How to Build a Kitchen Island/Bar

Islands are becoming the centerpieces of modern kitchens. And if you're a hardcore do-it-yourselfer with experience in woodworking, you can build a custom island you'll be proud to have as your kitchen's center of attention. To complete a kitchen island you should be familiar with mitering, making biscuit joints, using pocket screws, and edgebanding. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1

Make these cuts in your 3/4-inch plywood: two pieces, 3 by 68 inches; two pieces, 3 by 22 inches; three pieces, 3 by 20.5 inches; six pieces, 24 by 26 inches; two pieces, 19.5 by 26 inches; one piece 28.5 by 26 inches; four pieces, 19.5 by 3 inches; one piece, 28.5 by 3 inches; one piece 28.5 by 6.75 inches; two pieces, 21 by 21 inches; two pieces, 15 by 21 inches; two pieces, 21 by 6 inches; one piece 30 by 6 inches; one piece 6 by 72 inches; one piece, 6 by 66 inches; two pieces 6 by 25 inches; one, 3 by 26.5 inches; four, 19.25 by 4 inches; two pieces, 20 by 4 inches; two, 18.5 by 4 inches; and two 8.5 by 18.5 inches.

From the 1/4-inch plywood cut two pieces each 20 by 25.25 inches and one piece 29 by 25.25 inches. Cut the 4-by-4s into two pieces, each 3 inches, by 3 inches and 35 inches long.

2

Sand all surfaces with medium-grit sandpaper on an electric sander.

3

Build the toebase. Miter the inside of both ends of your 3-by-68-inch pieces and your 3-by-22-inch pieces. Attach them to each other creating a box that is 68 inches long, 22 inches wide and 3 inches tall. Equally space the three 20.5-by-3 inch pieces inside the box for extra support and attach with brads. Fill in all holes on the outside including the mitered joints. Let dry and sand the filled holes flat. Set aside.

4

Build the bar top. Attach all five of the 6-by-74-by-1-inch pieces using biscuits or pocket screws. Make sure you are flush on all sides and including top and bottom. Sand smooth. Set aside.

5

Build the drawers. Build two drawers that measure 20-by-20-by-4 inches. Edgeband all exposed rough edges. Trim the edgebanding. Apply two coats of lacquer. Set aside.

6

Build the outside cabinets. Build a box using two 24-by-26-inch pieces (sides), the 19.5-by-26-inch piece (bottom), two 19.5-by-3-inch pieces (spacers) and a 20-by-25.25-inch piece of 1/4-inch plywood in back. Attach the bottom inside the two sides. Attach the spacers horizontally inside, even with the top of the sides. One should be flush with the front and top. The other, flush with the front, but 5 inches below the bottom of the other spacer. Attach the back. Your box should stand 26 inches high. Repeat for the other outside cabinet. Drill pocket holes into the back of the sides of the cabinets, on the inside, so you can later attach the beadboard.

7

Build the sink base. The middle cabinet can house the sink, if you plan on plumbing your island. Attach two 24-by-26-inch sides, a 28.5-by-26-inch piece, a 28.5-by-6.75-inch spacer and the 29-by-25.25, 1/4-inch plywood back. Build this like you did the outside boxes, except the spacer should be attached vertically, flush with the front.

8

Build the bar. Miter the inside of the 6-by-72-inch piece on both ends. Miter the inside of the two 6-by-25-inch pieces on one end and attach. Using pocket screws, attach the non-mitered ends of the 25-inch pieces to the tops of the 3-by-3-by-35 inch legs. Span the legs with the 6-by-66 inch piece. Place the 3-by-26 1/2 inch piece vertically across the middle as a support. Drill pocket holes in the tops of all the 6-inch pieces and the 3-inch piece so you can attach the top later. Fill in all visible holes and sand smooth.

9

Edgeband all the fronts of the cabinets (including spacers), all edges of doors and drawer fronts and the underside of the 6-inch bar top.

10

Apply two coats of primer and two coats of paint. Paint everything except the drawers and the bar top. Stain the drawers and the bar top to match each other. Apply two coats of lacquer to everything.

11

Put it all together. Place the toebase first and attach. Make sure it is level. Attach one outside cabinet. It will over hang the side and the front of the toebase by 2 inches, but be flush with the back. Attach the sink base next. Screw the cabinets together but make sure your are level front to back and side to side. Attach the other outside cabinet.

12

Attach the beadboard so that it is flush with the top of the cabinets.

13

Attach the bar top to the bar. The top should overhang all edges by 1 inch.

14

Attach the bar to the cabinets. About 3 inches of the front of the bar (the side opposite the legs) attaches on top of the cabinets. Make sure they are square and flush.

15

Attach the drawer slides and hinges. Attach the drawer slides so they are flush with the front of the outside cabinets and sit on top of the lower spacer. Attach the hinges below the lower spacer and close to the bottom. Make sure all hinges are even.

16

Attach the countertop and sink, if using. Choose a countertop and sink that suits you and attach. Use the hole saw to cut out the bottom of the sink base in order to run your water lines.

17

Attach drawerfronts and doors. Insert drawers.