Today, I’m switching it up and sharing a kitchen renovation project! I know… I meant to post this weeks ago when I posted about thekitchen island custom bookcase, but then when I went to add pictures into the post I somehow could not find them. Like non-existant. So I either 1. Never took them (which I don’t doubt) or 2. my camera ate them (highly unlikely).
So that’s why it took me a little longer than usual to get this post up. After the baby shower our home sat in party dis-array until just a few days ago. And that’s when I finally got around to taking the pretty after pictures. This also means that you are now getting a glimpse of our entire kitchen (which was not in my plans), but oh-well. One thing I’m learning is that I can not plan everything so I have to let it roll off my shoulders and just go with the flow. That’s one thing this soon-to-be-mom thing has taught me. I also don’t have any during photos for this project (because remember, our camera ate them… that’s what I’m going with). I also will tell you that when we installed the Butcher Block on the island I was at the height of my all-day sickness. So I very well could have not taken any photos.
Either way, I’m excited to share with you our video for Homes.com on how to install butcher block on a kitchen island! It was actually the easiest part of our entire counter installation. This was a half day project for us (not counting sealing the butcher block).
All About Getting A Pop Up Electrical Outlet On Your Kitchen Countertop — Kato Electrical
The butcher block countertop ads so much characteristic to the island the kitchen! Everyone at the baby shower was oooing and aweing over them (just as they did with all the cute baby clothes)!
And here is how much space I gained when we extended our kitchen island out! You might remember from our last video/kitchen update we shared that we added bead board to the sides of the bookcase to give more detail.
Can you believe the transformation from what it use to look like to now. I am in love with how fresh and bright it is. Having lighter countertops definitely makes a difference!
Install Kitchen Countertops For An Island
Last beauty shot of the updated island with a cute pup to model it… oh and those bar stools… we got them at Costco on a whim the other week when we were there to pick up a rotisserie chicken (we also bought a new couch on that same trip, too)! I promise I won’t wait almost a month to share the next part to our kitchen revamp!
Disclosure:We have a working relationship with Homes.com and are video brand ambassadors for 2013 (thus we are compensated). As always all opinions are our own.
Sew Woodsy is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.Swapping out kitchen counters is often perceived as a complicated, precise, expensive, and permanent endeavor. Which is probably why renters usually resort to peel-and-stick products to cover up unsightly counters instead. But swapping out a countertop…especially on an island…can (sometimes) be as easy as un-doing a few screws. Today, I’m breaking down exactly why and how we installed this butcher block island countertop to completely transform our dated, builder-basic rental kitchen!
How To Build A Diy Kitchen Island
In all of the renter-friendly hacks I’ve attempted over the years, I’ve never “made over” a countertop. And not because I haven’t wanted to.
We’ve been plagued by dark, dated, and downright ugly countertops in most of our homes; but I’ve never been “sold” on covering them in contact paper or other peel-and-stick products. While the instant transformation is certainly tempting, I am suspect of the longterm usability of such a solution.
When moving into this home, I was not a fan of the pinky-beige laminate countertops that cover both the perimeter of the kitchen and the island.
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Many of my neighbors actually use solid wood “toppers” to cover up the island countertops and add some much-needed visual interest to these kitchens.
(A local handyman essentially creates a wood cover that fits over the existing countertop…not only covering up the pink plastic counters but also expanding the countertop’s size to be more substantial.)
While I think this is a phenomenal and clever renter-friendly solution, I personally felt as though the island ended up bigger, taller, and bulkier than was comfortable in the small kitchen (since the cover goes
Guide To Kitchen Island Centerpiece Ideas And Styling
The idea of creating a contrasting countertop situation (and covering up at least some of that pinky beige!), I felt compelled to find an equally-renter-friendly alternative.
Upon inspection of our kitchen island, we discovered the existing countertop was held on with nothing more than 4 basic wood screws (via the cabinets underneath). There was no glue, caulk, or adhesive holding our countertop in place. So we determined that
It) was a just-as-safe solution (since we have the space to store the original countertop in the garage until we move out).
Planning To Install A Kitchen Island? Here Are Some Things To Consider
But once we determined we could swap instead of cover, we were still unsure of the most stylish, budget-friendly and practical replacement option. We’re obviously not going to invest in something expensive or custom for such a temporary residence. And finding stylish prefabricated island countertops isn’t exactly easy.
But after a lot of research and even more measuring, we determined these prefabricated-but-unfinished butcher block island countertops from Lowes were our best bet in terms of size, price, and style.
Stained so dark that it almost appears black, this butcher block counter looks absolutely stunning in person and certainly provides a contrast to the beige and honey oak throughout the rest of the kitchen.
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And since it’s covered in an incredibly-strong oil-based polyurethane, it really is the durable countertop surface you want and need in a kitchen.
Although not particular challenging, staining, installing, and living with a butcher block island countertop was certainly a learning curve for us. So let me break it aaaaaaaall down for you!
Since these butcher block island toppers are sold ready for immediate stain and installation, this is a kitchen upgrade almost anyone can tackle!
Planning For A Large Kitchen Island
What I outline below may appear a little out of order. Again, this countertop was a learning process for us, so this is a case of “Do as I say, not how the pictures look!”
Technically, anything is removable with a hammer or power tools. But whether you’re a renter or you just aren’t up for anything close to a kitchen renovation, you can quickly and easily determine how “removable” your island countertop is.
Inspect both the inside and outside of the island base cabinets where it meets the countertop. Do you see screws, nails, lines of caulk, or adhesive?
Installing Butcher Block On A Kitchen Island
If you see evidence of caulk or adhesive, your island countertop will not likely “lift” right off.However, if you just see screws from the inside of the base cabinets into the under-side of the countertop, there’s a good chance it will.
Simply unscrew all the visible wood screws. Does the island lift right up? If so, it’s safe to remove and store safely (as necessary).
If you encounter resistance even after the screws are removed, you’ll need to further investigate what is holding the island topper in place and determine if it can indeed be removed (without damaging the counter or the base cabinetry).
Kitchen Island: Does It Work With Your Kitchen?
In a perfect world, the standard sizes of butcher block will work for your kitchen island; but there’s a very good chance they wont. So before you start staining, you’ll first want to make any necessary adjustments to your countertop size, which can involve either cutting the wood down or extending it.
Most prefabricated butcher block countertops can be cut down to size using power tools such as a circular saw or table saw.
If you do cut down the original slab of wood, know that you’ll need to sand down the raw edge grain to match the finish of the remaining sides.
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When I was first measuringthe countertop for our island, I determined the 30Xx60″ size was spot-on perfect. But what I didn’t realize at the time was that the shiplap treatment we were putting around the island base would ultimately increase our island length by an inch+, ultimately causing our island topper to be too small.
We did not want to purchase an additional full topper just to add a 2+ extra inches in length, so we opted to join unfinished stair railings that were (almost) the exact dimensions of our countertop to each end of the topper.
We ultimately screwed these “caps” on down the length of the banister (directly into the end of the countertop), then countersunk the screws and filled in the holes with wood putty before staining.
Kitchen Island Designs As Unique As Your Home
While this solution gave us the length we needed, it perhaps isn’t the “best” wood joining method. If you need to lengthen your countertop with additional sections of wood, I’d refer you to these instructions.
There are lots of options for staining and sealing unfinished butcher block, ranging from simple conditioning oil (to moisturize the wood) to food-safe “butcher block
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