Shed With Bar Ideas for Backyards

If you are a homeowner, your home is probably where you spend most of your time, outside of work. So why not utilize your entire property to your advantage to make your home as comfortable and inviting as possible?

A backyard bar shed—also known as a pub shed, outdoor pub, or home bar—is a standalone structure featuring a bar, drink storage, seating, and other functional features.

These buildings have been famous in the U.K. in the past, but they have just recently hit the American scene as a fun solution to add storage and entertainment to your own backyard.

Why Add a Shed Bar to Your Backyard?

Adding a backyard bar shed to your property is an excellent way to maximize your outdoor space, create an inviting backyard entertainment area for family and friends, and craft the perfect place to unwind after a long day of work.

However, your first step in adding a pub shed to your backyard is to figure out the right design and build for your space. You’ll also consider whether you want to build or buy a shed if it’s a new project.

We’ve put together a list of some of the best bar shed ideas out there to inspire your own backyard shed project. If you’re interested in learning more about bar sheds, read on to see our favorite ideas for pub sheds and what you need to know about building a shed with a bar.

Backyard Bar Shed Ideas

Backyard bar sheds come in all shapes and sizes. When it comes down to it, choosing the right shed for your own backyard depends on the style of the rest of your outdoor space and the functionality you would like the structure to have.

Here are a few popular pub sheds and creative shed styles.

Backyard Sports Bar

If you’re looking for the ideal space to watch the big game with your buddies, a backyard sports bar could be the perfect solution. These bar sheds include a TV or projector, plenty of seating for friends and family, and sports memorabilia as decor.

A backyard sports bar can save you and your friends the hassle of going to an actual restaurant to watch your favorite sports teams. Additionally, this backyard structure allows you to customize all of the decor and features to suit your sports-watching habits and celebrate your home teams.

Before you know it, your backyard will be the preferred gathering spot for all of your sports-loving friends on game night.

Tiki Bar Backyard

If you live in a warm, tropical area—or want to pretend that you do—adding a tiki bar shed can bring a taste of the islands to your home. Tiki bar sheds are popular in states like California and Florida, where balmy temperatures resemble a tropical oasis.

Elements such as bamboo chairs, tiki torches, real or fake palm trees, coconut-shaped cups, and a tiki grass awning can create the atmosphere of an island tiki bar right in your yard.

Adding string lights around the shed’s perimeter can complete the look—and don’t forget to keep your favorite island margarita ingredients in stock.

Patriot Pub Shed

Whatever happened to showing off your American pride within your home? One surefire way to demonstrate your patriotic pride is to turn your pub shed into an American-themed haven.

Hanging American flags on the walls, serving up red, white, and blue drinks, and incorporating flag-themed decor can add patriotism and life to your shed.

While a patriotic bar structure is perfect for the Fourth of July, you can enjoy this bar any time of year with family members and neighbors.

Rustic Backyard Bar

Rustic architecture can add a rough, aged look to any pub shed. If you’re looking for a relaxed way to highlight the American craftsman style in your own backyard, why not add a few rustic elements to your pub shed?

The rustic decor style evokes images of early American farmhouses and cozy colonialism. While a rustic shed design can look purposeful, it also lessens some of the work of completing your design. Many rustic elements have an unfinished look to them, saving you the time and effort of thoroughly sanding wood surfaces and perfecting paint jobs, for example.

To produce a rustic country look in your shed, consider incorporating the following design elements:

Adding a bar top that features unfinished wood is an easy way to add a rustic vibe to your shed. Don’t forget to finish off the look with cozy string lights or candles.

Jamaican Bar Shed

If you’ve ever vacationed in Jamaica, you know that small beach bars are common throughout the island. One way to bring the tropical vibes of a Jamaican vacation back to your home is to build a Jamaican pub structure in your yard.

Jamaican bars intermingle the natural look of a tiki bar with the bright colors you would see in a typical beach shack. Incorporating vibrant signs with beach-centric quotes and a few pops of color into your design can evoke images of Jamaica without looking too out-there in a suburban yard.

Other elements you can consider adding to your Jamaican bar include:

To add to the Jamaican theme, be sure to keep the ingredients to make the following Jamaican drinks in stock:

Backyard Irish Pub Shed

There’s nothing quite like the atmosphere of an Irish pub. Most people visit Irish pubs to watch sports, hang out with friends, listen to traditional Irish music, and enjoy delicious European food. If you are interested in the Irish pub scene, you may want to consider crafting an Irish pub shed in your yard.

