Unless you’re blessed with the kitchen of your dreams, you can always use more work space in that busiest of all rooms. With a few basic tools and supplies, you can make a simple kitchen island that adds style points as well as storage.
To make this island, you’ll need these supplies:
- Solid wood tabletop (ours is 48 x 27.5 x 1.125-inches from IKEA, but you can find similar at home improvement stores like Lowe’s)
- 1 24 x 72 x ¾-inch solid wood board, cut in two 36-inch pieces
- Wood stain and brush
- 8 12-inch x 1-inch diameter galvanized metal pipe fittings
- 4 8-inch x 1-inch diameter galvanized metal pipe fittings
- 24 1-inch galvanized metal floor flanges (you can find these at home improvement stores, too, but we found the best deal—under $3 apiece—online at idealtruevalue.com)
- 80 wood screws
- Piece of blank paper
- Pencil
- Drill/driver
Position a floor flange on a piece of paper about one inch from the top and side. Mark the screw holes on the paper with a pencil.
Turn the floor flange to change the position of the screw holes and mark those on the paper with the pencil. Remove the flange and place Xs in four equidistant holes. You will alternate placement of screws on top and bottom of boards so that they’re spaced evenly.
Tape the template onto one corner of a smaller board, lining up the edges of the paper with the edges of the board. Drill pilot holes in the marks with Xs. Repeat on each corner of the top of the board.
Turn the board over and repeat the process, except drill through the holes without Xs.
Prepare the second smaller board the same way. When finished stain both boards and let dry.
Center one of the smaller boards on the backside of the tabletop and mark top and bottom edges of the board. Use these marks to place the template on the bottom of the tabletop and drill pilot holes in four corners of marked area. (If you want a bit more overhang on one end of the island to accommodate a stool underneath, align the smaller board off-center.)
To assemble, lay the tabletop upside down and line a floor flange up with four pilot holes.
Insert screws. Tighten screws with driver. Repeat on all four corners.
Insert 12-inch pipe into flange and tighten.
Attach all flanges and pipe fittings on bottom of the board.
Screw floor flanges onto ends of pipe fittings. Lay the next board face down onto flanges and align with screw pilot holes. You may have to turn the flanges slightly to line them all up.
Insert screws into flanges and tighten to secure the board. Repeat the procedure to attach the third board.
Screw flanges to the bottom of the last board.
Insert 8-inch pipe fittings into flanges and tighten.
Attach flanges to ends of 8-inch pipes and tighten. Turn the island over to set it up (you’ll need help with this step—it’ll be heavy!).
The finished island provides an ample work surface on top along with two generous storage shelves below.
© Caruth Studio