Garden bar guttering and rainwater: gutters, downpipes and a dry counter

Rain that runs off a bar roof has to go somewhere. Without a gutter it drips along the front edge, splashes up the walls, soaks the base and runs straight down the back of the neck of whoever is standing at the hatch. A simple gutter and downpipe fixes most of that.

Why a small roof still needs a gutter

• Wet guests. The serving side usually sits under the lowest edge of a pent roof. Drips land exactly where people stand.
• Rotting timber. Splash-back wets the bottom boards over and over. See treating garden bar timber.
• A soggy base. Water dumped along one side softens the ground and can undermine slabs. See garden bar base.
• Neighbours. If your bar sits near the fence, make sure the water does not end up in their garden.

Choosing gutters and downpipes

Shed gutter kits are widely sold and are usually lighter and smaller than house gutters. They suit most garden bars. For bigger roofs or log cabins, standard house-sized gutter may be better.

• Match the size to the roof. The maker's guidance tells you what roof area a gutter can handle.
• Fit a slight fall towards the outlet so water does not sit in the gutter.
• Brackets matter. Fix them into solid timber, such as a fascia board, at the spacing the maker gives.
• One downpipe per run is normal for a small roof; long runs may need an outlet at each end.

If the roof overhang is short, add a fascia board first so there is something to fix to. See roof coverings.

Which side to gutter

On a pent roof, all the water runs to one edge, so one gutter does the job. Try to arrange the building so that edge is at the back, away from the hatch and the seating; it is much easier to decide this before the bar goes up than after. On an apex roof, water runs off both sides and you need two gutters, or at least one on the side people stand. A flat or nearly flat roof needs the fall checked: water should reach the gutter, not sit in a puddle in the middle of the felt.

Ready-made bar sheds

Many pub sheds and kits come without gutters, or offer them as an extra. Check whether the maker supplies a kit that fits their fascia, which saves cutting and guessing at bracket positions.

Where the water goes

• A water butt is the obvious choice. Use a diverter kit so the butt fills and overflows back into the downpipe, and fit a lid for safety around children.
• A soakaway or gravel strip away from the base works if there is no butt.
• An existing drain is possible, but connecting into house drainage is controlled work in some cases. Approved Document H covers drainage.

Never point a downpipe at the base, a neighbour's fence or a path guests walk along.

Drip edges and keeping the counter dry

Gutters catch most water, but the counter and hatch need their own defence.

• Drip edge on the roof: a strip of metal or felt that throws water clear of the fascia and into the gutter.
• Hatch canopy or awning: a small canopy over the serving hatch keeps rain off the counter. See awnings and canopies and serving hatches.
• A drip groove cut under the front edge of an outdoor bar top stops water creeping back underneath. See bar top materials.
• A slight fall on an outdoor counter top, away from the building, helps water run off.

Looking after it

Gutters under trees fill with leaves, especially in autumn. Clear them out, check the brackets and flush the downpipe. Add a leaf guard if you are under a big tree. This is one of the jobs in our maintenance calendar.

Also look out for:

• moss and debris washing off felt roofs;
• sagging brackets after snow;
• leaky joints, usually fixed by a new seal;
• a water butt overflowing in the wrong place.

Using the rainwater

Rainwater from a butt is great for watering pots around the bar. See garden bar planting. It is not drinking water and is not for washing glasses.

Next time it rains, stand at the hatch for five minutes and watch where the water goes. Wherever it lands is where your gutter, drip edge or canopy needs to go.