Here’s how you build an outdoor bar from scaffold wood in broad strokes: you make a sturdy frame from scaffold wood beams, you clad the front and sides with boards, and on top you lay a glued-up worktop of scaffold wood boards.
The ideal bar height for home use sits between 100 and 110 cm, with a worktop at least 40 cm deep and an overhang of roughly 25 to 30 cm on the guest side for knee room. Reckon on 150 to 500 euros in materials, depending on the size and whether you go for new or reclaimed scaffold wood.
In this article you get all the measurements, a full materials list, a step-by-step build plan and the finishing tips that keep the bar looking good outdoors for years. Exactly the details most online guides skip over.
Why scaffold wood for an outdoor bar?
Scaffold wood is spruce that’s been used for scaffolding or looks like it. It’s coarse, rugged and robust, and that suits a bar in the garden nicely.
The advantages at a glance:
- It’s easy to work with ordinary tools.
- The boards are thick and strong enough for a worktop.
- The rustic, weathered look fits almost any garden.
- Both new and reclaimed scaffold wood are widely available at the DIY store.
There are downsides too, and you should know them before you start:
- Scaffold wood moves: it shrinks and expands with the moisture, so gaps and small cracks come with the territory.
- Rough scaffold wood gives splinters. Sanding isn’t an extra step, it’s a must.
- Untreated spruce greys out and rots outdoors. Without protection the bar won’t last long.
In short: scaffold wood works excellently for an outdoor bar, as long as you finish it well and protect it from rain.
The right measurements for your outdoor bar
Measurements are the difference between a bar you enjoy standing and sitting at, and one that just doesn’t work quite right. These are the measurements to stick to.
Bar height
The standard bar height for home use sits between 100 and 110 cm. For home, 100 to 105 cm is often the best choice. Source: Thatlyfestyle.
At this height you can comfortably stand to pour drinks, and standard bar stools fit neatly underneath.
Worktop depth and overhang
Keep the worktop at least 40 cm deep, so you have enough room to set down glasses, bottles and snacks.
If you want bar stools on the guest side, let the top overhang. Reckon on at least 20 cm of overhang for knee room, and 25 to 30 cm is more comfortable. Source: Thatlyfestyle.
Without that overhang your guests bang their knees against the front of the bar.
Bar stool height
The rule of thumb: the seat of the bar stool sits about 25 to 30 cm lower than the bar top. Source: Nieuwe Sfeer.
Translated into concrete measurements:
| Bar height | Matching bar stool seat height |
|---|---|
| 100 cm | 70 to 75 cm |
| 105 cm | 75 to 80 cm |
| 110 cm | 80 to 85 cm |
Source: Thatlyfestyle.
Measure the bar stools you have or want to buy before you build the bar. Then you tune the bar height to the stools, instead of the other way around.
Length and width
You decide the length yourself, depending on your patio and how many guests you want to fit. A practical bar is 120 to 180 cm long. Reckon on about 60 cm of working room per person on the bar side.
The total width (depth) of the cabinet under the bar is usually 40 to 60 cm. That gives enough room for a shelf, a cool box or bottles.
Choosing scaffold wood: new or reclaimed
Before you buy a board, this is the most important choice.
New scaffold wood
New scaffold wood keeps its full thickness and is cleaner and smoother. It’s often kiln-dried (artificially dried back to around 18% moisture content), which makes it more stable and reduces the chance of movement and cracking. Source: SteigerhoutenMeubelshop.
Dried, planed scaffold wood in grade A is smooth and has few large knots. Grade B is rougher and has more knots and discolouration, but it’s cheaper and gives a more rugged look.
Reclaimed scaffold wood
Reclaimed scaffold wood has an authentic, weathered look and is often cheaper. Do watch out: boards that have served for years on building sites can have become thinner through weathering. A board that started at 30 mm sometimes measures only 25 to 28 mm. Source: SteigerhoutenMeubelshop.
