The original kitchen island was made of 2″x3″ lumber wrapped in very thin MDF paneling that you could make a hole in with your hand. Also, the cabinet boxes were made with MDF and had the electrical boxes held in by the thin paneling. The kitchen floor was covered in vinyl flooring that had a somewhat wood looking picture imprinted on it. So…out with the old and in with the new!
We built our new island frame with 2″x4″ lumber set on 16″ centers and doubled up the 2″x4″s on the ends.
We attached each framed piece to the sub-floor and each other using screws and a level. We then wrapped the inside of the framing with 7/16″ OSB and the final wood grain exterior panels.
We also added 2″x4″ braces at the inside edges of the walls to keep them from moving. Next, we cut out where the electrical boxes would go and then installed them along with the wiring and receptacles.
After all three receptacles were installed and the wiring was secured to the frame, we began installing the exterior panels on the outside of the island.
Once the exterior panels were installed, we began the “fun” of staining.
And since we already had the old cabinets and dishwasher moved out, we decided to replace the flooring, add new all-wood cabinets, and re-structure the plumbing at the same time.
Next we added the 1″x4″ and 1″x6″ trim to the island to give it a finished look.
We stained the 1 by trim to match the wood beams in the ceiling, had granite counter-tops installed with an under-mount sink, installed a new dishwasher, and then installed the new plumbing hardware and fixture. The corbels that support the granite are actually designed for shelves but we drilled angled pilot holes in them and attached them using screws.
We’ll probably end up adding drawer hardware eventually, but for now, we’re just grateful to have counter-tops again!
girl-that looks really nice!!
Thank you!