An island in your kitchen can be both functional and add to the beauty of the room. Whether your kitchen is large or small, you can build a kitchen island that will suit your area and serve the purposes you have in mind. Read on to learn how to build a kitchen island.

Step1

Determine what size island you want to build. Islands can be from 24 inches long to as long as you want. Standard islands are 24 to 48 inches deep. Standard height for an island is 34 1/2 inches high.

Step2

Pick out material to build a kitchen island. You can use oak, maple, birch, ash, cherry, hickory or whatever kind of wood fits your needs. A home improvement store or specialty woods store should have a wide variety of woods to choose from.

Step3

Select the counter top you want to put on your island. Solid maple with a wax finish is a good choice for food preparation because maple provides a sturdy surface for chopping. Formica plastic in numerous colors or solid surface materials such as granite make good island tops. Choose your top carefully to give your kitchen the look you are wanting. Counter tops can be purchased at home improvement stores or solid-surface suppliers. You’ll need to have the measurements (width and length) of your island when you order the top. It will be cut to fit at the store you purchase from.