Adding a kitchen island to your cooking space is a wonderful way to increase counter space and create a comfortable work area. Kitchen islands with a countertop overhang can also provide some additional functionality since you’ll be able to use the island as a dining area or a space to sit down and get some work done.
It can be expensive to hire professionals to come and install island cabinets for you. If hiring professionals isn’t within your budget, then you may want to learn how to build a kitchen island. There are various ways to go about creating your island and the results can still be stunning.
In this guide, we share three of the best ways to build your kitchen island so you can increase functionality or add a little bit more flare to this busy part of your home.
How to Build a Kitchen Island
Modern kitchen islands vary in their appearance. Some are designed to look exactly like the rest of the kitchen while others offer a little bit more flare with a contrasting color, worktop materials that are different from the rest of the countertops, or a completely different stock cabinet style.
There are also different ways to go about creating your kitchen island. The easiest method is to build it by using an old piece of furniture that you might already own.
The most common way to build a kitchen island is by ordering flat-pack cabinet boxes and constructing it yourself. The third, and hardest, way to get a kitchen island is to build it entirely from scratch using wood sheets or pieces of plywood.
Let’s take a closer look at these three concepts and the steps required for building your island.
How to Repurpose Old Furniture to Build a Kitchen Island
The easiest way to build your own kitchen island is by repurposing and reusing an old piece of furniture. Antiques tend to be best for these types of projects because they are made of solid wood, making them strong enough to bear the load of heavy granite countertops.
You can, of course, repurpose other types of furniture items like a buffet, chest of drawers, old cabinets, console tables, dressing tables, or metal cabinets to build a unique island.
Let’s take a look at how to accomplish this.
Step 1 – Find a Suitable Piece
Start by visiting your local pawn shop or thrift store and select a suitable piece of furniture. Ideally, the furniture should have lots of drawers or cabinet doors so you can use it to store kitchenware. Don’t be too concerned about the height – the piece can be raised by adding feet to the existing piece.
It’s best to use a sturdy old piece of furniture that is made from solid hardwood or your kitchen counter might not last long.
Step 2 – Refresh and Repaint
Give the furniture a good clean and consider creative ways to make it fit with the rest of the kitchen. Chalk paint can be a good option if the furniture piece doesn’t have a color that fits with your kitchen. Remember to seal off the chalk paint with clear wax to make it easier to keep it clean.
Next, consider some new hardware. Stylish drawer handles can make the island look more impressive and fit better with the rest of your kitchen.
You should also test all door handles and drawers and ensure that they can open and close smoothly. You can also replace the cabinet doors with baskets if you dislike the way they look.
If the repurposed furniture piece isn’t high enough (36 inches in total height is ideal) then attach legs to increase its height. It’s best to use a solid leg type like solid wood table legs or metal legs that offer some aesthetic charm.
Step 3 – Add a Countertop
Your repurposed furniture piece likely doesn’t have a suitable worktop. To accommodate, fit your kitchen island with a sturdy worktop like granite, marble or quartz since this is where you will be doing cutting and chopping.
Pressed wood worktops can also be a beautiful and affordable option (especially since they come in many colors) but will need to be replaced every 5-10 years.
The countertop can be placed on top of your furniture piece. It’s pretty easy to secure the new top if you have quality silicone caulk or construction adhesive. Pressed wood countertops can be secured to your furniture piece by bolting it down with some corner brackets.
Step 4 – Position and Secure
After finishing your new kitchen island, you can install it in its new home. Decide whether you would like to secure the island to the floor or keep it freestanding. Freestanding islands can provide some flexibility, but it can be annoying if they move around while you work.
Some people prefer a moving kitchen island so they can easily shift it around in the space. For this type of setup, it might be a good idea to get some wheels attached to the island legs.
How to Build a Kitchen Island From Flat-pack Cabinets
The second easiest way to build your kitchen island is by ordering flat-pack cabinets from a local supplier.
Flat-pack cabinets are pre-cut with all the needed holes, joints, grooves, and fittings required for assembling these units. The edges of the cabinet doors are already sealed off so you won’t have to struggle to get the strips to adhere to the cabinet doors.
Here are some simple instructions to create your kitchen island from flat-pack cabinets.
Step 1 – Buy a Base Cabinet and Hardware
First, find a flat-pack kitchen supplier and buy a base kitchen unit. There are various sizes available and some of these base cabinet boxes come complete with attachable legs or baseboards that can cover the bottom of the cabinet. They are also equipped with nail holes, cabinet fittings, and drawer hardware but assembly tools like a nail gun usually aren’t included.
If you are planning on installing your island with some cabinet legs and want a slim island then it can be good to choose wall cabinets.
Keep in mind that cabinet sizes may differ for various suppliers. You should always check out the dimensions before you buy.
You can choose a base cabinet with drawers, cabinets, or a combination of the two.
Don’t forget to buy hardware like handlebars for your flat-pack kitchen. These units don’t come with this type of hardware.
Step 2 – Buy a Countertop
Some kitchen floor units come equipped with a countertop, but these countertops will only cover the top part of the counter without any protruding space. If you would like a larger kitchen island with a top that extends over the base so you can add some bar stools, then it is best to buy an additional countertop.
Think carefully about the type of top you would like to include on your island. If you are planning to create an island that can move around then it is best to select a lighter type like wood. If the island is firmly secured to the floor then the flat-pack cabinet should be strong enough to support a polished stone, concrete, or quartz top.
Step 3 – Assembly
Flat-pack kitchen cabinets usually come with all of the needed parts and tools for easy DIY assembly. Follow the instructions provided by the supplier and build your cabinet.
