Transform a dining room table to an island for a dramatic change.
A beautiful dining room table sometimes leaves no room for cabinet space. One solution to gaining cabinet space and keeping your table is to turn it into an island. In essence, converting a dining table to an island is replacing the table legs with cabinets. Depending on the size of the table, you can purchase and assemble cabinets that fit or you can build them to the specific dimensions of the tabletop.
Instructions
Face Frames
1. Place the 2-by-52-by-inch lumber on a worktable along with the 4¾-by-52-inch lumber. Place them side by side so the long edges are touching. Measure in from both ends and make a mark at 18 and 20 inches; place framing square on the marks and draw lines across the width of the lumber.
2. Place the four pieces of 2-by-35¼-by-inch lumber on a worktable. Measure from one end and make a mark at 13 and 15 inches. Place the framing square on the marks and draw a line across the 2-inch width of the four pieces.
3. Place the 4¾-inch piece on the end from which you took the 13- and 15-inch measurement, one 2-inch piece between the 13- and 15-inch lines and one 2-inch piece at the top. Apply glue to the ends of all three pieces, place them between the 35-1/4-inch pieces and secure them with the corrugated fasteners.
4. Apply glue to the ends of the 2-by-10-1/4-inch lumber. Place them between the 4-3/4-inch piece and the 2-inch pieces on the lines drawn in Step 2 and with the corrugated fasteners.
5. Repeat this with the remaining lumber. Set these aside to allow the glue to dry while you build the island cabinet.
Build the Cabinet
6. Turn the table over and remove the legs with the wrench and the skirt with the screwdriver. Place the two 54-1/2-by-4-inch pieces of plywood on the worktable, measure in from each end and make a mark at 17-3/4 inches. Place the framing square on the marks and draw lines across the 4-inch width of the plywood.
7. Apply glue to the ends of two of the 28-1/2-by-4-inch pieces and secure them between the two 54-1/2-inch pieces with the 3d box nails, one on either end. Repeat this with the remaining 28-1/2-inch pieces but secure them on the lines drawn in Step 1.
8. Repeat Step 2, securing the five pieces of 30-by-11-inch plywood between the two 30-by-54-1/2-inch plywood with the 3d box nails. Secure one at both ends and the remaining two at 17-3/4 inches from each end.
9. Apply glue to the top edges of the cleat assembly in Step 2. Place the shelf assembly from Step 3 on it and secure it to the cleats with the 4d finish nails. Place the shelf/cleat assembly between two of the 30-by-35-1/4-by-3/4-inch plywood (end panels) and secure them to the assembly with the 4d finish nails.
10. Secure the face frames to the front and back of the island cabinet with the 4d finish nails. Attach the four 28-1/2-by-6-inch plywood between the front and back face frames with the 4d finish nails. Put one against the end panels and the other two spaced out evenly. Secure the tabletop to the island cabinet with the 1-1/4-inch drywall screws.
Tags: secure them, Apply glue, finish nails, with finish, with finish nails