The following steps cover various parts of a Tiki bar, but not all of them are necessary for every project. The most basic Tiki bar, for example, would just be a bamboo-lined bar without a roof or floor. But you could also build a deck, a frame to hang things from, and the classic thatched roof if desired.


Pick and choose from the following steps depending on your desires and skill level. A beautiful bar can be formed with just a small roof and place to mix drinks.;
, This step is optional, but if you're going to do it, it has to come first. To make the floor, you have three simple steps:


Nail 4 pressure treated fence posts, or 4 4x4s, into a flat rectangular base, laying the post on their sides. Use a level to ensure it is flush with the ground.
Slide 2x4s into the frame every 16", starting from the center, and use deck screws to secure them. This should look a bit like a wooden jail cell door at this stage.
Lay pressure treated boards over the frame to form the floor, leaving 1/4 between each board for drainage and to account for wood expansion. Secure with deck screws., Use two L-brackets on each post to attach these posts to the deck. You can also make a lean-to Tiki bar, allowing you to bracket these posts to the side of the house or an exterior wall. Creating a lean-to requires a bit less finesse, especially if you're not an experienced contractor.
 Adhere them to the deck the same way as you did the back wall -- with brackets on the bottom. Note that this front wall is smaller than the back wall. The smaller front wall allows you to have a slanted roof.
 You'll have two upside-down U-shaped frames. Measure the distance between the two back posts, cut a 2x4 to fit between them, then use lag bolts to create a frame. The front wall should be one U, the back wall another.


Use 5-inch corner braces to provide more security when holding the wall frames together.
 Cut a 2x4 to fit between the front and back walls. Attach it horizontally from the top of the front post to the back wall frame. Use lag bolts to screw the plank in, then brackets on both sides to secure it. Repeat on the other side. You'll have the beginnings of a cube-shape., These boards make the frame for the roof. Lay a board on its side between the front and back frames -- it should naturally slope down. Mark the point where the board hits the lower beam (the front wall) and then cut out a small notch so that the board snaps into place on the front wall.


For a really professional look, cut diagonally from this notch to the shorter end of the plank so that, when attached, the bottom of the rafter is parallel to the ground.
 The notch should keep the boards in place, but use brackets to ensure it stays together.
 It should be 42" high and 24" deep. To do so, cut three identical pieces of plywood or poplar boards -- two for the side walls of the bar, one for a center support. Measure and cut the top of the bar to fit over these three boards, then use framing nails and wood glue to form the bar. It should look like an upside-down capital "E."


The width of this bar is up to you, but you'll likely want a second support panel in the middle if you go wider than 75"., Using more poplar boards or plywood, cut as many shelves as you desire for the inside of the bar. Use framing nails and wood glue to secure them to the plywood walls and support.


You can also use more L-brackets to provide a bit more support to the shelves if desired.
 Obviously, measure and cut the plywood to fit your specific dimensions, aiming for something roughly 42 inches high.


Use framing nails to nail the boards together and wood glue to keep them secure.
Don't worry about the look of the bar just yet -- you'll cover up the ugly plywood later., Be sure to use something water resistant so people can spill drinks without messing up your wood. Consider a layer of polyurethane to completely protect and waterproof the top.


For a truly professional Tiki bar, you should sand and stain the entire frame, and consider coating it all if the bar is outside.
 You could also use corrugated iron sheets for a slightly different effect. First, lay down a sheet of plastic over the whole roof, which will prevent hay from falling into drinks. Use an electric stapler to adhere the plastic to the roof, then staple the thatching onto the plastic.


Try to leave 6" or so of overhang on the ends of the roof so that it "drips" over the bar.
Decide on the type of bar you want to build.
Build a pressure-treated floor.
Use two 96 inch planks to build a back wall.
Create the front wall frame with two 82 inch planks.
Use one 2x4 to attach the front two posts to each other and one to attach the back two posts.
Bridge the front and back wall posts with another 2x4.
Cut a right angle notch in seven 2x4x9 boards and use them to form rafters.
Use metal hangers or small brackets to attach the rafters to the back wall.
Assemble a frame for the actual bar.
Cut and add shelves in the two sections of the bar.
Nail plywood to the front posts and bar frame to form the front of the bar.
Sand and stain the top of the bar.
Buy and drape a mat of "Mexican thatch" to the roof pillars.
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