You will need to secure it in place (if you like a fixed position). You can mount your kitchen island to the floor by using l-shaped metal brackets. This will offer more stability to a cabinet that has a baseboard design.
Seal off the area between the baseboard and the cabinet using some silicone sealant so pests like roaches cannot get in underneath your island.
Step 5 – Consider Color Options
If you are buying a flat-pack base counter then you may have already selected a suitable color to match your kitchen. If a suitable color cannot be found then you can also consider painting the cabinet with some caulk paint and coating it.
The color options are endless and painting the flat-pack counter can be a wonderful way to make the add-on island fit with the rest of the kitchen or to create a more unique and interesting color scheme.
Step 5 – Installing the Top
Finally, the countertop will need to be installed. Wooden countertops (solid or post-form tops) should be secured to the counter with brackets. Natural stone or quartz countertops are held in place by granite adhesive or general adhesive.
How to Build a Kitchen Island From Scratch
The third way to learn how to build a kitchen island is perhaps the most challenging. You will need several woodworking and cutting tools if you are going to build a cabinet entirely from scratch using sheet wood.
We don’t recommend building your kitchen island from scratch if you don’t have any woodworking experience or if you don’t have the required tools. This is because you can end up hurting yourself or you waste a lot of money if you are unsuccessful in making straight cuts in a piece of wood.
However, if you do have some woodworking skills, here is a basic guide on how to build your island.
Step 1 – Tools Required
First, you will need to ensure that you have all the needed equipment. The equipment list will vary based on what is available in your local area. Some hardware stores can cut wood sheets to size for you which means you might not need equipment like circular saws or jigsaws. Here is a quick look at some of the tools that are usually required for building your own cabinets.
- Tape Measure
- Clamps
- Drill
- Miter Saw
- Circular Saw
- Level
- Screwdriver
- Duct Tape
- Nail Gun
- Pencil
- Sandpaper
- Wood Glue
- Chalk
- Hammer
- Carpenter Square
- Jig
- Drill Bits
Step 2 – Buy Materials
After getting all of the needed tools, purchase the supplies you need. This includes items like the following:
- Plywood for the cabinet frame or base frame
- Wood sheeting for the cabinet paneling
- Matching end stripping
- Wood glue for stripping
- Countertop materials (polished stone, concrete, quartz, hardwood, or post-form-tops)
- Screws (various lengths)
- Cabinet hinges
- Drawer slides or bearing runners (If drawers are installed)
- Handles or knobs
Step 3 – Plan Your Kitchen Island
Unless you are building a custom-sized island, it is easier to work from existing cabinet box prints or plans. There are many sites where you can download the dimensions and plans for building your own cabinets. Your local hardware store might even be able to provide you with some prints for a base cabinet box design.
You can also measure out your kitchen space to determine the desired size for the island. Keep in mind that you might want the counter to overlap the island base so you can place bar stools under it. In this case, the island base should be smaller than the worktop.
After measuring your space, you’ll have a good idea of the size island you can install. You can now plan out your kitchen island.
A breakfast bar usually has a 15-inch countertop overhang while a standard butcher’s block island has a 12-inch overhang on all sides. If you are not planning on sitting at the table or are limited on space then a small overhang of 3 to 5 inches can also be suitable.
Your island should have a height of 36 inches (standard cabinet height) but the length and width will depend on the available space.
Step 4 – Building the Island Frame
Custom islands are always crafted with a sturdy frame. This wood frame can be made from more affordable wood types like plywood. The frame should be built according to your desired measurements while the wood sheeting will be placed around this frame as paneling.
To construct your frame, you will first need to cut the boards to size. Assemble the side wall frame, and the center wall frame, and attach these pieces together.
Most kitchen builders will now fit the frame to the floor by securing it with brackets. This will keep the frame in place so you can conveniently work your way around the rest of the island base.
Step 5 – Installing the Panelling
Use your circular saw or ask your hardware store to cut the wood paneling to size. You will need a long panel to cover the back of the island, two smaller side panels, and some baseboard (if the island stretches to the floor). The doors will also need to be cut to size.
After cutting the wood paneling to size, they will need to be bolted in place. This can be tricky because the screws need to be installed at an angle or they might go straight through the wood or look unattractive.
Most builders will make some circular cuts into the wood frame at this point so the door hinges can be installed. This can, however, depend on the type of hinges you choose. Kitchen doors can be installed with exterior or interior hinges depending on the type of look you are hoping to achieve.
Step 6 – Installing the Edging
The edging will need to be applied around the doors and on any bare openings on the wood paneling. This edging is usually glued in place and it can take some time for the glue to properly dry.
Step 7 – Installing Hardware
After assembling the cabinet and finishing off the doors, you will need to install the doors and other hardware like the handles. Keep testing the doors and handles as you work so you won’t end up with a sticky door or a drawer that won’t properly open or close.
Step 7 – Fitting The Countertop
The final step is to fit the countertop or worktop on top of the island base. Wooden tops are usually secured with some brackets while heavier tops like stone are simply glued in place with silicone adhesive.
Final Thoughts
Learning how to build a kitchen island can be quite exciting and building your own kitchen can help you save a lot of money on labor. We hope that you found these three methods helpful and that you managed to create your own stylish kitchen island using one of our strategies.
And if you want even more kitchen tips, advice, concepts, or recipes then we welcome you to have a look at some of the other guides on Cook Room Kitchen. With our helpful guides, you can create a better and more innovative kitchen space or find some helpful tips that can take your cooking skills to a whole new level.