There are several elements that you will see in just about any Irish pub you visit. These include:

Incorporating these design elements and decor items into your pub structure can bring a taste of Ireland to your property and produce that inviting atmosphere that your friends and neighbors will love.

Additionally, be sure to keep Baileys Irish cream liqueur in your fridge to make fun Irish-themed cocktails.

Budweiser Backyard Bar

Budweiser is one of the most well-known names in the beer industry. If you’re a big Budweiser fan, why not incorporate this famous brand into your decor and design style?

You can find trademark Budweiser barstools, coasters, neon signs, dome pendants, and door signs on several online shopping sites, making it easy to decorate your Budweiser-themed shed. Better yet, Budweiser sells its own Bud Light minibars that you can place in an existing outdoor structure to turn it into a pub shed.

Keeping a minifridge that contains all of your favorite Budweiser and Bud Light drinks in your bar can ensure that your shed lives up to its name. If you really want to seal the deal, order a custom sign with “Budweiser Backyard Bar” on it to place at the entrance to the shed. Your whole neighborhood will know that your home is the hangout spot in the area.

He-Shed Bar

Sometimes, if you’re a man, you need a place to get away from the hustle and bustle of your home and relax in an area you can call your own. Turning your pub shed into a custom “he-shed” bar is an effective way to make the most of this available space on your property.

Many homeowners use he-sheds as a place to participate in their favorite hobbies without cluttering the basement or garage with their tools and hobby stuff. Others use he-sheds as a hangout spot if they do not have a designated place of their own within their homes.

The beauty of these pub sheds is that you can customize them to suit your needs.

She-Shed Bar

If a man can have a “he shed,” women can also turn their outdoor pub sheds into “she-sheds.” Just like a he-shed, she-sheds can contain any elements that you need to relax and escape from the busyness of your house after a hard day at the office. Feel free to turn your she-shed bar into a crafting station, relaxation zone, yoga studio, gardening area, or any other hobbyist space.

Of course, to make your she-shed into a bar, you should be sure to include a minibar and a fridge stocked with your favorite alcoholic beverages. Next, add whatever decor items make you happy to the walls and rafters, then finish off the design with a few of your favorite scented candles.

Backyard Bar and Hot Tub

There’s nothing like relaxing in the hot tub with your favorite alcoholic drink in hand. Hot tubs present the perfect opportunity to unwind after a long day at work and spend time with family members and friends.

If you’re also considering adding a pub shed to your yard, why not combine your hot tub and bar into one unique space?

While you may not have the room to put a hot tub in your shed, creating a connecting path between the shed and the hot tub unifies the area and invites guests to walk from one space to the next throughout their visit. Creating a large overhang over both locations can also produce a more cohesive look.

Rustic Whiskey Bar Shed

Do you love whiskey? Do you often find yourself at home on the weekends, enjoying a stiff drink after a long week of work?

If so, you might want to consider adding a rustic whiskey bar shed to your backyard. Rustic sheds are very popular right now, and an outdoor bar can make entertaining guests easier than ever before.

Plus, you could keep costs pretty low with a rustic theme and make use of some old whiskey barrels by scouring some local whiskey distilleries. Rustic whiskey bars typically have two or three beverage refrigerator units, as well as multiple serving tables. Rustic bar sheds generally cost around $6,000 to set up.

Man Cave Pub Shed

Men, you and your friends deserve a go-to spot to hang out, watch your favorite sports teams, escape from the world and drink your favorite alcoholic beverages. A man cave pub shed could be that perfect hangout spot.

You may be wondering what makes man cave sheds different from “he-sheds.” While these two hangout spots can contain some overlapping elements, most people use he-sheds as hobbyist areas and man caves as hangout spots.

In your man cave pub shed, you can include all of the traditionally masculine elements that you wish you could decorate your house with. Neon signs, sports memorabilia, tools, and dartboards are all fair game in the man cave.

Want to add a TV with a video game console? Sure thing. Your man cave is your spot to bring all of your favorite things together in a singular relaxing location.

Stogies Pub Shed

One way that many people like to relax and unwind is with a world-class cigar. If you enjoy cigars, why not turn your custom bar shed into a stogies paradise: a cigar bar?

A creative way to incorporate cigars into your shed’s design is to use cigar boxes as containers to store napkins, straws, and other items that you may not want to leave out on the bar counter.

You can also display your selection of cigars on a custom shelf or rack. Incorporating these items into an overall rustic design can produce a more cohesive pub shed appearance.

