Often one of the biggest problems with trying to convert a piece of furniture such as a dresser into a kitchen island is determining how to best raise it up to a conventional countertop height, while still having the structure supported. If there will be drawers that open and close in the island additional internal cross supports may be required to ensure that the drawers slide straight and do not become wonky.
Are you planning to have the island moveable, or will it be stationary?
If the former, then robust casters will be required to support the moving weight of the unit while filled with contents. Cheap quality casters that are inadequate in size and strength to give stability to the unit will likely cause warping and cracking in the wood.
Before you put an island in your kitchen, you have to make sure you have the room for it. Only use base cabinets (24” deep) so they’re the proper height, length is your choice depending on space available. The countertop should have a 1” overhang all the way around and if you want seating, that requires about a 12” overhang (support the 12 inch overhang with corbels or L brackets incase someone leans on it hard). There should be at least a 36” open distance all the way around the countertop part of the island. You'll need to be able to open all appliances all of the way (refrigerator, dishwasher, oven, etc). Also you should leave at least 36 inches coming into the kitchen before the island countertop starts. If you have that room available, you can build an island from cabinets. To secure the island to the floor, be sure to anchor it really well. The best way to do that is to lay the cabinets on the backside and measure the inside of the bottom of the cabinet. Cut 2x4s to fit inside the bottom. Screw the 2x4s to the floor where you want the island to sit, put the cabinet over the 2x4s and screw the cabinets to them. If using more than one cabinet, screw the cabinets together. That will hold it in place and give you a solid island that you don’t have to worry about moving if it’s bumped into
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Often one of the biggest problems with trying to convert a piece of furniture such as a dresser into a kitchen island is determining how to best raise it up to a conventional countertop height, while still having the structure supported. If there will be drawers that open and close in the island additional internal cross supports may be required to ensure that the drawers slide straight and do not become wonky.
Are you planning to have the island moveable, or will it be stationary?
If the former, then robust casters will be required to support the moving weight of the unit while filled with contents. Cheap quality casters that are inadequate in size and strength to give stability to the unit will likely cause warping and cracking in the wood.
It’s going to depend on your needs really. I bet if you typed “kitchen island” into the search bar at the top, loads of ideas will pop up.
Before you put an island in your kitchen, you have to make sure you have the room for it. Only use base cabinets (24” deep) so they’re the proper height, length is your choice depending on space available. The countertop should have a 1” overhang all the way around and if you want seating, that requires about a 12” overhang (support the 12 inch overhang with corbels or L brackets incase someone leans on it hard). There should be at least a 36” open distance all the way around the countertop part of the island. You'll need to be able to open all appliances all of the way (refrigerator, dishwasher, oven, etc). Also you should leave at least 36 inches coming into the kitchen before the island countertop starts. If you have that room available, you can build an island from cabinets. To secure the island to the floor, be sure to anchor it really well. The best way to do that is to lay the cabinets on the backside and measure the inside of the bottom of the cabinet. Cut 2x4s to fit inside the bottom. Screw the 2x4s to the floor where you want the island to sit, put the cabinet over the 2x4s and screw the cabinets to them. If using more than one cabinet, screw the cabinets together. That will hold it in place and give you a solid island that you don’t have to worry about moving if it’s bumped into