Introduction

Entertainment and storage, all rolled into one big project.

We’ve built a lot of sheds over the years at Family Handyman, and I’m positive we’ll build a few more before it’s all said and done. But this pub shed project from the July/August 2017 issue of the magazine has to be one of my personal favorites. Not only does it give you a massive amount of storage, when it’s time to put away the yard tools, you can flip up the bar door and admire the backyard with an ice cold beverage. The party’s up front in this shed; business inside.

This is a big shed, but it’s no more complicated than a small one. If you have experience with deck building or other small carpentry projects, you can probably build this.

Pub shed features

Shaded patio and bar: The built-in bar with swing-up bar door provides plenty of seating and counter space for your next backyard party.

Inexpensive windows you can DIY: Barn sash mounted in easy-to-assemble pine frames provides abundant light and ventilation for a fraction of the cost of factory windows.

Tons of loft storage: Strong 2×8 joists support two huge loft areas that provide lots of storage space.

Project cost

There’s a lot of material here, and we priced it out at $6,500 when it was initially published in 2017. It’s safe to say that it’ll cost more than that now, probably closer to $10,000 if you build the exact version you see here. Do note, however, that you can always adapt this, downsizing it to fit your budget and your yard.

What you’ll need to build the pub shed

In addition to common building materials you’ll find at most home centers and lumber yards, we used some special products from Louisiana-Pacific that you may have to order to duplicate our pub shed exactly. You’ll find in-depth material details in the project pdfs at the end of this story.

We built the windows in the shop using plastic utility window sash we found at a local home center. The swing-up bar door is site built. The entry door on the side is a standard prehung exterior door that’s readily available at most home centers (about $220).

You’ll need standard DIY tools including a circular saw and drill. A framing nail gun and compressor will speed up the framing. Since there’s a lot of trim and siding to nail up, we used a coil siding nailer loaded with galvanized ring-shank siding nails. You can rent a coil siding nail gun, if you don’t have one.

Miter and table saws aren’t required but will make your cuts more accurate.

Expect to devote five or six weekends to the project. There are a lot of materials to cut and hoist, so round up a few helpers.

Take the materials list with you to your favorite lumber yard or home center and go over the list with the salesperson to see what items you may have to order. Then set up a delivery so you’ll be ready to build when your help arrives.

Project PDF Files

Click the links below to download the materials list as well as the drawings for this project.

Mario Ferro

Building permits

Check with your local building department to see whether you need a permit. Also find out if there are rules about where your pub shed can be located on the lot. Don’t for get to check with your HOA too. Many homeowners associates have restrictions about the size of sheds you can build in your yard.

Call before you dig

A few days before you plan to dig, call 811 to have someone come out and mark buried utility lines. Once that’s done, it’s time to start building your pub shed.