DIY Network

Installing a Kitchen Bar Match a new bar to the old cabinetry. From "Wasted Spaces" episode DWSP-306

Great detailing gives this job a professional look.

The trick to adding any sort of built-in feature to a room – whether it's a cabinet, a set of open shelves or a bar like this one – is making it match the existing fixtures. Having built a new kitchen bar to match Jack and Jody's Shaker-style kitchen, host Karl Champley shows them how to make it look like it's always been there.

This bar will give Jack and Jody lots more counter and storage space without cutting the kitchen off from the dining room. A separate tall cabinet installed in the dining room will add some much-needed storage for mops, brooms and other awkward items.

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Installing a Kitchen Bar

Tools: finish nailer drill safety glasses screw gun hammer level

Materials: completed kitchen bar granite countertop (see Note, below) finish nails screws wood trim adjustable feet metal bracket door handle

Note: The finished bar has a custom granite countertop to match the existing counters in the kitchen. Karl recommends calling in professionals to match, cut and install the heavy granite countertop.

• Check the fit. Gently move the kitchen bar into position, being careful not to scratch or mar the flooring. The top of the bar should be slightly lower than the top of the adjacent cabinetry.
  

  Figure A

• Level the bar. Shift the bar away from the wall and turn it upside down. Drill holes into the bottom of the newel post and the cabinet base and hammer in adjustable feet (figure A). Flip the bar right-side up, slip it into position, and adjust the feet until the bar is level and even with the top of the adjacent cabinetry.

  Safety Alert: Always wear safety glasses and use caution when working with a power drill or any other power tool.

  Tip: Determine the desired depth for the holes and wrap a piece of painter's tape around the drill bit at that point. The tape will act as a guide to prevent drilling the holes too deep.

• Attach the bar. Nobody wants this bar to tip over – especially once it's sporting a
  300-lb. stone countertop. Once the bar is perfectly level and in the correct position, attach it to the existing cabinetry with screws. At the other end of the bar, use screws and a metal bracket to secure the bar to the floor.

  Tip: Screw the bar to the sturdiest, thickest points available: wall studs, floor joists or other solid structural members are best.
  

  Figure B

  Figure C

  
  

• Call in the pros. Follow Karl's example and have professionals match, cut and install the granite countertop. With the bar prepared, the professional crew will dry-fit the counter (figure B), then use acetone to clean off the existing countertop where it will join to the new stone. They'll use a two-part epoxy to glue the stone together, securing it with special clamps (figure C). Make sure to follow all of the professional installers' instructions for letting the epoxy dry.

• Trim out the bar. Details like trimwork make all the difference in whether a job looks professional. If there's a gap between the bar and the adjacent cabinet, cut, trim out and paint a piece of wood to the correct size and install it to hide the gap (figure D). Also install base molding around the bottom of the cabinet to match the surrounding woodwork (figure E).
  

  Figure D

  Figure E

  
  

• Trim out the area. Don't stop the trimwork with the bar. Karl and Jody also installed wood and trim over the end of the existing wall and above the new bar. They even built a narrow shelf near the ceiling to display photos and other memorabilia.