Luxury Bar Shed

We all need a little bit of luxury in our lives. One way to impress your guests and add elegance to your property is to build a luxury bar shed featuring high-end design elements, top-quality furnishings, and the most expensive liquor you can find.

A few ways to add luxury to your shed’s interior include:

You can also craft a luxurious exterior by:

Feel free to go all out to make your pub shed into the elegant hangout spot of your dreams.

Budget Shed Bar

Adding a pub shed to your property doesn’t need to break your budget. You can craft a high-quality, attractive shed bar for less than $1,000 by implementing budget-friendly design and functionality elements throughout the space.

Here are a few ways to save money on your outdoor pub installation:

Your pub shed can still look expensive and high-end without needing to overspend on the materials and decor elements you place within it. Being strategic and thoughtful about what you purchase for your project can help you cut down costs and achieve your pub shed dreams.

Pub Shed Kits

If you’re looking to build a pub shed from scratch, you may want to consider purchasing a building kit. Numerous companies sell pre-built sheds and shed kits that significantly ease the process of building a shed on your property.

Some companies provide pre-built pub sheds that are already in one solid piece. These companies typically offer delivery to get their bar sheds from their warehouse to your property. Once they arrive, they will install your structure where you want it, eliminating all of the work on your part.

Other companies sell kits that include the walls, rafters, floor joists, and all of the other materials you may need to build your shed. These kits can ensure that your outdoor pub looks cohesive and includes all necessary structural elements to last for decades.

If you’re considering a pre-built pub shed or shed kit, you should be aware of both the advantages and downsides of these kits. Here is some more information about the pros and cons of shed kits.

Pros

Using a shed kit or pre-built structure can provide several benefits for your building experience. A few prominent ones include:

• Less work: Building bar sheds from scratch requires a lot of physical labor on your part. If you’re looking for a way to remove much of the work from building these sheds, a pre-built shed or shed kit from a responsible construction business could be your answer.

• Less time: Creating any kind of structure from scratch takes time. It involves carefully measuring and cutting the walls, floor joists, rafters, and other systems, then piecing them together in a secure structure. Using a kit eliminates most of the time involved in these details.

• Less equipment: If you do not have the right tools and supplies to build a shed from scratch, you can take advantage of a kit that includes all of these materials, saving you the hassle and cost of collecting them yourself.

Cons

There are not very many downsides to using a kit instead of building your pub shed from scratch. Here are the two primary cons:

• Higher price: As with most carpentry projects, utilizing a pre-built structure or a comprehensive kit is often more expensive than purchasing all of these elements separately. If you’re trying to save money, you may want to build your bar from scratch instead of buying a kit.

• Less creativity in design: Using a kit also takes away the creativity of crafting your structure from scratch. Instead of being able to choose your own styles and design elements, you will need to stick to the design of the kit.

Homemade Bars in Sheds

Many homeowners already have sheds on their properties that they do not use. Instead of letting this structure sit empty in your yard, why not make a few adjustments, add a bar, and turn it into an outdoor oasis?

Here are a few pros and cons of placing bars in existing sheds.

Pros

Adding on to existing sheds boasts several advantages over crafting a new outdoor pub from scratch. Here are a few pros of this process:

• More convenience: Using existing sheds is a much more convenient way to add bar sheds to a property. Instead of needing to build this entire structure from scratch, you can simply clear out an opening for barstools and a countertop and add any necessary appliances, such as a refrigerator, inside the building.

• Lower cost: Adding on to existing sheds can also save you money compared to crafting an entirely new structure from the ground up. Instead of needing to pay for lumber for the structure, buy a new window, and install a door, you can focus your budget on adding decor to the walls and making the bar functional.

• Less effort: It also takes less effort to add a bar to your shed compared to constructing a new building from scratch. Depending on the nature of the shed, you may not have to do much work to turn the structure into a fully functioning outdoor pub.

• No permits: Many cities require you to obtain several permits before constructing a new shed on your property. However, adding a bar to your existing structure removes the necessity for these permits, saving you time during the construction process.

Cons

Renovating an existing shed does have its disadvantages as well. A few include:

• Less flexibility: While adding on to an existing structure may be more convenient, this process offers a lot less flexibility than crafting an outdoor pub from scratch. You would need to work with the existing rafters, floor joists, window, and door unless you want to tear down the structure and build a new one.

• Less durability: Depending on how old your existing shed is, it may not be as durable as crafting a new structure from the ground up. If your existing shed is starting to deteriorate, you may only get a few years out of your outdoor pub before needing to craft a completely new structure. 

Shed With Bar FAQ

How Do I Build a Bar in My Shed?

