Featured Image: Anthea Dark Mesh Mount Stack Porcelain Tile & Azul Platino Granite Outdoor Bar Countertop from Arizona Tile

Outdoor Bar Top Tile Ideas

An outdoor kitchen or a bar increases the usability of your backyard, creating the perfect space for meal prep and a place to enjoy evenings with family and friends. You can personalize your outdoor living space with incredible designs to make it all your own. Once you’ve created a design, next is selecting the right tile and stone to enhance the aesthetics and minimize maintenance needs of your outdoor bar.

We’ve compiled a list of ideas to make your outdoor patio bar stand out both aesthetically and functionally. We discuss some of the top tile and stone choices and we’ll also focus on a couple of practical ideas to help you maximize the usability of your outdoor bar or kitchen space.

Outdoor Bar Ideas: Specifics to Consider

A few important considerations will help you pick the right layout and the tiles that will work best with the respective design.

Start by thinking about the bar’s dimensions. The minimum depth for a bar top is about 12 inches. An overhang of about 12 to 18 inches is considered optimal if you intend to feature stools by the countertop island. There should be about six inches between the bar stools, giving the people seated in each, enough space. It’s up to you to calculate how many bar stools you can fit at the countertop.

Also, consider the following essentials:

• Will there be storage incorporated into the bar design?
• How much countertop space are you going to need for meal and beverage prep?
• Will you need something to give you shade and cover in the middle of a hot or rainy day (an umbrella, canopy, or some other form of sunshade)?
• How will the outdoor bar be used (are you going to just serve drinks, will you have an outdoor fridge or a sink incorporated in the design, etc.)?

Considering these elements will help you pinpoint which direction to take the design for your outdoor patio bar. Once you’ve answered these questions, you can peruse some of our tile and stone suggestions.

Image: Fantasy Brown Satin Marble Outdoor Bar Countertop & Reside Brown 12 x 24 Porcelain Outdoor Tile, Pietra Italia White 24 x 48 Outdoor Floor Tile with R11 Anti-Slip Finish from Arizona Tile

Exploring the Numerous Outdoor Bar Configurations

An outdoor bar is a rather generic term that can describe multiple unique configurations. The amount of available space and the layout you’re pursuing will help you determine which particular configuration will help you make the most of the brand-new backyard addition.

Some popular choices we recommend include:

• A wrap-around bar: This setup is chosen to accommodate more people and give you a larger surface for food and beverage preparation. If entertaining is your main goal, a wrap-around design would be best.
• Free-standing, kitchen island: A classic kitchen island is often considered more minimalist and functional as it gives you the option to incorporate storage space into the design. You can also experiment with different shapes and island sizes for a better flow and some modern flare.

L-shaped outdoor kitchen: With an L-shaped outdoor bar and kitchen, you’ll get plenty of space for both food prep and entertaining guests. The layout also makes it easy for several people to work in the kitchen at once. With an open concept, an L-shaped kitchen and bar is more inviting. It also gives you plenty of storage space and a chance to incorporate a few built-in appliances into the design.

Image: Anthea Dark Stack Mesh Mount Stack Porcelain Outdoor Tile & Azul Platino Granite Outdoor Bar Countertop from Arizona Tile

Our Outer Limits products are created especially for outdoor use and therefore are ideal for any surface in your outdoor living space. .

When searching for the right kind of tile to suit your tastes, we have a couple of practical suggestions to make the selection easier. Larger tile like Anthea porcelain is always a good pick for outdoor spaces. Featuring the PROTECT^® proprietary technology which eliminates 99.9 percent of bacteria, sanitizing this surface is nearly effortless. This feature makes it the perfect choice for food prep stations and outdoor kitchens.

Azul Platino granite slab is another excellent choice for your outdoor bar countertop surface. A natural stone with a tight grain structure makes it less likely to absorb any weather-related elements.  Sealing, as recommended, will further protect the stone, making it a low-maintenance option for years to come.  Plus, Azul Platino slabs are typically available in a large size, making them a great choice for over-sized islands and countertops.

Image: Fantasy Brown Satin Outdoor Kitchen Countertop & Pietra Italia Beige Large Format Porcelain Outdoor Floor Tile with R11 Anti-Slip Finish from Arizona Tile

Marble is another natural stone that can provide a beautiful element to your outdoor space, and we offer several colors that are recommended for outdoor use. Marble slabs like Fantasy Brown Satin add a sentiment of luxury and elegance to an outdoor bar space. Each slab is unique, resulting in a visually striking surface that’s also practical and effortless to clean.

Image: Crema Vosscione Honed Limestone Outdoor Kitchen Slab from Arizona Tile

Increasing the Usability of Your Outdoor Bar

When planning for an outdoor bar and kitchen area, the flooring is nearly as important as the countertop surface. Pietra Italia porcelain, with the R11 Anti-Slip Finish, is one of our top choices for outdoor flooring options. Emulating the appearance of limestone, this material is available in multiple sizes and finishes to give you slip-resistant, easy-to-maintain outdoor patio flooring. For a real limestone option for non-flooring surfaces, Crema Vosscione Honed limestone  is another excellent pick., Durable enough for outdoor applications, including a bench for a seating area, it has unique veining to add some character to your outdoor space. For a somewhat different flooring appearance, inspired by rich textiles, pick an option like Reside USA rectified color body porcelain for a modern, minimalist look for your outdoor space.

If you plan to spend lots of time at your outdoor bar, we recommend planning for year-round use through the installation of seasonal amenities. A fireplace increases usability or you could consider an alternative heating option. Building the outdoor bar by the pool creates a comprehensive leisure-entertainment area and is a perfect addition to both residential and commercial spaces.

Bring the Perfect Outdoor Bar Concept to Life

At Arizona Tile, we believe that a sense of luxury and practical appeal are easy to achieve through the selection of the right materials and products for your project. If you’re still in the early stages of conceptualizing your outdoor bar, try our Just Imagine Tile Visualizer.  You can choose from a variety of scenes and enjoy a visual representation of all of our products. You don’t have to wonder what a certain kind of tile or slab is going to look like when installed – as our visualizer delivers a realistic representation.

To get a better idea about the richness and elegance of all of our products, from porcelain to glass, and quartzite to Della Terra^® Quartz, find an Arizona Tile showroom near you and pay us a visit – we have multiple locations. If you have any pressing questions, contact our helpful and friendly team and we’ll recommend the materials and products that are best aligned with your project and technical specifications.