Always check reclaimed wood for nails, screws, cracks and rot before you work with it.
Which thicknesses and sizes
Scaffold wood comes in two standard thicknesses: 30 mm for lighter applications and 45 mm for heavier constructions like tables. Now and then 60 mm exists, but it’s rarely used. Source: SteigerhoutenMeubelshop.
The most common board is 30 x 195 mm, available in lengths of 2.5 and 4 metres. Source: Hornbach.
For the worktop, boards of 30 mm are fine. For the base you use beams or battens. Spruce beams of 45 x 70 mm or 70 x 70 mm give a firm, stable frame.
Materials list and tools
The list below is for a bar of roughly 150 cm long, 50 cm deep and 105 cm high. Adjust the quantities to your own size.
| Material | Guideline |
|---|---|
| Scaffold wood boards 30 x 195 mm | 10 to 14 pieces (worktop, front and sides) |
| Beams 45 x 70 or 70 x 70 mm for the frame | 6 to 8 pieces |
| Stainless or galvanised screws 5 x 50 mm | approx. 130 pieces |
| Wood glue (water-resistant, D3 or D4) | 1 bottle |
| Scaffold wood stain, hardwax oil or clear exterior varnish | 1 to 2.5 litres |
| Optional: castors with brakes | 4 pieces |
| Optional: shelf, cool box or hook material | as desired |
Tools:
- Cordless drill or screwdriver
- Circular saw or handsaw (mitre saw for neat corners)
- Sander plus sandpaper grit 80, 120 and 180
- Tape measure, pencil and spirit level
- Glue clamps for gluing up the top
For outdoor use, always take stainless or galvanised screws. Ordinary steel screws rust and leave ugly black streaks running down the wood.
Cost estimate
The costs depend heavily on the size and the choice of wood. A scaffold wood board of 30 x 195 x 2500 mm costs around 12 euros new, and a vintage version around 15 euros. Source: Hornbach.
| Item | Range |
|---|---|
| Scaffold wood boards and beams | 80 to 300 euros |
| Screws, glue | 20 to 40 euros |
| Stain, oil or varnish | 25 to 60 euros |
| Optional: castors, shelves, cool box | 30 to 100 euros |
| Total | around 150 to 500 euros |
With reclaimed scaffold wood and a compact size you stay at the bottom of that range. Choose new, dried wood in grade A with extras, and you’re at the top end.
Step-by-step build plan
Step 1: Design and cutting list
Set the length, height and depth and draw the bar to scale. Based on that, make a cutting list with all the parts and their measurements. Measure twice, cut once.
Step 2: Cut the wood to size
Cut the beams for the frame and the boards for the cladding and the worktop. Ease the sawn edges briefly with sandpaper so you don’t pick up splinters during assembly.
Step 3: Build the base
Make two rectangular side frames from the beams. Connect these with horizontal beams into a firm, rectangular cabinet. Check with the spirit level that everything is square and level. This frame carries the whole weight later, so screw it together firmly.
Step 4: Clad the front and sides
Screw the scaffold wood boards vertically or horizontally onto the frame. Work from one side so the boards line up neatly. Pre-drilling stops the wood splitting at the ends.
Step 5: Make and fit the worktop
Lay the boards for the top against each other and glue them along the long edges with water-resistant wood glue. Clamp the whole lot with glue clamps and let the glue dry fully.
Then screw the top to the frame from underneath, up through the base into the top. That way you see no screw heads on top. Make sure you have the overhang you want on the guest side.
Step 6: Add the extras
Now is the moment for a shelf at the bottom, a cool box, hooks for glasses or castors under the frame. Castors with brakes make the bar movable, handy for tucking it away dry in winter.
Step 7: Sand and finish
Sand the whole bar smooth. Start with grit 80 for the rough work, move to 120 and finish with 180 for a smooth, splinter-free top layer. Then treat the wood (see below).
