https://stream.echo6.co/videos/watch/f5fbc32b-0978-4f77-b2ea-8f537dd0ca20 Senior technical editor Mark Powers builds a bar for entertaining. (See below for a shopping list, tools and cut list.) SUBSCRIBE to This Old House: http://bit.ly/SubscribeThisOldHouse If the notion of building a bar conjures fond and fuzzy memories of hammering 2x4s into some makeshift cup stand back in college, terrific. But that experience won't help you much here. This is a real piece of furniture, as you can see from the trimmed panels, sturdy oak bar-rail molding, and stainless-steel foot rail. Follow along as This Old House senior technical editor Mark Powers and colleague Douglas Adams build this handsome rec-room centerpiece. And if you want to break out the toga when your DIY home bar is finished, well, that's entirely your call. Shopping List for How to Build a Bar: Lauan to sheathe the outside of the bar. Get one-and-a-half 4-by-8-foot sheets., 1/2-inch birch-veneer plywood, to sheathe the interior. Get one-and-a-half 4-by-8 sheets., 3/4-inch utility-grade plywood, for the base of the bar. Get one 4-by-8 sheet., 1x4 common-pine boards, to be sandwiched between the sheathing. Get eight 8-footers., 1x4 clear-pine boards for the stiles and rails. Get seven 8-footers., 1x8 clear-pine board, for the bottom rail. Get one 8-footer., 1x10 clear-pine boards, for the shelves. Get two 6-footers., 1x2 for the capping and supports. Get one 6-foot common-pine board and one 8-foot clear-pine board., 1x1 for the shelf cleats. Get two 8-foot lengths., Panel or base cap molding, to trim the inside edges of the stiles and rails. Get six 6-foot pieces., 1x12 oak to finish the bar top. Get one 10-foot board., 1x2 oak for the trim. Get one 12-foot board., Oak bar-rail molding. Get one 12-foot length., Foot rail, brackets, and caps (optional), 1-inch nails, 1 1/4-inch nails, 5/8-inch brad nails, 1 1/4-inch screws, 3-inch screws, Construction adhesive, Wood glue, Tools for How to Build a Bar: Circular saw, Miter saw, Drill/driver fitted with a combination drill bit, Pneumatic nail gun, Small hand saw, Cut list: ½-inch plywood: 1 @ 60 by 42 inches ½-inch plywood: 2 @ 24 by 42 inches Lauan sheathing: 1 @ 60 by 42 inches Lauan sheathing: 2 @ 24 by 42 inches 1x2 framing: 11 @ 37 inches 1x2 framing: 4 @ 24 inches 1x2 framing: 2 @ 60 inches 1x4 nailing block: 2 @ 6 inches 1x4 stile: 5 @ 31¼ inches 1x4 corner stile: 4 @ 42 inches 1x4 corner stile: 2 @ 42 inches (Rip ¾ inch off the board’s width.) 1x2 stile: 2 @ 42 inches 1x4 rail: 1 @ 54½ inches 1x4 rail: Scribe 2 to size. 1x8 rail: 1 @ 54½ inches 1x8 rail: Scribe 2 to size. Panel molding: Miter 32 to size. 1x2 shelf supports: 1 @ 54 inches 1x2 shelf supports: 2 @ 6 inches ¾-inch plywood bar-top substrate: Cut 2 to size. ¾-inch plywood bar-top substrate: Cut 2 to size. 1x12 bar top: Cut 1 to size. 1x12 bar top: Cut 2 to size. Bar-rail molding: Miter 3 to size. Looking for more step by step guidance on how to complete projects around the house? Join This Old House INSIDER to stream over 1,000 episodes commercial-free: https://bit.ly/2GPiYbH Plus, download our FREE app for full-episode streaming to your connected TV, phone or tablet: https://www.thisoldhouse.com/pages/streaming-app Follow This Old House and Ask This Old House: Facebook: http://bit.ly/ThisOldHouseFB Twitter: http://bit.ly/ThisOldHouseTwitter http://bit.ly/AskTOHTwitter Pinterest: http://bit.ly/ThisOldHousePinterest Instagram: http://bit.ly/ThisOldHouseIG http://bit.ly/AskTOHIG For more on This Old House and Ask This Old House, visit us at: http://bit.ly/ThisOldHouseWebsite How to Build a Bar | This Old House https://www.youtube.com/user/thisoldhouse/ Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:56:33 GMT https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html PeerTube - https://stream.echo6.co https://stream.echo6.co/client/assets/images/icons/icon-512x512.png https://stream.echo6.co/videos/watch/f5fbc32b-0978-4f77-b2ea-8f537dd0ca20 All rights reserved, unless otherwise specified in the terms specified at https://stream.echo6.co/about and potential licenses granted by each content's rightholder.