You can find many step-by-step tutorials on YouTube and Facebook that give detailed instructions for building bar sheds or transforming existing sheds into bars.

However, here are the basic steps that you can expect to follow when adding a bar to your existing structure:

This process can be as simple or complex as you make it. If you’d rather build a bar structure within your shed, you can spend time creating the structure and choosing styles that suit your vision.

If you’re looking for an easier way to make an outdoor pub, simply purchase a mobile counter to add to your structure. That would greatly reduce the cost to build a shed bar.

What Size Shed Do I Need For a Bar?

Your shed does not need to be any specific size for you to be able to utilize it as an outdoor bar hangout.

Although, if it is too small for a few people to fit in comfortably, it may not work very well as a hangout spot.

Can You Put a Hot Tub in a Shed?

A hot tub is a worthy addition to any outdoor hangout spot. Many people decide to add hot tubs to their bar sheds to craft an even more inviting place to welcome family and neighbors.

However, you may be wondering if it is possible to put a hot tub in your actual shed or if you will need to place the hot tub near the structure.

One important aspect to consider when determining whether to add a hot tub to your shed is weight. Your shed needs to have a strong foundation and durable flooring to support the immense weight of the hot tub. If your structure is old or simply not very strong, it will not be able to support the hot tub’s weight.

Your shed also needs to have ample ventilation to prevent moisture from accumulating within the structure. Without ventilation, your wooden frame may begin to rot.

Finally, you should consider your shed’s size. Figure out whether the shed is large enough to accommodate the hot tub you have in mind.

In many cases, it is easier and more responsible to place hot tubs next to pub sheds rather than inside them. Your family can still take advantage of both of these structures throughout the year, even in separate locations.

How Much Does It Cost to Build a Shed Bar?

Bar sheds can be as affordable or expensive as you want them to be. Because these projects are entirely customizable, you can choose what elements you want to include and how much money you spend on your project overall.

Some sheds cost only a few hundred dollars, while others could require you to spend thousands of dollars.

Do I Need a Permit to Build a Bar Shed?

In many states or cities, a homeowner must acquire the relevant permits before constructing a new building on their home. Sheds, garages, and accessory buildings all require their own permits to ensure that these structures adhere to city codes and that the builders are responsible during construction.

However, in other states, small one-story structures such as sheds do not require a permit. The most responsible way to know for sure whether you need a license is to talk to your local government or homeowners association.

To apply for permits online, simply head to your local government site and fill out a form with details about your project. Depending on the site, you may even be able to complete the form from your phone or mobile web browser.

Be sure to submit your applications for all permits well in advance to ensure that you have the proper permits once you begin your project.

Epic Bar Shed Plans

If you don’t have much carpentry experience but want to build a bar shed from scratch, one option to consider is using shed plans from a reputable construction business.

These plans lay out all of the information you need to build your structure yourself, giving you that extra boost to complete your project the right way.

Where to Buy Bar Shed Plans?

You can find many free plans online that will give you all of the information you need to build pub sheds from scratch. These plans provide you with the dimensions of the structure, list all of the supplies you need, and give step-by-step instructions for how to craft a secure shed.

Simply type “Free shed plans” into Google to find some of these unpaid options.

However, as with most things in life, the free versions of shed plans are not always as high-quality or reliable as paid versions. If you’re looking to reduce risk when constructing your structure, we recommend purchasing a plan from the online site for a trustworthy company such as Menards, Lowe’s, or Home Depot.

You can even find reliable plans to build a pub shed on websites such as Etsy. Often, these plans come from a homeowner like you, meaning that they may be easier to understand than the blueprints on a major hardware store’s website.

Wherever you choose to purchase your plans, be sure to review them carefully before you begin buying supplies and constructing your outdoor pub.

The Bottom Line

Outdoor bar sheds present the perfect opportunity to enjoy time with family members and neighbors without leaving the comfort of your home.

These customizable structures give you access to all of your favorite bar elements—the drinks, the atmosphere, the TV-watching, and the decor—right within a shed in your yard. Even better, they can still provide some DIY storage for firewood and other outdoor items if you need them.

If you are interested in adding one of these fun and functional sheds to your property, your first step is to figure out if you want to build your structure from scratch, add on to an existing structure in your yard, or purchase a kit from a construction company.

Then choose one of the styles of sheds on our list above to add personality to your design.

Just think—in a few weeks from now, you could be a happy homeowner enjoying a cold glass of whiskey in your very own outdoor oasis. What are you waiting for?