Finishing and protection for outdoors
This is the step that decides whether your bar lasts one season or many years.
Untreated spruce greys out outdoors from UV light and takes on moisture. Lasting damp leads to rot, certainly on the end grain and the top of the worktop. Protection is therefore no luxury.
You have three main options:
- Scaffold wood stain: soaks into the wood, adds colour and protects against moisture and UV. A good option for the body of the bar.
- Hardwax oil: feeds the wood and gives a natural, matte look. Pleasant for the worktop, but you have to touch it up periodically.
- Clear exterior varnish: forms a hard protective layer on top of the wood. The most waterproof, but if it’s damaged, water can creep under the varnish layer.
For the worktop, which takes the most from glasses, moisture and sun, a waterproof finish matters most. A good exterior varnish or several coats of hardwax oil keep stains and moisture out.
Give all end grain extra treatment. That’s where moisture gets in fastest. Apply at least two coats, and repeat the treatment every year or every other year.
Protect the bar from rain
The biggest enemy of scaffold wood outdoors is lasting moisture. A cover overhead extends the lifespan considerably.
Think about:
- A spot under a veranda, awning or canopy.
- A made-to-measure weatherproof cover for when the bar isn’t in use.
- Castors, so you can move the bar somewhere dry indoors or under a roof in the wet season.
A bar that stands permanently out in the wind and rain lasts noticeably shorter than one kept dry, however well you finish it.
Common mistakes
- Not tuning the bar height to the stools. Measure your bar stools first, then set the bar height. The other way around, you get stuck.
- No overhang on the guest side. Without at least 20 cm of overhang, guests bang their knees.
- Using ordinary steel screws. They rust and leave black streaks. Always stainless or galvanised for outdoors.
- Sanding too little. Scaffold wood gives splinters. Sand right through to grit 180, especially on the worktop and the edges.
- Leaving it untreated or with just one coat. Without solid protection the wood greys out and rots. Two coats minimum, and touch it up yearly.
- Wanting a dead-straight top. Scaffold wood moves. Small gaps and cracks come with it and actually give character.
Frequently asked questions
How high should an outdoor bar be?
For home use you stick to a bar height of 100 to 110 cm, with 100 to 105 cm often the most comfortable. At that height you can stand comfortably and standard bar stools fit underneath. Source: Thatlyfestyle.
Which bar stool suits my bar?
The seat of the bar stool sits about 25 to 30 cm lower than the bar top. So for a bar of 105 cm you choose a seat height of 75 to 80 cm. Source: Nieuwe Sfeer.
How thick should scaffold wood be for a bar top?
Boards of 30 mm are fine for a worktop. If you want an extra heavy and sturdy top, go for 45 mm. For the frame you use beams of 45 x 70 or 70 x 70 mm. Source: SteigerhoutenMeubelshop.
Should I choose new or reclaimed scaffold wood?
New, dried scaffold wood is more stable and cleaner and moves less. Reclaimed scaffold wood is cheaper and has an authentic look, but can be thinner and contain nails or cracks. For a worktop that needs to be flat and sturdy, new dried wood is the safest choice. Source: SteigerhoutenMeubelshop.
How do I protect a scaffold wood bar from rain?
Treat the wood with scaffold wood stain, hardwax oil or exterior varnish, at least two coats and touch it up yearly. Ideally place the bar under a cover and use a weatherproof cover or castors to tuck it away dry in the wet season.
What does it cost to build an outdoor bar yourself?
Reckon on around 150 to 500 euros in materials, depending on the size and whether you go for new or reclaimed scaffold wood. A new scaffold wood board of 2.5 metres costs around 12 euros. Source: Hornbach.
Get going with a good plan
Want to get started right away with a complete, well-thought-out plan? At Fred’s DIY Plans you’ll find worked-out build plans for scaffold wood furniture and other garden projects, with the right measurements and materials lists, so you can confidently get going yourself.