How We Built Our DIY Kitchen Island On Casters
See how we remodeled our kitchen on a tiny budget. IKEA kitchen cabinet hacks that saved us thousands. Follow along for more simple DIYs and tips to help you get the kitchen of your dreams without breaking the bank.
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Butcherblock Countertop
The countertop wood came from a friend’s barn that we were lucky enough to salvage. The boards were 2″x8″, and we took 5 pieces to create our countertop that allowed for a 14-inch bar ledge for seating.
A Kreg jig was used to drill pocket holes every 4 inches on the underside of the barn wood to attach each piece together and keep it from warping. Wood glue was also used to secure the pieces of wood together.
We used metal shelving rails on each side, and in the center, of the countertop to support the bar overhang.
Once the countertop was secured, I began sanding it with a 40-grit belt sander to even out the top. I then worked my way from 60-grit sandpaper to 240-grit sandpaper with the palmsander to give the countertop a nice smooth finish.
In order to keep the wood from yellowing, I used 50% varathane weathered oak to give it an aged gray tone. Once the stain had dried overnight I used Triple Thick One Coat Finish in satin for the final top coat.
To secure the countertop to the cabinet, we placed L-brackets every 6 inches along the top of the cabinet. Once the countertop was in place, we used 1″ screws to attach the countertop to the L-brackets.
Countertop Materials
(Links Attached)
(5) 2″x8″ Barn wood
Island Cabinet
Cabinet Frame
We purchased two 24-inch IKEA cabinets and clamped and screwed them together, then secured the cabinet to the caster frame with 2″ screws.
A piece of 1/2″ plywood was screwed to the back of the cabinet, with 2″ screws, to give it extra support.
Caster Frame
2x4s were used to build the kitchen island caster frame. The frame was built 20 inches wide, to allow for a 4-inch space for the toe kick, and 48 inches long. We placed two 2x4s in the center of the frame for support and another 2×4 along each end to hold the casters in place.
Materials
(Links Attached)
(2) 2×4’s
Cabinet Trim
I purchased 3mm MDF 2′ x 4′ sheets and cut them to the height of the cabinet, leaving a 1/4″ gap along the bottom. After they were cut to size, they were glued to each side of the cabinet and secured with a nail gun, using 1″ nails, along the edges.
1/2″ x 3″ MDF trim was used to frame around the cabinet and 5″ trim around the bottom baseboard. I started by nailing a 3″ piece of trim to the base of the frame, with a 3″ gap from the floor, then nailed a 5″ piece of trim on top of it, to give the baseboard a more dramatic look.
Then, I cut the 3″ pieces of trim on 45-degree angles around the frame of the cabinet and placed one 3″ piece of trim in the center of the cabinet.
I also added corner trim to each corner of the cabinet and secured them with 1″ nails.
Once the trim was in place, I used drydex to fill any holes and caulked the seams.
I applied 2 coats of Bulls Eye 1-2-3 primer with a brush and lint-free roller. Once the primer was dry, I used a semi-gloss interior paint in the colour Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore.
Materials
(Links Attached)
Lint-free microfiber paint roller
If you would like to see a video on how we built our DIY IKEA kitchen island on casters, you can follow me on YouTube and Instagram @sonnyhavenco where you can see it in action!
If you enjoyed this post you might also enjoy our other kitchen renovation hacks HERE
