Getting ready to build a basement bar? We have you covered with these awesome basement bar ideas built by beginner woodworkers.
You might be wondering if you really need that bar in your basement. The answer to that question is, you do!
Our DIY basement bar acts as a focal point in our long narrow basement and helps define the space.
After my husband finished building our basement bar we invited friends over for the Eagles vs. Patriots Super Bowl. (Eagles Fans here, not an obnoxious one though).
Basement Bar Ideas
The bar added a lot of extra seating in our cramped house, and gave everyone a place to gather around while they watched the game.
Even if you aren’t a big sports fan, a basement bar is great for entertaining during the holidays and parties because of the added seating.
You don’t need a large finished basement to add a bar either, so don’t think you need to spend several thousand dollars on this project.
A small corner in your basement or garage can easily be turned into a mancave bar area!
Butcher Block Basement Bars
Instead of your typical dark stained basement bar, here is a light and airy bar with butcher block bar top.
Swapping the traditional bar top and bar rail for butcher block, could potentially cut down on lumber costs.
Butcher block bar top isn’t cheapest option, but it could save you money overall with your DIY basement bar project.
If you compare the price for 2 bar tops and Chicago Bar rail arm rest, it might end up costing less.
It could be cheaper or similar in price if you consider the the cost of butcher block compared to Chicago bar rail and other lumber needed to the top.
Chicago bar rail looks great on bars, but it does get expensive and it can be tedious to match up cuts and adhere it to the bar.
If you want an easier and cleaner bar top then you should think about going with a butcher block bar top.
Farmhouse Basement Bar Ideas
Here are farmhouse style bar ideas wrapped in white beadboard and topped with darked stained butcher block.
The dark butcher block bar top pops against the bright white bar exterior giving it that farmhouse feeling.
This shiplap bar cart is a great option if you do not have extra space for a large bar, but want a functional piece of furniture.
When you need extra entertaining space or serving area, simply roll this farmhouse bar cart near your tv and pull up bar stools.
See more pictures of this multipurpose farmhouse style bar cart and instructions here!
Repurposed Basement Bar Idea
If you have an oversized dining room hutch that you no longer use then repurpose it into a basement bar.
Repurposing furniture is an awesome way to get creative with something that you might of lugged to the curb on trash day.
Plus you can cut down on your lumber costs for your project by using the scrap materials.
If you are working with a similar type of dining hutch, remove the top portion then adjust to standard bar height.
Shiplap Bar
Our family saw our home bar and was super impressed. They wanted to build the exact same bar in their basement.
So, we helped build this basement bar using our bar plans then added shiplap instead of trim pieces on the exterior.
Using shiplap was much easier than making the cuts for all of the trim pieces as shown on our bar.
After the shiplap was adhered to the exterior of the bar, the entire bar was sanded and stained.
Modern Basement Bar
Adding a large bar to a cramped basement might seem like a bad idea, but it actually helps make the most of the space.
Now the basement feels larger because there is enough room to seat 7-8 people comfortably in this corner.
Even if your basement is used for storage, you can still make a corner of the basement functional for entertaining.
Rustic Basement Bar Ideas
Instead of your traditional pub style bar, these bars have more of rustic feel with lots of wood tones and texture.
You can’t go wrong with a rustic basement bars because it’s a timeless style with a warm and inviting feeling, while easily blending with existing decor and paint colors.
Rearrange a few things in your basement or garage to create a mancave bar or entertaining area.
This bar was built in a small corner with minimal lighting and low drop ceilings. As you can see, you don’t have to have the perfect space in your basement to add a bar.
Most of these basement bars were built by people with very little woodworking experience.
They did such a great job with the finish work on these basement bars and adjusted the plans to fit their space.
Mancave Basement Bar Ideas
This isn’t your average mancave bar jammed in a dark corner with limited seating. Instead this is a well designed basement bar with tons of seating and LED bar lighting.
Turn your basement into a fun place to spend time with family and friends. A basement bar doesn’t always have to be for drinking beer, you can watch a movie here or enjoy a nice dinner.
It’s nice to have a separate place in your home to relax that is clean and clutter free.
Traditional Irish Pub Style Bars
These are your traditional Irish pub style basement bars. You can never go wrong with a dark stain on a bar and an overside Chicago bar rail molding framing the bar top.
A pub style bar will always be in style and can be customized to add your own personal touch.
Add an unexpected element to your basement bar design as seen on the bar top below with hundreds of pennies covered in epoxy.
Garage Bar Ideas
If you don’t have a large basement then you can build a bar in the corner of your garage. You don’t need a lot of space to create an awesome bar, so even a small area in your garage will suffice.
The great thing about building a DIY basement bar is that you can customize the size to best fit your own home.
Customers used our bar plans as a foundation to build from and make their own to fit their garage.
You can’t even tell that these bars are in a garage because they look so good! For even more garage bar inspiration, take a look at these other garage ideas.
Basement Bars Built with Bar Plans
These bars are all built by our customers using either our bar plans or detailed guide on how to instructions.
A large majority of these basement bars were built with no previous woodworking experience or knowledge with tools.
As you can see these bars turned out amazing despite having strong carpentry skills or comfortably with power tools.
Our bar plans guide you throughout the entire project, so you never feel overwhelmed!
Outdoor Bar Ideas
If you prefer to be outdoors instead of your basement then you can build an outdoor bar with these unique bar ideas.
An outdoor bar allows you to host events for a larger crowd by taking advantage of the space in your backyard.
Conclusion
I will admit I thought my husband was nuts for wanting to build a basement bar in our home.
It seemed like such a waste of space for something that we would never use. He proved me wrong because we actually use our bar all the time.
So, I highly recommend building your own basement bar because it makes a great use of the space.
Take a look at these other awesome basement bar ideas, you might
Did you build a Rock Solid Rustic Bar? We would love to add it to this post!
AMAZON AFFILIATE Rocksolidrustic.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This can include installing cookies. By using this website, you agree to our terms of service.