How to Build a Tiki Bar Cheap in Your Backyard

So, you have visions of building a little piece of paradise in your backyard....you know the kind. The one with the hula girls and palm trees, little tiki huts and frozen drinks with the funny colored umbrellas? And you want to do this even though you live somewhere in the mid-west, landlocked except for the occasional fishing lake.

The bad news is that if you want hula girls, you are on your own. However, if you want to build a tiki hut to entertain guests, even if your hometown sees more snow in a month than Hawaii has seen in centuries, then you have come to the right place. This article is focusing on how to build a tiki hut..materials you may need....guest sold separately...

Building a tiki hut or bar is easy. Basically, here are the essential materials...

at least 4 bamboo poles- You can buy these at a lowe's or home depot.
plywood- This will be the top of your tiki bar.
Some colorful hawaiin decorations- Such as little floating candles and what not
Palm leaves- If you are in the mid west, you can probably find some silk palm leaves and thatching.
A sturdy Table

How to build a tiki barFirst step is to go to lowe's or home depot and get some plywood sheeting. This will be the top part of your bar. Take some thatching and straw and use a stapler gun to fasten it to the board. This will be the festive part of your bar and will help differentiate from a typical bar.

Next Step- Take your bamboo poles and attach them to the plywood with some thatching. The bamboo poles will provide the main frame for your palm covered roof. If you have more bamboo, you can create the roof frame by taking three poles and tieing them together, once again with thatching.

Final step- Add the palm leaves and thatching, grab a blender and mix up some pina coladas.

There you have it. You have built your first temporary tiki bar and can entertain guests, tropical style, even if you live in the midwest and even if it is the dead of winter. A tropical party on a snow covered night anyone?