Hutch Re-purposed to a BAR DIY

Intro: Hutch Re-purposed to a BAR DIY

My mom and I wanted to start a project and we decided to repurpose a hutch into a home bar. Her and I have ZERO wood working skills and made this happen using readily available tools and items from your local hardware store. The only power tools used in this project was a $30 Circular saw from Harbor Freight tools and a $25 Reciprocating saw. We used online videos on youtube to use best practices for straight cuts and examples. As you can see from the steps it was not too difficult and was a pretty fun project. I hope this post inspires your to challenge yourself... Be creative... And do something different... If you have any questions or anything you can comment below and leave a email address and I would be happy to chat.

Thank you for checking it out!

STEP 1: Find a Hutch

Step 1: Take a old hutch or find a cheap one on craigslist. Obviously... A two piece hutch is ideal.. I found this one for $100 solid wood (Tips) For sanding purposes... try and find one with fewer grooves..

STEP 2: Start Sanding

Step 2: Start sanding... Honestly.. This was my least favorite part... If you plan on staining it... Good luck...If you plan on painting it like I did you can buy finish remover to take the clear varnish off... I quit sanding and went this route..

STEP 3: Visualize Your Attack

Step 3: Visualize your attack and figure out how high you want your bar and how wide. Do some math and figure out how much wood you need... How many screws you need... How many angle brackets you need etc.

STEP 4: Get Supplies

Step 4: Make a trip to home depot... or your local hardware and wood store. Tip: make sure you have a large enough vehicle.

STEP 5: Cut Your Bar Top

Step 5: Cut your bar top using the desired dimensions.. I used 1" thick solid wood sheet.

STEP 6: Build Your Bar Up

Step 6: Build your bar up. I used six 2x4 12" long to build the bar top up. Used a ton of screws and angle and flat brackets (Found at home depot) until I felt it was sturdy enough to hold the weight of the bar top and two full grown adults standing on it..TESTED

STEP 7: Visualize the Front of Your Bar

For the front of the bar I knew I was going to use corrigated roofing sheets (Found at home depot) so I added a thin 1/4 inch thick ply wood to the front before the roofing sheets for added support.

STEP 8: Prep the Top of the Hutch

Step 8: Start removing all glass and start sanding the cabinet portion of the hutch to include and drawers or cabinets you plan on using

STEP 9: Paint Everything

Step 9: Paint everything

STEP 10: Visualize What You Want to Do Under the Top of the Hutch

Step 10: Start visualizing and shelf like system for the caibnet portion and buy wood to fit

STEP 11: Add Some Style

I Used chicken wire to replace the glass in the hutch becuase I was going after a industrial style look (Found at home depot)

STEP 12: Get Your Bar Stuff Together!

STEP 13: ALL DONE

Finished Prod

Comments

[crank_girl]

A hutch in the UK is something you keep pet rabbits or guinea pigs in. I was fairly yeurgh until I saw the picture of the hutch.

[thebeatonpath]

I am speechless! This is AMAZING! I love the look. Now I'm looking to find an old hutch!

[Immato1]

This is great! And I agree your comments and cautions were helpful! What about making this into a kitchen island? I think it would be great to have the extra storage and counter space. Congratulations on your new power tool skills.

[erimarie]

WOW! I thought my sister and I were cool for turning a baby changing table into a bar, but this project is way cooler! Well done!

[fenikkusu]

I see a person here who had a "vision"

and he worked it

and he realized it!

This is beautiful! You did a fantastic job! Good for you!

Um... yeah ... when's the party?!!!

[thesnowtheriver]

i am still a drinker, and i clearly appreciate this too!

[Eh Lie Us!]

Right on donkey kong! Although i'm no longer a drinker, I can clearly see the 'out of the box' thinking here.

Impressive.

[zymurgeneticist]

Great job on the bar, just goes to show that you don't have to be a master craftsman with a little ingenuity!

[ndronet]

This is pretty sweet! Your tips made me laugh too :)

[MonolithFab]

Well done. Very respectable results for a first time effort on what could have been a cheesy repurposing project. I love the corrugated steel look. It feels like the Golden Age of Aviation to me. Great job.

[craftclarity]

Wow, that looks awesome! Nice work!!!

[fydaman]

Thank you craft clarity!!

[RhysMarshall]

it's pretty common in Australia to line bar fronts with corrugated iron sheeting. We normally use old second hand pieces though, as the oxidization and the minor rust, add a warmth and depth to the piece. I'm planning on making something like this one day.

[DIY-Guy]

Looks beautiful!
I asked my local hardware store (in USA) for "chicken wire" and they gave me the hexagonal kind with the horizontal stripes in it.
After specifying the square grid, they informed me that square mesh is called "hardware cloth."
Hope this helps somebody get the same looking wire. :)

[Whitneyreed5]

I would love to ask a few questions as I am making this for my husband for Christmas. How did you attach the metal? How much did you spend on the lumber? [e-mail]

[moonshine88]

for "zero" wood working skills this turned out very well! I built my bar (on here someplace under "bar/pub" I believe) from an old king headboard and some old cabinets then I build the bar portion from scratch but unlike your I have very little storage and I like how you incorporated the lower half of the hutch! I will be doing my next bar-top the way you did so I have more storage......now to buy a new house hmmmm. thanks for the ideas and btw the dollar stores and $.99 stores I find have great deals in glassware like lowballs and shot glasses to beer/wine glasses for cheap so if a drunk uncle breaks one your not out much!

[rustygray]

That is a well stocked bar.

[dpiccine]

wonderful