DIY Kitchen Island From a Used Kitchen Cabinet.

Margaret Zibura
by Margaret Zibura
1 Material
$100
8 Days
Easy
Have you wanted a kitchen island but the price was out of your budget? I have. So I decided to build my own with a little help from my dear hubby.

1) Find a used kitchen cabinet, mine was from a friend who was putting in new ones.

2) remove the doors, and fill any holes with calk.

3) Prime it, I used KILLS. Inside and out.

4) Now - measure the height you want your island to be. I am tall, so I needed to add 6" to make it the height I needed. (Don't forget to figure in the thickness of the counter-top you will be placing on top.)

5) You can get legs at Lowes or home depot. I happened to have four that were perfect. Attach your legs to the bottom, inside the frame. paint if needed.

6) Paint the entire cabinet with a nice satin finish, twice! Inside and out.

7) Attach a counter top. (Again, at lowes or home depot, or if you are lucky, from someone's home re-modle. Mine came from a section cut out for a stove top. Perfect size for what I wanted and it matched my existing counter tops!

8) To attach the counter top. --- the top of most cabinets have an inset of about 1/2 " all around. Find two pieces of wood that fit into that recess front to back. Measure carefully, and attach the two wood pieces on each end of the counter top, don't forget any over-lap, with wood screws. Now set it onto your cabinet.

9) Attach your counter top to the cabinet with wood screws from each side. (I put trim over the screws to hide them and painted to match the cabinet.

10) We added 1/2 " trim all around the counter top with brad nails, after it was stained to match the counter top or you could paint the trim.


Finished Island.
Find a used kitchen cabinet, mine was from a friend who was putting in new ones. It measured 12" deep x 27" wide and 30 " high.
8) To attach the counter top. --- the top of most cabinets have an inset of about 1/2 " all around. Find two pieces of wood that fit into that recess front to back. Measure carefully, and attach the two wood pieces on each end of the counter top, don't forget any over-lap, with wood screws. Now set it onto your cabinet.
9) Attach your counter top to the cabinet with wood screws from each side. (I put trim over the screws to hide them and painted to match the cabinet.
I put trim over the screws to hide them and painted to match the cabinet.
adding the legs and priming all,
5) You can get legs at Lowes or home depot. I happened to have four that were perfect. Attach your legs to the bottom, inside the frame. paint if needed.
trim around counter top.
10) We added 1/2 " trim all around the counter top with brad nails, after it was stained to match the counter top or you could paint the trim.
Original cabinet.
1) Find a used kitchen cabinet, mine was from a friend who was putting in new ones.
Suggested materials:
  • 1 Kitchen cabinet, 1 counter top piece, 10 wood screws, 4 legs, 1/8 x 1/2 " trim. paint/stain, brad nails   (these items can be found at Lowes, Home Depot, or even yard sales or habitat for humanity.)
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2 of 3 comments
  • Wendy Wendy on Jul 09, 2017

    Pretty brilliant idea, looks awesome!

  • Ann Cassler Ann Cassler on Apr 22, 2018

    Really came out beautiful and so useful. I was dreaming/planning one out myself and wondering if an upper cabinet, like yours, would hold a custom cut granite top overhanging the back to tuck in two kitchen stools. I would add wheels instead of legs at the bottom and keep the doors on for storage. It would be my baking station for rolling pie crusts, making bread, etc. Breakfast bar when not baking. Of course with so many options I haven't done anything yet. haha

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