The right counter height is the one that works with your stools. That sounds obvious, yet plenty of DIY bars are built to a number from a drawing and then furnished with whatever seats were on offer. Buy or borrow the seats first, then build around them.
Measure the gap, not the counter
What makes a bar comfortable is the space between the seat and the underside of the counter. Too little and knees hit the front panel. Too much and people end up hunched over their glass like a delayed commuter. Sit on the stool you intend to use, rest your forearms where the counter top would be, and have someone measure from the seat to your elbows.
Do this with a few people of different heights if you can. A counter built around one tall host can be awkward for everyone else.
Bar height or table height?
There are two broad families of outdoor seating: standard dining-height chairs and taller bar stools. Mixing them at one counter rarely works. Decide which you want early, because it changes the build.
- Table height suits families, older guests and anyone who prefers to sit back. It also makes a counter feel less like a commercial bar.
- Bar height suits standing and perching, keeps the counter visible from across the garden and allows deeper storage underneath.
Check the maker's guidance for the stool or chair you have chosen. Many publish the counter height their seats are designed for.
Depth and overhang
A counter needs two depths: the working top behind the bar and the overhang on the guest side. The overhang is what gives knees somewhere to go. If you are building a solid front panel, make sure the overhang is enough for the people who will sit there, and check it with the actual stools pushed in.
Behind the bar, depth is about what you store and serve from. A fridge, a bin and a crate of glasses all have their own footprint. Measure them and draw them on the plan.
Footrests matter more than they look
A rail or ledge for feet makes tall stools far more comfortable. Fix it firmly, because people will stand on it. Brass is the pub classic; galvanised pipe or a hardwood ledge also work outside.
Use the layout checker
Once you know the counter run, the layout checker turns the usable length and your chosen spacing into a seat count. Then mark the positions on the real counter with tape.
Before cutting timber, build a quick mock-up with a sheet of board on trestles at your chosen height. Sit at it for ten minutes with a drink. Your knees will tell you more than any table of measurements.