How To Build A Kitchen Island Using Base Cabinets

The hardest part about making a kitchen island is deciding what to make it with.

How to build a kitchen island using base cabinets. Place the cabinet assembly the island base right side up on the kitchen floor and position the island precisely where you will install it. James oliver getty images. Upgrade your kitchen with an easy to build kitchen island made of base cabinets back panel and countertop. I m using 1x4s as my trim and actually trimmed down thin sheets of plywood for the sides and am doing something funky w a herringbone wood pattern where the stools will go.

The base frame underneath the cabinets will be 3 1 2 tall and the toe kick at the front is 3 deep. Kitchen islands can be a godsend or a regret. Your post is so timely i m actually making a kitchen island from a sink base stock cabinet also from home depot. Kitchen islands are the most versatile addition to any kitchen.

Here s a rough model of the island. Upper cabinets are 12 inches deep and typically found above countertops but rather than using the typical 24 inch deep lower cabinets these will take up less room while still creating additional storage. This island is built to house two 36 inch base cabinets but can easily be modified by simply adjusting the width of the center wall. This kitchen island is going to be counter height which is usually 35 to 36.

Trace along the four corners of the island onto the floor with a pencil. The base of the peninsula is constructed from three upper cabinets and one corner cabinet to create an l shaped addition. Measure in from the traced lines using the side and toe kick thickness dimensions and mark the floor. Place island in work triangle near major workspaces like stove and sink.

Some use base cabinets and others use wall cabinets. I was ripping this whole wall of cabinets out anyway for my reno but i m all about re use re cycle since i wanted a kitchen island and i was lucky enough to have an extra set of 2 double doored cabinets in my dining room originally. Using the board planning sheet cut the 2 4 boards to create the structural framing for the center and side walls to ensure the lengths of like parts are equal use the first cut of each group to mark each subsequent cut. They add counter space centralize cooking areas add seating and eating areas and appeal to a kitchen layout.

If they re placed and appointed well they offer us invaluable workspace. If you re looking for a professional looking island that doesn t take much work this is a great diy project. Depending on the top i go with which as of right now has not been decided this should end up at about 35 3 4 tall. Here s what my dining room looked like before i started my reno.

I decided to use both of the bottom cabinets to make my kitchen island. If placed and outfitted poorly we end up dancing around them to get to the important useful parts of the kitchen often bruising hips in the process if you already have an island that you don t love or are thinking about installing an island we ve got a collection of. Match existing cabinets or choose new cabinets lighter or darker in tone or match color in floor.