For city dwellers, your apartment balcony may be the only outdoor space you have to call your own. But do you ever catch yourself staring wistfully at your balcony, wishing you could utilize it more?
After all, it’s hard to sit on your balcony if you’re limited on space and nothing is drawing you to go out there. So how about a balcony bar top?
Regardless of what kind of view you have, a balcony bar top makes it easier to enjoy your balcony.
You can sit out there and enjoy a drink on a warm summer’s eve, a coffee and a book, an alfresco brunch, or – if your balcony is big enough – you can enjoy drinks with friends out there!
A balcony bar top really helps you make the most of your outside space.
What’s more, it can be a pretty simple DIY job too!
How to make a balcony bar
Gathering wood
To create your countertop with slabs of wood, start by gathering the slabs and screwing them together to form a countertop. Make sure to add a little lip at the top to protect anything you place on it.
Sand the wood
Now to sanding down the wood. Before you begin, it’s important to have a strong base of paper to achieve the perfect finish.
We recommend this sandpaper from Fandeli. Coming in various grits, it’s a super heavy sandpaper that works on all surfaces and is made of a high-quality aluminum oxide mineral.
You also need to make sure all surfaces are clean and free from dirt and oils before you begin, and do not start sanding with very fine sandpaper on unfinished wood. Prepare the surface with medium paper first, before moving on to finer grades.
Paint
Now you can paint or stain the countertop a color of your choice! A lighter color will give the countertop a more subtle, natural look and a bright color will have a more vibrant look which you may appreciate when summer fades into fall and winter!
Whatever color you choose though, I recommend keeping the paint job simple as anything too bold may be too much when adding some decorative touches later on.
For pastel, or natural-looking paint I recommend this paint from Country Chic. It is specifically formulated for furniture and home decor and has great coverage (meaning fewer paint coats!).
Thanks to its all-in-one built-in primer and topcoat, there is also little to no prep work needed. Just make sure the countertop is clean first before you paint.
In just 30 minutes you’re left with a beautiful chalky matte finish that is easy to distress if you wish, all while being very durable.
Meanwhile, for brighter paint jobs I recommend these matte finish colors from Apple Barrel.
These bold and bright colors dry create a brilliant matte finish and can be used on many surfaces including wood, plaster, terra cotta, and more. It can also be brushed, stamped, stenciled, or sponged if you really want to get creative!
Although a top coat isn’t really needed with the Country Chic paints, for any other paints I would recommend adding a top coat to the countertop to weatherproof it.
Since your balcony bar top is going to be exposed to the elements, a clear top coat designed for outdoor furniture is key to keeping it protected. I recommend this matte protective top coat from Rustoleum.
It protects matte paint jobs while also enhancing the color.
Construct brackets to hook onto the balcony railing
Finally, construct the brackets you’ll need to hook your bar onto the balcony railing.
Your countertop should be easily removable as and when you need more space.
To do this, I recommend these brackets from Winker. They’re made of premium steel to support even the heaviest weights, and the pack includes 8 black L-shaped brackets and 48 screws.
They’re also easy to install, just drill a hole into the countertop and install the screw holders, and then use a screwdriver to tighten the screw on the brackets.
Add barstools
And you’re all done! Except for one last touch. What’s a bar without bar stools, after all?
These bar stools from Bokkolik are a great option. They’re height-adjustable and comfortable, with an arc-shaped wooden backrest and a built-in footrest. They also swivel for extra mobility and convenience,
These stools wouldn’t look amiss in my trendy bar or bistro and are easy to assemble. The package includes 2 set bar stools that are fully welded. Assembling the stools takes mere minutes!
Decorating your balcony bar
So now your balcony has a beautifully painted, simply constructed bar top for you to enjoy your outside space.
You may be inspired to decorate it even further, and adding a few extra, decorative touches helps to make your balcony bar inviting and cozy.
Below, you’ll find some tips on how to make your balcony bar shine!
Outdoor textiles and rugs
Few things will make your balcony space homelier and cozier than textiles and rugs. Don’t hold back on piling on the textiles, as layering up on rugs and plush cushions will make you more inclined to spend time at your balcony bar.
Trust me, once you add a couple of textiles your balcony bar will be the only place you’ll want to be at the end of a long, hard day!
These cushions from Pillow Perfect are a great, floral addition to your balcony bar. As well as being weather-resistant (not fading in sunlight), they are easy to clean.
All you need to do is lightly spot clean, or hand wash with mild detergent and cool water, before leaving to air dry.
For rugs, you can’t go wrong with this aqua flatweave rug. It’s the perfect size for decks, balconies, porches, or patios and is designed to withstand everyday wear. It’s ideal for adding a little style to outdoor spaces!
The cool blue shade is a perfect color for summer and will brighten up the dullest winters too. The tribal medallion patterns are striking, but the neutral color of the rug means it will complement most pieces of furniture.
Flatweave rugs are also great for outdoor use because they are quick-drying, and can withstand spills and heavy foot traffic.
This rug is not only stain-resistant but non-shedding and made with high-quality polypropylene that is soft as well as durable. However, this rug does have non-slip backing so a rug pad is recommended.
Fairy lights
Well-placed lights always add some ambiance, and fairy lights are no exception. They’ll add a gentle, warm glow to your balcony.
Plus, while candles are great for ambiance, they’re not the best option for windy nights. Even a little breeze could blow them out with ease!
Solar string lights are a great eco option, like these fairy lights from Brightown.
Available in warm white, pure white, and even green and multicolor, these brilliant solar-powered LED lights have a 33-feet long string with 100 bright LED bulbs and a steady 360-degree viewing angle that illuminate every direction.
While being super bright, these lights actually give off a soft glow that gives a festive, fun touch to any balcony, garden, yard, or patio.
They also have an IP65 waterproof functionality that is solidly engineered to withstand any weather, no matter sun, sleet, or snow!
There’s no need to worry about these lights short-circuiting, or falling prey to weather damage. However, be careful not to submerge them in water.
These lights also have 8 impressive lighting modes such as waves, combination, fading, fireflies, chasing, twinkle, slow fade, and steady.
These lighting modes let you adjust your fairy lights according to what atmosphere you’re going for. What’s more, these lights have no extension cords making them safe to use, as well as easy to hang up.
They’re also incredibly solar efficient thanks to their sophisticated and adjustable solar panel. The built-in rechargeable battery also helps to make these lights more efficient, as they eradicate the need for electricity.
These lights will come on automatically at night, and switch off during the day, and will last for up to 8-10 after reaching full charge.
What makes these lights even cooler is the copper string that you can shape into any design you want! The flexible and shapeable cooper lets you wrap these strings around greenery, plants, flowers, and shrubs.
Be as creative as you want!
Hanging plants
Adding hanging plants is a great way to bring a touch of nature to your balcony.
Not only are the vibrant green leaves striking and the wide array of colors from flower petals just breathtakingly beautiful but – if you have space – a mini herb garden is a great way to get access to fresh ingredients.
Not only is this cheaper than buying herbs from the supermarket, but you can’t get any fresher than herbs right on your doorstep! Or, uh, balcony bar.
A herb garden is also a great first step to a full-blown balcony vegetable garden – if you’ve got the space of course!
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