending on how sophisticated you want your Tiki Bar to be, this is when you would build in things like plumbing, shelving and maybe even a small bar fridge for your supplies. The best thing about building any home bar is that you get to decide what it looks like. While there are general ideas of what it should look like, you are free to be creative in making it your own.