How to Build a Kitchen Island Bar Table

It might sound like a difficult task for your if you want to build a kitchen island bar table on your own, but it can be easily done if you have the knowledge and a little carpentry skill. Whenever we want to design our island, it must not only feature a kitchen table stranded in the middle of your kitchen room. It should have a certain feature similar to the classic worktables of rural America that blends in nicely with a modern cabinet concept. The end result that you will see is a counter-height work-station that comes with a bar table along with drawers, a pullout waste bin, a storage shelf, a drop-leaf top, plus the island table is also mobile and able to be relocate to any area within the kitchen. You can construct the base of your island bar table simply by using old cabinets that will help you a lot rather than to build your own frame from scratch.

To build a kitchen island bar table, you need:

  • Old cabinets
  • Screwdriver
  • Wood screws
  • Measuring tape
  • Circular saw
  • 2-by-6-inch hardwood
  • Butcher block
  • 2-inch wood screws
  • 3-inch wood screws
  • 3-by-3-inch hardwood
  • Paint or wood stain
  • Clear varnish or polyurethane

Building a Kitchen Island Bar Table

How to Build a Kitchen Island Bar Table

  • First thing that you need to do is to choose one or more cabinets that you want to use as the base of your kitchen island.
    • If you like the island and bar table to be fairly wide, you should use two or up to three similar type of cabinets.
    • Make sure that the height of your cabinets that you want to use is approximately the same level to the desired height of your kitchen island.
    • You need to build on to the island in order to form the bar table.

Make sure to measure the kitchen and translate the measurement that you have done into layout of the kitchen onto graph paper. You should use the biggest scale but make sure that the layout fits onto a piece of paper.

  • The next step to do is to slide the cabinets up against each other allowing the sides to flush and enabling the cabinets facing to the same direction.
    • Make sure to check the cabinets that you want to use ensuring that they are still in good condition.
    • Then, you need to tighten up any loose screws by using a screwdriver.
  • You must attach your cabinets to each other.
    • Then, you have to open the cabinet doors and drive wood screws through the side panel of one cabinet right into the other side panel of the adjacent cabinet.
    • Make sure to use wood screws with at least 1/2-inch shorter than the width of your two side panels combined together.
  • Take your measuring tape to measure the length and depth of the flat surface formed by the combined tops of your cabinets.
    • This measurements will be used for cutting the butcher block for the top of your island and also help you build the bar table.
  • With your circular saw, you need to cut a piece of 2-by-6-inch hardwood following the length measurement that you have just determined.
    • Next, you need to stand the piece of 2-by-6-inch hardwood on its upright on its narrow edge along the back of your cabinets.
    • After that, you have to secure the hardwood using 2-inch wood screws. Drive the wood screws at a downward angle through the back side of the hardwood into the cabinet tops below.
  • In order to make the kitchen island countertop, you have to cut a sheet of butcher block.
    • You can make use of the length of the island and the depth of the flat surface formed by the cabinet tops for cutting the butcher block.
    • You have previously installed the 2-by-6-inch piece of hardwood along the back of the cabinets and the next step to do is to subtract its width from the depth measurement when cutting your butcher block.
  • Once done, you must lay the butcher block flat on top of the cabinets so that the back edge is flush with the piece of hardwood you just installed.
    • After that, you need to drive 3-inch wood screws through the upright of the hardwood board right into the butcher block and also through the top of the butcher block into the cabinets below.
  • The next thing that you should do is to cut another piece of butcher block according to the length of the island along with the desired width of your bar table.
    • The butcher block piece will be used as the component of your bar table of the kitchen island.
  • Make sure you measure the height from the floor right to the top edge of the piece of 2-by-6-inch hardwood that you have installed on the top of your cabinets.
    • Then, take you circular saw to use it for cutting two pieces of 3-by-3-inch hardwood according to this measurement.
    • The pieces of hardwood will be used as your bar table’s legs.
  • Then, you must lay the piece of your butcher block that you want to use for your bar tabletop on a flat surface facing upside down.
    • Next, you need to stand the two table legs in an upright position in each of the corners along one of the long edges.
    • You need to drive the 2-inch wood screws right at the angle through the table legs into the butcher block. Make sure you they are secured and are well in place.
  • After that, you need to flip the bar tabletop over.
    • Move the bar tabletop into position so that the long edge that you see opposite the table legs will be supported by the piece of 2-by-6-inch hardwood that you have installed earlier.
    • Make sure to align the edges of your butcher block and the piece of hardwood before you can proceed to drive the 3-inch wood screws through the butcher block and into the hardwood for every four inches apart in order to attach them firmly.
  • Finally, you can paint or stain your two pieces of butcher block together with the 2-by-6-inch hardwood and its two table legs.
    • Always ensure that the color or stain that you use matches the cabinets used as the base of your kitchen island.
    • Leave the painted surface to dry completely before you can start to apply two or three coats of clear varnish or polyurethane onto your butcher block. As for the hardwood pieces, you can simply use one coat only which is sufficient enough for the item.

    Always remember that whenever you want to build a kitchen island bar table a little bit higher

    • You should substitute a piece of 2-by-8-inch hardwood for the 2-by-6-inch hardwood. Then you need to cut the legs for your bar table at least 2 inches longer.
    • You need to have enough space in the kitchen between the cabinets and the table to work. The most suitable length is thirty-six inches because anything below 30-inches will be too cramped. You must also ensure that you have enough space for opening your electrical appliances like refrigerator or dishwasher.

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