How to Build a Cinder Block Outdoor Bar with Wood Bar Top

Want an outdoor gathering place for family and friends? This DIY cinder block outdoor bar is such an easy project to assemble that you’ll be up and entertaining in no time!

Originally posted July 2016 • Updated June 2023

Today I’d like to share a super easy, quick and inexpensive DIY project that took Brett approximately 20 minutes to make. Who knew adding a cinder block outdoor bar could be so dang easy?

Cinder block outdoor bar supplies

12 cement blocks
5 2×4’s, 12 feet long
Screws
Drill
3 2×4’s, cut to 18″ in length

How to build a concrete outdoor bar

Step one: First and foremost, you need to decide where this baby will live. Because, spoiler alert, concrete blocks are a pain in the ass to move so you don’t want to have to do that more than you have to.

Step two: After finding the sweet spot in your yard, stack four blocks, one on top of the other.

Step three: Measure four feet from the first stack and add another four stacked blocks.

Step four: And then, you guessed it, measure another four feet from stack number two and add cinder block stack number three.

If you don’t want a 12-foot bar top, you can adjust the spacing between the blocks to make it smaller. If you do go any longer than 12 feet, I’d recommend adding another stack of cinder blocks for stability.

A stack of four cinder blocks that make up part of the DIY cinder block outdoor bar with a wooden bar top, decorated for Fourth of July

Step five: After stacking the blocks, place the five 12-foot 2×4’s along the top of the blocks. They should line up right next to each other.

A cinder block outdoor bar with a wooden bar top, showing the perpendicular 2x4 to keep the top in place

Step six: Once the 2×4’s are in the correct place, screw them to a perpendicular 2×4 measuring roughly 18 inches in length, that’s sitting right alongside the cinder block. This will secure the bar top and prevent it from shifting side to side.

A cinder block outdoor bar with a wooden bar top, decorated for Fourth of July

Step seven: Our cement blocks are on uneven ground, so we added some scrap pieces of cement from our patio to make the bar top level. This is just a temporary solution until we pour our new cement patio and actually have even ground. However, its working pretty well in the meantime!