DIY Built-In Bar

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I had this weird awkward angled wall that I didn’t really know what to do with, until I saw this built-in shelving that Nida built in her dining room and I fell in love with it! Once I saw that, it just clicked and I knew exactly what I was going to do.

I started by removing the baseboard and building a frame out of 2x3s for the cabinet to sit on. I used pocket holes to screw the base into the studs.

I had to trim the floor transition piece so the base would sit flat on the floor.

This bar was mostly built out of scraps I had left over from past projects. Since it was only sitting 8in off the wall on the bottom and 6in on the top I didn’t need to buy a whole lot of material. I didn’t care too much about what the inside looked like since the bottom would be enclosed, so I used 2 pieces of scrap beadboard paneling and put a support piece on the back middle to have something to attach them to, that’s the 1×2 you see in the middle in the picture below, I ended up painting it white to blend in. The sides are scrap pieces of plywood, the top is also 1x2s since I’d be buying a piece of wood for the “countertop” of this bar to cover them up and the bottom and middle shelf is leftover particle board. It’s all put together with pocket holes.

After the cabinet box was built and installed I made a face frame out of 1×2 primed pine. It’s a little more expensive than regular pine but I love not having to prime it myself. This was also scraps from a past project. I did have to buy the bottom piece, which is a 1×4 primed pine.

Then I started on building the doors. I built them myself, the way I did these is pretty simple (I do it a little differently now since I have a little more experience). I put the frames together with 1×3 primed pine, pocket holes and wood glue. These doors will be inset.

This is the part that I do differently now. The way I did it here is I used brown board for the centers and cut it to the EXACT size of the center of the doors and caulked it into place. Below you can see I don’t use my weights for working out, I use them for my wood projects! Just kidding….kind of. The weights were there to hold the sides down perfectly flat while the caulk dried. The way I do it now is I actually make grooves in the stiles and rails of the doors before I put them together and cut the brown board a little bigger than the center so it slides into place. I still caulk the middle, but this way the caulk isn’t the only thing holding it in place. Surprisingly the caulk holds it pretty well the old way.

Once that was dry I painted the cabinet box and the doors in Alabaster by SW, the same color as the walls and ceilings.

The next day I installed a door to make sure it fit correctly…it did not. I used these simple butt hinges and I didn’t think they would take up as much space as they did. I actually didn’t install them the correct way here, you are supposed to carve out a spot in the doors for the hinges but I didn’t know that at the time.

I didn’t want to make new doors, so I took these outside and shaved just a blades width off the outside of the doors with my table saw. I taped them to prevent tear out from the blade.

The tape worked really well! No tear out or splintering at all!

I painted the side that I trimmed off and then installed the doors back on.

It worked! They fit perfectly! These are the pulls I used.

These doors are held closed with this magnet since I didn’t use regular cabinet hinges.

The gaps between the doors isn’t completely perfect, but I think they are pretty dang close! I was proud of myself for this one!

It needed a baseboard now, so I trimmed the transition piece on the floor a bit more with my multi tool.

I had to trim the bottom of the baseboard on the side that would be over the wood floors because they are about 1/4in taller than the tile.

Once the bottom was done, it was time to get started on the top part of the bar. I bought two 4×8 sheets of brown board for this. I wallpapered one of the sheets of brown board with a textured peel and stick wallpaper. This will be the back of the upper cabinet.

I wanted the front of the top cabinet to have an arch. I found the center from left to right and made a hole about 1ft down from the top. I then used a scrap piece of wood and drilled a hole in both ends of it. One hole I left the drill bit in and through the hole in the brown board. The other end I put a pin in so I could draw an arch.

I also made marks along the sides about 6in from each side and cut along those with my table saw so it was as straight as I could get it, but not all the way across.

Then I used my jigsaw and followed the arch.

I think I did a pretty good job on the arch! I did have to use my orbital sander to smooth out the edges some.

After that I put together the frame, which was also leftover plywood, and painted the inside of it before putting it together so I wouldn’t risk getting paint on the wallpaper.

Once that was dry I brought it into an open space to lay it down and attach the back brown board with the wallpaper. I attached it on the back with an air compressed staple gun. I haven’t invested in a battery one yet, but I will soon so I don’t have to lug around the air compressor, it’s super heavy!

Then I flipped it over and installed the shelves. I screwed them in from the outside and counter sank the screws so I could fill the holes and they wouldn’t show. I also screwed in from the back so the shelves wouldn’t sag down in the middle with weight on them. The stain color is Antique White by Varathane topped with Puritan Pine by Minwax and sealed the wood with General Finishes Flat sealer.

Then it was time to attach the arch, I used the staple gun with this as well. These would be covered by a trim piece. Tyler help me put it up on top of the bottom cabinet and secured it to the wall, then I started putting the trim up. I used a baseboard and a base cap moulding for the top trim.

The sides didn’t look good because the side of the brown board was showing in the back, I used this trim to cover this up.

I also needed this moulding for the sides of the front. I attached these with my brad nailer.

Make sure you always keep your fingers far away from where you are shooting the nail in because it can shoot out of the side. Luckily I always keep my hands away from it because this happens sometimes.

Look how much it’s coming together with the trim on!

Next I taped the edges where the countertop was so I could caulk it. The tape will leave you with a perfect caulk line, but you have to take it off when it’s still wet.

Here’s a quick video on the process.

Once all of the caulking, wood filling and sanding was done I got the top painted in Alabaster by SW like the bottom. Then it was time to decorate! Here’s a before:

And what it looks like now. I love this space so much! I feel like this bar is exactly what this weird spot needed.

All living room links here.

Next up, I’ll take you along as I build a new TV stand for the living room.