Power, light, cold drinks and warmth
The services that turn a shed into somewhere you want to sit. Electrics belong to a competent electrician; the planning for them belongs to you.
Read these first
New to the fit out side of a garden bar? These pages set up everything else on the shelf.
Festoon light planner: how many bulbs and sets for your garden bar?
Plan a festoon run for a garden bar: add each span, the droop and the product spacing to count bulbs and sets, and check against the maker's linking limit.
Open the planner →Fit outPower to a garden bar: plan a safe permanent supply
Why garden bar electrics need proper design, what to decide before the electrician visits and how to avoid the extension-lead trap.
Read the guide →Fit outGarden bar fridges: choose for the actual conditions
How to choose and place a fridge in a shed or garden room, with ambient-temperature, ventilation and food-safety checks.
Read the guide →Fit outGarden bar lighting: make the route safe and the counter warm
A simple lighting plan for garden bars: route, task and atmosphere, with less glare and safer outdoor fittings.
Read the guide →Fit outGarden bar heating: safe ways to stay out longer
Electric, gas and wood-fired heat for garden bars compared on safety, ventilation and practicality, with the carbon monoxide warning that matters most.
Read the guide →Fit outBeer taps for a garden bar: mini kegs, kegerators and proper draught
The realistic options for draught at home, from countertop mini-keg dispensers to built-in taps, with the cleaning and gas safety they demand.
Read the guide →Fit outTV and speakers in a garden bar: conditions, power and sound
How to choose and place a television and speakers in a shed bar or outdoor counter, with the damp, cold and neighbour checks people skip.
Read the guide →Fit outFestoon lights and IP ratings: what the numbers mean for a garden bar
How to read an IP rating on festoon lights and outdoor fittings, and why the plug, transformer and connections matter as much as the bulbs.
Read the guide →Fit outGarden bar security: locks, lighting and keeping kit out of sight
Practical ways to make a garden bar less appealing to thieves, from better locks and fixings to what you leave on show.
Read the guide →Fit outGlassware and storage in a garden bar: clean, dry and safe
How to store glasses, bottles and bar kit in a garden building so they stay clean and dry, plus outdoor-friendly alternatives to glass.
Read the guide →Fit outA sink in a garden bar: water supply, drainage and frost
What it takes to add running water and a sink to a garden bar, from supply pipes and frost protection to where the waste water goes.
Read the guide →Fit outSolar and battery power for a garden bar: what it can and cannot run
When solar lights, a portable power station or a small solar set-up makes sense for a garden bar, and when a mains supply is the right answer.
Read the guide →Fit outCooling drinks without power: ice buckets, cool boxes and shade
Ways to keep drinks cold at a garden bar without a fridge or electricity, and how to keep food safe when you do.
Read the guide →Fit outGarden bar pests: wasps, mice, spiders and slugs
How to keep wasps, rodents and other visitors out of a garden bar with storage, cleaning and building repairs rather than guesswork.
Read the guide →Fit outGarden bar Wi-Fi and connectivity: extenders, mesh and cable runs
Ways to get a reliable internet signal to a garden bar for streaming, TV and music: extenders, mesh, powerline caveats and cabled access points.
Read the guide →