KITCHEN ISLAND
BUILD YOUR OWN WITH READY-TO-ASSEMBLE CABINETS
The kitchen island is the central gathering point in any home that has one. It’s where meals are prepped, homework is sweated over and birthday candles are blown out. Building a kitchen island using ready-to-assemble cabinets is an inexpensive DIY project that will add more counter space to any kitchen. DESIGN & PLANNING
Consider both form and function when you design your kitchen island. Having a kitchen sink in the island is handy for prepping food, especially for families who cook together. A cooktop or range in a kitchen island, however, isn’t recommended because of the possibility of splattering grease on bystanders.
Free online kitchen planners can help you choose styles and colors of doors, drawers and countertops. You’ll get a printable itemized list with the costs of all the materials you need. Before you start, check the accessibility of the plumbing and electrical needed for your island. If you’re not doing the utility work yourself, get at least two estimates from plumbers and electricians. Check with your city inspector regarding any permits needed.
1 CABINET ASSEMBLY
RTA cabinet parts are shipped in a flat box; we got ours from the RTA Store (thertastore.com). You assemble them with dowels, glue and screws. Follow the manufacturer’s steps to build each box.
2 CABINET PLACEMENT & LEVELING
Place the center cabinet first. (If this cabinet has a sink, drill holes in the bottom of the cabinet for the plumbing and electrical.) Level the cabinet left to right and front to back by turning the adjustable legs. Set and level your next cabinet. Clamp this cabinet to the center one while you connect them with 1-1/4-in. screws. Continue setting, leveling and securing cabinets to one another. Once all are connected, use a 4- or 6-ft. level to verify the whole run is level.
3 SECURING CABINETS TO THE FLOOR
Measure the distance between the floor and the bottom of the cabinets and cut 2x4s to that length to create mounting blocks under the cabinets. We secured our two end cabinets this way. Secure the blocks to the floor with L-brackets and screws. Drive 2-in. screws through the bottoms of the cabinets and into the mounting blocks.
4 CUT PANELS & WRAP THE ISLAND
To create a custom look, cover the ends and backs of the assembled cabinets with overlay panels. These panels can be the full height from cabinet top to floor, or you can stop the panels at the bottom of the cabinet to allow toe-kick space. For a more enclosed look with an overhanging top, extend the end panels past the back of the island; this will also support the overhanging countertop. Measure the distance from the floor to the top of the cabinet. Cut both end panels to that height and the desired width using a track saw or table saw. If you’re cutting the end panels from a large 4 x 8-ft. panel, you may need to edge-band the exposed edges.
5 ATTACH BACK PANELS
If your cabinet island is less than 8 ft. wide, you can use a one-piece back cover panel. If your island—like ours—is longer than 8 ft., you’ll need to splice two panels together to make one long back panel.
The two back panels will meet in the middle, with a transition board between them. To make your transition board, rip a 7/8-in. piece of panel material the same height as the back panel. Be sure the piece is edge-banded along one long edge.
To find the overall length of each panel, measure the distance between the two end panels, divide that number in half and subtract 3/8 in. from each half panel. Cut the back panels to height and length using a circular saw or table saw.
Attach the transition board (Photo 5A) to the end of one of the two back panels using 1-1/4-in. finish screws. (Predrill the screw holes.) Clamp the back panel tight to the back of the cabinets and tight to the end panel.
Secure the back panel (Photo 5B) by driving 1-1/4-in. screws from the inside of each corner of the cabinet into the panel. Attach the second panel the same way, and be sure it’s tight to the transition board and the other end panel.