See how a savvy Mum transformed her garden with an outdoor bar made from old pallets

The whole project cost just £30

Rumours of a heatwave in June already have us planning our next BBQ party. If you want to take your alfresco celebration to the next level without splashing the cash then be inspired by this clever DIY pallet garden bar.

Related: 16 pallet ideas for gardens and homes – DIY ways to recycle wood into furniture, planters, bars, tables and more

Looking for an affordable way to give her garden a boost ready for a spot of entertaining, Rachel Jones, a Mum from Preston decided to create her own garden bar out of pallets. Thanks to a little ingenuity the savvy DIY-er created this summers garden must-have for just £30!

counter with pallet furniture potted plant and menu board

(Image credit: Future PLC /Rachel Jones)

'I really wanted a bar and love pallet furniture, so I thought I would make one and give it a go as I'm off on maternity leave at the moment,' Rachel told money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk. ‘I keep seeing pallet sofas and I love the wood effect and those colours are very in right now so I chose those as they’re my favourite.'

To keep costs down Rachel sourced the pallets for free via Facebook Marketplace. The pallets would make up the bulk of the structure. She also picked up cladding for £15 from B&Q, nails and a couple of tins of paint bringing her total spend to £30.

DIY pallet garden bar

Rachel started by fixing the pallets together and measuring all the cladding before cutting it down to the correct length for each side. ‘Then I nailed the cladding on and applied three layers of paint. I’m not that handy at DIY, so I mismeasured a couple of pieces to begin with,' she says.

wooden garden bar counter with green lawn

(Image credit: Future PLC /Rachel Jones)

If you are tempted to create your own piece of pallet furniture take a look at our pallet garden furniture guide.

Rachel opted for a chic black finish with a jazzy lime green stripe. ‘The lime stripe I painted on was probably the trickiest part as I had to keep the tape straight, but I love it now!' Rachel adds.

Garden bars can often set you back £100s, even Aldi's garden bar costs a pretty penny. However, Rachel says that not only has she loved using the garden bar, but it was really easy to make.

bar counter with ceramic countertop and wooden wall

(Image credit: Future PLC /Rachel Jones)

‘It’s a simple bar to make and it wasn’t complicated. Trust me, I did it with a baby attached while breastfeeding!' she says.

‘I was very happy we could use the bar with all of our support bubble, and it was a lovely feeling of accomplishment.’

garden bar counter with wine glass and bottle

(Image credit: Future PLC/Rachel Jones)

'Don’t forget to sand down rough or sharp edges, and if you have a large surface area to cover, consider getting some spray paint to speed up the process,' points out Tom Church, Co-Founder of LatestDeals.co.uk

Related: Garden bar ideas – create your own inspirational DIY outdoor bar to entertain from home

Have you been inspired by this budget upcycling project?

Rebecca Knight
Deputy Editor, Digital

Rebecca Knight has been the Deputy Editor on the Ideal Home Website since 2022. She graduated with a Masters degree in magazine journalism from City, University of London in 2018, before starting her journalism career as a staff writer on women's weekly magazines. She fell into the world of homes and interiors after joining the Ideal Home website team in 2019 as a Digital Writer. In 2020 she moved into position of Homes News Editor working across Homes & Gardens, LivingEtc, Real Homes, Gardeningetc and Ideal Home covering everything from the latest viral cleaning hack to the next big interior trend.