Woohoo!  It’s Friday!  My kids survived their first week back to school and I got a ton of things done.

So pumped to share my latest Pottery Barn knockoff with you guys today!

Check out my $85 Kitchen Island!

Kitchen Island

Kitchen Island DIY

Isn’t it pretty?!  I think it adds so much to my kitchen and breaks it up a bit.  I have always wanted an island, but opted to not have one for space reasons when I built the house.  By creating one myself, I now have the option of using it, or rolling it into the garage if I feel like it will be in the way.  LOVE the versatility!

I am going to share some of my tips an tricks with you here, and be sure to check out the full set of free plans over with my sweet friend Ana White!  We teamed up to design this one together, and she has provided you guys with some great plans as always!

First tip…

I would not tackle this build without a Kreg Jig!


Guys… We have been telling you for YEARS.  It is time to invest!  It really is such a cheap tool for all the greatness it brings to your projects.  And for those of you that still have yours hiding in it’s box… It’s time to dust it off and get busy!  HERE
is the model that Ash and I currently use!

Ash and I shared a quick video on the Kreg Jig HERE.  We really tried to explain what the heck it is and how we use it… In basic terms 😉

So for the majority of this build, I used 1.5″ pocket holes and 2.5″ pocket hole screws.

Kreg Jig

Here is where I put all of my pocket holes for the ‘X’ Legs…

pocket holes on island

IMG_0333

Now for the X legs I placed the wood at this angle to get the pocket holes that would attach to the frame…

angled cut on kreg jig

And this is a terrible shot, but I totally forgot to take a picture of the X alone… Dang it.  I hate when I mess up like that.  But, you can see in the background where all of the pocket holes go!

IMG_0338

My sides were a bit tricky because my 1×12 was so not straight.  I was so annoyed by it… If I could have done it again, I would have bought Purebond Plywood and have them rip it down to a 1×12… It would have been much easier to work with and perfect for this project!

THis is how I attached the 1×12.  I used one pocket hole on the side of the top like this.  This is a 3/4″ pocket hole, and  1.5″ pocket hole screw.  I also used 2 wood screws at the top into the side piece as you can see.

island how to

And the bottom…

IMG_0340

These are 3/4″ pocket holes, but I used 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws into those 2×4 bases.

This is the project panel I used on the top.  I found this at Lowe’s, but they did not have the exact size I needed.  I did have to use my saw to cut off 4″ from the 24″ side.

project panel

To attach the base pieces I used my Ryobi AirStrike battery nailer.  I LOVE this thing.  Coolest tool in my garage at the moment…

Ryobi AirStrike Battery Nailer

how to build a kitchen island

I just ran some Gorilla Wood Glue under each piece and nailed it down… Easy!

For my finish I used one of my very favorite methods!

I used Rust-Oleum Ultimate Wood Stain in Early American.

rust-oleum-early-american

Once it was totally dry, I just used one of my favorite tools to sand it down.  This part is SO easy.  Actually it’t almost therapeutic with the Corner Cat.  Add this tool to your list guys… It shares the same powerful 18V Lith-Ion battery that our drill uses and weighs very little.  I use this on every wood project I do now… Love.  I sanded some areas more than others to give it a worn and unfinished look.

Ryobi Corner Cat Sander

For my hardware I used these great hooks I found on a board at HomeGoods.  I paid $15 for the board which had 4 hooks on it… LOVE!  I just unscrewed them and put them on the island!

hooks

I used 4 casters I found at Lowe’s on the base.  I would recommend locking casters on your cart if you have kiddos like mine and don’t want this baby being used as a vehicle around your home 😉  Just a tip!

Here are a few more shots!

Kitchen Island

Kitchen Island DIY

Hope you LOVE it as much as I do!

Remember to check out the full set of plans over at Ana White’s amazing site!  Let me know if you have any questions at all!

I would LOVE for you to share and PIN this with your peeps below!

Thanks again!

~Whitney

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41 Comments

  1. What grit sand paper do you use when your distressing? And did you put any sort of clear coat over the whole thing after staining and distressing?
    It’s beautiful and I’m actually starting mine tomorrow morning. Still unsure on my finish though. Haha can’t decide if I want to stain and distress or paint and distress! Thanks for the beautiful inspiration!

  2. 2 things, do you find things fall off the shelf? Would you recommend putting a little lip on the inside edge of that shelf? And also, could this top be used as a butcher block?

  3. I’m thinking about building this island. I’m wondering if the drawer slides in and out nicely, or if maybe I should consider buying some metal hardware to ensure it is easy to use and glides nicely?

  4. I love this. Is it bad that I stain things so much, that I can name the color of the stain before I actually read the blog??!!!!

  5. I think several of us are dying to know about your cabinets. If you did paint them, please tell us what color! It’s gorgeous!

  6. I was so excited to see these plans on Friday and so I made one of these over the weekend… It’s almost finished.. Did you use any sort of finish like wax or poly on yours or is it just natural wood?

  7. Love this! I’ve been looking for an easy INEXPENSIVE island tutorial.. ADORE! Can I ask the brand/color of your kitchen cabinets? In the midst of a big kitchen reno & I’m on the hunt for the perfect grey for my cabinets!!

  8. This is amazing! Love! Going to make one. I also love your kitchen cabinets! Did you paint them or did they come that colour?

  9. I wish I had room for a cart like that! I was immediately drawn to your kitchen floors and the range hood. Can I ask what the flooring is? It almost looks like concrete from the photo. Did you do the range hood yourself? If so, is there a tutorial on it somewhere on your site? I want one of those too 🙂 Thanks!

    Cyndi

  10. Awesome!! I love this. I’ve been debating an island but some are so big…this is the perfect size. And I love the fact that you can move it out of the way when needed. I was wondering if you have to treat the wood in top with anything ??

  11. Amazing as usual!!! 😉 Love how you explain everything on detail for the Kreg Jig!! Got mine last week and feel a little lost. 😉 thank you so much for another great tutorial.

    1. SO happy you got one! It can be a bit intimidating at first, but I promise you will see how easy it is once you get past that! Let me know if you have any questions 😉

  12. Your picture looks like a magazine!!!! I could scream I’m so jealous! We are renting but I can’t wait until we buy so I can turn my home into what I want. You’re so talented and this cart is amazing. Once I get my big girl Kreg Jig I’ll be unstopable 😉

  13. I love this! I would love to know how you made the drawer though. Also, when I clicked on the link to Ana White’s site, it asked for user login information and wasn’t a page for your project. When I searched for kitchen plans, your project did not come up at all 🙁

    1. It’s just the link at the bottom that doesn’t go to an active page on AW’s site. When I scrolled to the top, I found the other link, which does go to the right place on her site. Thanks!