Work from Home: DIY Outdoor Desk and Bar

Find yourself spending a lot more time at home lately?

Like many of you, I found myself working and playing at home much more often than usual - and figured some home improvements were in order to help keep up with the weird times.

I asked Mark Brooks of Brooks Cabinets and Restorations to swing by and help me work out a plan to build a combination outdoor workstation and deck bar - which seemed like a good way to make the best out of a strange situation. Since Mark is a genius at all things custom build, he had this desk and bar design and framework completed in no time.

Here’s what we came up with - and how, if you're a little handy, you can make your own DIY outdoor desk and bar.

All the things we needed:

• Tape measure

• Drill

• Brown pressure-treated 2 x 12”

• 3 Brown pressure-treated 2 x 6”

• Deck screws (we used brown, 8 x 3")

• 4 structured anchors

• Angle brackets or design elements

• Sawzall (reciprocating saw) to trim the posts

• Skill or mitre saw to cut to length

• Sander, several sheets of replacement sandpaper

• Mask / glasses

• Stain, brushes, cloths

*Your shopping list might be different - read through to find out why.

In this case, I had a five foot section of deck railing that just had a cap on it, which we pulled off to open up the space for the desk. We’ll leave the measurements in this DIY home improvement open-ended so you can adjust it to fit your own spaces.

The Framework & How It's Done:

• Measure the depth and length of your deck or patio section that you want the desk or bar to attach to.

• Determine the size you want, based on your laptop or what you'll mainly want to use the space for - if you have limited space or just want a place for drinks, 7” is probably good. I went with a 2 x 12" brown-pressure treated piece of wood to fit my 10 ½” inch depth laptop.

• Attach the back 2 x 6” to the desk base by screwing them together with evenly spaced deck screws, securing the 2 pieces together to create the desk base and back.

• Attach your angle brackets directly to the posts with deck screws, and then into the brackets or angles to secure the desk/bar. Use a level!

• Under 5 foot length is good with 2 supports, any longer than that needs 3+.

• Add another 2X6", (cut to size) to the other side of the desk backing (in between your posts), so that you can bolt the structural anchors from the other side and add support.

• Bolt the structured anchors into the deck posts and inner support beam, securing the bar to the deck. Mark bolted the back base of the desk with 4 structured anchors - you'll need to evenly space your bolts, with 2 directly into the posts, and not more than 24” apart.

• Use the sawzall to trim the posts to the right height to evenly support the cap.

• Screw the 2 x 6” cap on top to add extra support (aka another drink ledge) with screws spaced evenly apart.

• If you have a railing type of patio and are trying to accomplish this, you’ll need to add another 2 x 6” cap on top for support, then another 2 x 6" at the back to create an arch that will sit over top of your railing to hang.

Finishing Touches:

• Sand down or ‘break’ the edges, because nobody likes getting stabbed by splinters or having sweaters ruined.

• We recommend staining and sealing it as it improves life and looks way better, but at the very least you’ll need to seal the edges with brown pressure-treated end sealant.

• You’ll want a couple of coats of sealant to help prevent from drink condensation rings etc…

A Few Considerations:

• Especially if you intend to use laptops and tablets here, you’re going to need a big umbrella or canopy to cut down on glare.

• You might want to consider having an electrician wire up a power source on the base if you work from home and plan to use this regularly.

• It’s perfect standing height to work if you’re in the 5 foot 4 range, but you'll want a couple of cutesy stools or tall bistro chairs to keep close by. I had a couple of old wooden stools that I just quickly sanded down and painted a bright, funky colour to add some personality.

• Make a work toolbox that makes it easy to get things inside and out. I used an old antique-style toolbox that I just throw my notebooks, files, mouse, pens, etc… in - that way it’s easy to keep it all contained, makes it easy to move and helps avoid having to run back inside when you need something.

• *Be aware of the condition of your patio to make sure it can support this - your adventure here is strictly your own, we’re just friendly, handy, and sharing good ideas.

So there you have it - just a little planning, a few materials, a little work - and voila; a brand new outdoor office desk and after-bar.

Good luck on your DIY home improvement project and remember to keep Mark and his crew in mind for your next custom home renovation. Check out Mark's work portfolio here and give him a LIKE on FB to follow along for inspiration for kitchen, bath, and other custom home renovations.

Highly recommended by (and written by):

~ Jamie Carnegie writing for Brooks Cabinets and Restorations.

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