How to Make a Kitchen Island From a Chest of Drawers

Measure the top of your chest of drawers. The kitchen island top you choose should be around 2 to 3 inches wider on all sides than the top of the drawers.

Purchase the kitchen island top of your choice. A pre-made stone or tile countertop is ideal if you intend to use the kitchen island for food preparation, or a butcher block if you intend to use the kitchen island as an extra cutting and preparation surface. Have the countertop or butcher block cut to size.

Remove the drawers and hardware from the chest of drawers, then paint the unit, including the drawers separately to match the kitchen. Use an oil-based paint, and apply two to three coats to ensure a long-lasting finish in the kitchen environment.

Center the chosen top over the chest of drawers. If it is a butcher block, use wood glue to hold it in position. If you use a stone or tile countertop, ceramic adhesive will be enough to keep the countertop on. Secure a butcher block with screws driven from the underside of the top of the chest of drawers into the underside of the block. Use screws long enough to go through the chest of drawers and about a third of the way through the butcher block.

Screw in three to four screw hooks, if desired, on each side of the chest of drawers for hanging utensils.

Replace the hardware on the drawers, then fit the drawers back in the chest before positioning the kitchen island in the kitchen.