How to Make a Kitchen Island With an Old Table

Creating a kitchen island from an interesting old table is a good way to add artistic appeal and make a nice gathering place. Part of the island can be designed for bar stools or cooking projects, so that it provides room for kitchen activities. The most interesting features of the old table can be left completely unfinished and exposed to add visual interest to the kitchen. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1

Find an old table that is at least 36 inches high. Construct a solid wooden base to sit the table on if it doesn't meet the height requirements. Secure the base to floor joists using stainless steel screws. Build the kitchen island with countertop at least 3 inches in depth. Use durable laminate, tiles or chopping block material.

2

Decide if you will use the table in its unfinished state, or if you prefer to sand and refinish parts of it. Refinish the table for painting the entire surface by first sanding it thoroughly. Brush on a good brand of primer and allow it to dry. Sand the table thoroughly again. Paint with a natural-bristle brushes to avoid brush stroke marks. Apply very thin coats to minimize the brush strokes. Thin paint slightly with paint thinner to make the coats smoother and minimize brush strokes even more. Allow the paint to dry thoroughly between coats.

3

Construct a framework for the island if the table is not sturdy enough to support countertop weight. Use 2-by-4 boards to build an island design that accommodates the table and exposes its best features. Slide the table into place under this framework, with no weight actually resting on the table, and secure it to the framing or the kitchen floor. Attach the framing unit to floor joists using angle-iron L-shaped fittings.

4

Enclose one or two sides of the framework with wood materials that match your kitchen cabinets, leaving a couple of sides of the old table and its legs exposed. Measure for countertop materials and have them made by a home improvement store. Design a countertop large enough to accommodate a bar overhang and bar stools on one side. Leave part of the table top exposed to support a chopping block countertop or room for a portable chopping block approximately 2 feet square.

5

Paint artistic scroll work on edges of the exposed old table. Install sturdy drawer pulls or metal accents to match the hardware on your kitchen cabinets. Use an artist's brush to incorporate a small border or painted pencil line on the table legs that will match one or more colors from your kitchen floor.