How to Make a Dry Bar Out of Cabinets

Use a measuring tape to measure the space in which you intend to install the cabinets for your dry bar. Record the length, depth and height of the space on a sheet of paper, and refer to these measurements when you begin looking for cabinets.

Remove any trim or baseboard from the location of your dry bar by prying them from the wall with the curved end of a hammer or a pry bar. Discard the unwanted trim or set it aside for a future project.

Select the cabinets for your dry bar. If you have an entire wall to fill, you will need to find multiple cabinets of the same size to line up next to each other. For nooks and smaller spaces, a single cabinet may be adequate.

Compare the cabinet(s) you have chosen with the measurements of the space. If you find that your cabinets do not fit evenly into the space, you may need to trim one or more of them to size.

Trim the cabinets as necessary. Remove the cabinet doors and shelves, and mark the correct width on the front and back of the cabinet in pencil. Use a jigsaw to cut through the supports and solid surfaces of the cabinet, trimming it to the appropriate size. You will also need to trim the shelves and cabinet door to size, then reattach them.

Slide the cabinet(s) into place along the wall. Small adjustments may be necessary to make the cabinets fit snugly into the space.

Use a stud finder to locate the studs in the walls. Lightly mark their position in pencil inside the cabinets.

Secure the cabinets in place by driving 3-inch wood screws through the backs of the cabinets into the studs in the wall. You may also choose to attach the cabinets to one another by toe-nailing screws through one cabinet into the adjacent cabinet at the corners.

Lay a piece of hardwood, granite or other countertop material across the entire width of the dry bar. This will make it less obvious that your dry bar was not constructed as a single unit. If you do not mind visible seams between the cabinets, you may skip this step.