People who like to drink beer, wine, liquor, and even some who consume only non-alcoholic beverages, will often think of installing a wet bar in their home. A well-appointed bar can add a note of class to your venue. A common appliance that should not be missing in a wet bar is a fridge. You are going to need to consider getting one of these for your new bar!
Installing a refrigerator in a cabinet behind the bar isn’t very difficult, and you might be handy enough to tackle this project on your own. If not, you can hire someone who has the necessary carpentry skills to do the job for you. Any competent handyman is probably up to the task.
Next, decide if the new fridge will sit in an existing cabinet or a new one that can be ‘built to order’. Bar fridges come in all sizes and configurations. You want what will work best for you. If you are going to use an existing cabinet, your size options will be fewer.
You will also need to consider the approximate internal dimensions based on what you will be storing in the refrigeration unit. If you use two liter bottles, you will need taller shelves. Wine bottles need to be placed on their sides, which requires deeper shelves.
If you’re going to be using an existing cabinet, your choice of sizes will be limited to the cabinet’s dimensions, for the most part. You need to make sure there is a gap at the top and on both sides. This will facilitate easier access. If the appliance sticks out a bit from the cabinet, additional wood slats can be added to accommodate it.
Making a new cabinet to fit your new ‘fridge’ shouldn’t be too difficult, assuming you have some basic woodworking talent. Be sure to use strong, durable wood for construction and to allow space for air to circulate and heat to dissipate. You will need to have an electrical connection nearby as well.
You can buy a new bar fridge that is already built into a cabinet, so to speak, by design. These models are often priced significantly higher than a regular refrigerator, making building your own cabinet not only practical but also more affordable. If you want to try your hand at DIY (do it yourself), this is a good project to tackle because it’s not too difficult and the results should be pleasing. And every time you go for a cold beer or other beverage, you’ll feel a little personal satisfaction from a job well done.