DIY Bar Cart with Wine Fridge Built with Pipe (Steps to Build Your Own)
Tracey's Beverage Cart Project Details
Tracey's custom-built beverage cart features a Spalted Pecan, butcher block table top that is 24" wide by 48" long and 1.75" thick. The table top is a custom design that Tracey got for $900 from DeVos Woodworking in Dripping Springs, Texas. While the Spalted Pecan is a softer wood, pecan is the state tree of Texas and compliments the hardwood flooring well.
The beverage cart frame features a simple design that utilizes the Flange fittings to support the table top and the Fixing Pad fittings to mount the lower shelves. The 90 Degree Side Outlet Tee fittings are used to create the lower support.
Each of the lower shelves are constructed from 1/2" Plywood.
To complete the unit, Tracey picked up a wine cooler from Lowes for $109. The bottom drawer is from the Platinum Elfa series by the Container Store that Tracey got for about $10. The drawer is attached to the frame using L brackets that are then mounted to the bottom of the beverage cart shelf. Then, the drawer slide is mounted to the brackets using pop rivets.
Finally, Tracey got the glass wine racks from Amazon and screwed them under the beverage cart table top using wood screws.
Here's what Tracey had to say of the project:
"This was probably 6 is hours of work. Getting the dimensions for the area around the fridge was the hardest and first step. Then it was all just filling in the space. One feature I like about Kee Klamp is that there is enough “slop” in the connections so that cuts and measurements don’t have to be 100% perfect. You can give or take some space within the connections to get it how you want to square it up, etc. Then, really tighten it down when it's where you want."
Fittings & Pipe Needed for the Bar Cart with Wine Fridge
Listed below are the fittings and pipe you'll need to build a bar cart like the one Tracey built. However, the design can be modified in height, width, and depth. It's entirely up to you.
For the purpose of this tutorial, we will be following Tracey's design to a tee, using the dimensions for her beverage cart.
Here's what you'll need:
- 8x 90 Degree Side Outlet Tee fittings
- 8x Fixing Pad fittings
- 6x Flange fittings
- 6x Malleable Plugs. These are used to cap off the bottom of the beverage cart legs. Alternatively, you could use Casters to allow the cart to roll around.
- Pipe. Tracey's beverage cart frame is roughly 20" wide by 40" long (just two inches inside the dimensions of the table top on all sides) and utilizes Size 6 pipe (Gator Tubing). The cart sits just above counter-height.
Steps to Assemble the Beverage Cart
As with any Kee Klamp project, the exact order of how you assemble your project is entirely up to you. However, with that said, we have listed detailed steps and diagrams below for assembling the beverage cart.
- We recommend assembling the table legs first and then adding the shelf supports after that. Since the 90 Degree Side Outlet Tee does not have any interior walls for the pipe to "butt up" against, sliding the fittings onto the vertical pipe first will allow the horizontal pipes (used to create the shelf support) to "butt up" against this pipe. Following the diagram in Step 1 one, slide the 90 Degree Side Outlet Fitting onto the pipe used for the beverage cart legs. Then tighten down the set screw on the fitting to secure it to the pipe. You will do this for four of the six legs. Be sure to set the same height for each of the fittings (marking the fittings higher on two of the legs and lower on the other two legs).
- The other two pipes used for the table legs will use two 90 Degree Side Outlet Tee fittings. Slide the two fittings onto each of the pipes. Set the height according to where the shelf will be placed (where you placed the height of the fittings on the other four legs in the previous step). Remember to face these fittings opposite of each other. Again, tighten down the set screw on each fitting to secure it to the pipe.
- Now, you will need to slide the Fixing Pad fittings onto the horizontal supports before assembling the frame. Slide two of the fittings onto four of the horizontal pipes used for the shelf supports. These pipes will run depth-wise to support the shelves. Refer to the diagrams in Step 3 and 4 for a better look.
- From there, you can bring it all together. Follow the diagram in Step 4 to assemble the frame. Be sure to tighten the set screw down on each fitting to secure the pipe in place.
- Now, you can place the shelves over the Fixing Pads fittings and into position. Using wood screws, you can mount these shelves to the fittings.
- From there, you can attach the Flange fittings. These fittings will be used to support the table top. Slide the Flange fitting o to each vertical pipe (table leg). Tighten the set screw on each fitting to secure it in place.
- Finally, place the table top over the fittings and using wood screws to attach the table top. Each Flange fitting will have four holes in it for mounting.
- That's it! You should now have a complete beverage cart as pictured in Step 8.
If you have any problems assembling the beverage cart, or need some help designing a custom solution, don't hesitate to reach out to our projects team for assistance. Our team is experienced in using Kee Klamp and has helped many customers come up with their own perfect design. You may also want to consider one of our table kits. These kits make it easy to create your own table, desk, cart, rolling workstation, etc. by simply entering in your desired dimensions. You then simply pair the frame with any table top you want.