How to Make a Home Bar With Taps

Design your home bar, and set a “not to exceed” construction budget. Approach the challenge with a set amount of cash so you may find it easier to resist the extras you’re bound to discover when you shop for construction materials or equipment -- extras that could cling to your charge card for an extended period of time.

Sketch a blueprint, elevation or floor plan that replicates your vision. Alternatively, purchase a CAD-based bar design program that enables you to draw your three-dimensional concept. Earmark a section of your home for the bar’s installation, indicating on the schematic the places C02 and beverage lines will be placed that are adjacent to power and water lines.

Choose a beer kegerator system for your home bar that's based on the size of your bar and available funds. Opt for essentials first -- an adjustable thermostat, the right size C02 canister for your needs, stainless steel cabinetry, an automatic defrost system and a fan-cooled compressor. Use a typical get-together at your home as your keg capacity guide.

Build the shell of your bar with carpentry tools. Fashion the sides, back, countertop base and interior shelving units, leaving an open section at the juncture you’ve earmarked for the insertion of your kegerator, tank regulator and beverage lines powering the taps. Complete all finishing tasks before installing a laminate sheeting, ceramic tile or prefabricated countertop made of any medium that resists spills and keeps the infrastructure below dry.

Install C02 lines according to your bar’s design configuration. Use a tape measure, pencil and pad to calculate the distance between the regulator and kegs, as it's best to install them in close proximity. Mount the C02 network between the cover door and the freezer unit, inserting a collar if necessary. Run tubing lines, using hose clamps to secure connections.

Replace the ho-hum tap handle that came with your kegerator with one that’s more reflective of your personality. Search websites for quirky tap handle designs that run the gamut from sports team logos to guitar-playing bulldogs, golf bags and motorcycles. Provision your bar with pilsner glasses, steins and barware accessories. Don’t forget the peanuts and pretzels.