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Setting up a wall-based cupboard is a trendy decoration for modern kitchens as it looks neat, provides sufficient containers for kitchen utensils, and saves space for the room. Therefore, we have an adequate area to put a dining table or a kitchen cabinet in the middle.
We may choose among different stylish and quality tables at the store, but what about making a cabinet ourselves at home? This article will show you how to make a kitchen island out of base cabinets with necessary materials and home tools.
Table of Contents
Making a kitchen island at home is not difficult, but you need to know how to do simple machinery work and use essential machinery tools. Below are some materials and utensils you need to prepare:
Materials
Tools
Not every kitchen has enough space to put an additional kitchen island. Instead, we need to follow some standards to put the cabinet reasonably and bring the best look to our kitchen.
First, calculate to leave enough space for aisles around the island. Make sure the minimum width for each way is 36 inches, or your movement will be affected, especially when you carry something. The optimum size for a walkway is 42 to 48 inches.
Second, balance the place of the island with the remaining kitchen space. For example, the aisle in front of the door should be wider than the others.
In addition, the overhang is also what we need to care about. Regularly, an overhang should be 10 to 12 inches. If you intend to make it larger, support it, for example, a couple of stainless steel columns. Otherwise, it is more likely to break if you put too many things on the surface.
Calculate all the above factors, and you will have the exact size for your island. If it does not satisfy you, consider a dining table instead.
Click here for more DIY island kitchens you may like.
Once you determine the size and position of the cabinet, make the base. Don’t think about a steel frame or something large and sturdy, a few wood standards are enough.
To do it more efficiently and precisely, first, you may need to draw or mark the size and shape of the cabinet bottom on the floor.
Second, measure the width of the cabinet and cut two wood bars with that dimension. Next, put them across the area, parallel with the width border, and fix it to the floor. To do this, you have to drill holes, put drive pins in, and use the impact driver to screw. Make sure the two bars divide the area into three equal segments, or nearly.
Put the cabinets onto the top of the base and fix them tightly. Make sure you place it correctly with the marks or borders you drew. You need drywall screws and the impact driver to do this. Use the level and shims to support the fixed screws and bring a seamless look during your process if necessary.
These include doors, handles, back panels, toe kick finishing bars, and the countertop.
You need cabinet screws and the impact driver to fix the doors, handles, and back panels. Meanwhile, you have to use brad nails with the pneumatic nailer and air compressor to attach the finishing bars.
The final thing to do is to put the countertop on the island. But, again, remember to leave the overhang no more than 12 inches, or you may get problems when putting things, and it also looks unbalanced.
Once everything is finished, it’s time to decorate the kitchen island. Before doing that, use a damp cloth to clean all the inner and outer surfaces of the cabinet. After that, put all necessary things into the chambers, and finally, decorate the countertop with glasses, flowers, fruit, or anything you want.
Below is a short video posted by Landberg Tile TV, summarizing all the essential steps of making a DIY kitchen island:
Related Posts:
How Much Space Do You Need For A Kitchen Island? (Detailed Explanations)
How To Build A Kitchen Island With Sink And Dishwasher? (A Detailed 6-step Guide)
A frequent island kitchen out of base cabinets costs $3,000 to $5,000, while a luxury island costs at least $10,000. However, if we install an island ourselves, the price is more than $1,000 as there is no labor cost. Instead, we only need to spend on materials, including everything in the material list above.
Moreover, if you have to buy any of the tools on the list, the total cost may rise several hundred dollars only.
If you want more stylish kitchen islands, refer to this article.
Laminate floors are thin and easy to break, so you shouldn’t set up an island if you have already installed laminate panels for your floors. Instead, if you plan to install a kitchen island, do it before laminating the floors. On the other hand, you may consider a dining table.
The answer is yes, and the most accessible way to do it is by adding a chamber block of the same type to any short side of the island. Make sure all the surfaces are flush with each other to maintain a perfect look.
We hope that the above instruction on how to make a kitchen island out of base cabinets is not too complicated to understand and follow. Therefore, if you are good at machinery work, be confident to do it yourself. Also, don’t forget to share this article with your friends if you think it is helpful.