DIY Industrial Kitchen Island or Cart or Whatever

A made another Kitchen Island.  Not for me though.  I just saw the cart and had to fulfill it's destiny.  It needed to be a Kitchen Island.  Just like when Phoebe from friends had to do that for the Christmas trees, remember?  

This time I made a Kitchen Island out of an Industrial Cart and old oak table.  I found the cart at the Restore.  It just spoke to me. 

I think it was the casters.  and the rust.  When I got it home my husband asked me how much I paid for it which is his way of saying it's kind of a weird thing (piece of crap)to purchase. Whatever. 

First thing I did was clean it with TSP then sand off all the gunk.  It had some chips already but not enough for me so I decided to slop some chemical stripper around the bottom edges to get more of a distressed chippy look.  By slopped I mean I used a brush and dabbed/globbed it on so it wasn't uniform.  After a couple hours I cleaned all that off with mineral spirits.  I like it. 

Then I needed a top.  I picked up this oak table for cheap a few months ago.  I bought it for the the 1 1/2 thick butcher block top.  I knew I'd find a use for it eventually.   

I clamped a 2x4 to the top for my Skill saw to follow to get a straight cut.  Then I ripped two strips off the extra pieces with my table saw to make breadboard ends.  To attach those I used glue and clamps.

 

I got this table around the time I did the Milk painted dresser with hand planed top.  I liked how that turned out so I used my little hand planer to do the same to this tabletop.  (for more on that click here) I like the texture it gives.  There are holes in the top of the cart so it was easy to attach the wood top from underneath.

The cart had a board on the back side.  I immediately thought it needed a sign painted on it. 

This is what I came up with.  It's removable.  A chalkboard would be another fun idea.  I kinda like it without the sign though. 

I think it would make a great Kitchen Island or Cart or Bar or coffee station or whatever.  I however have no room for such things so I'm going to sell it. 

Here's the front again.  See that tag hanging off the left side? It says property of Boeing.  My husband thought he was helping and yanked it off for me.  Then he stuck it back on when I yelled No! I need to glue that back down it's a part of the history of this piece and I kinda like it.

Hope you are having a great Summer.  It has just flown by hasn't it?  Have you heard all the talk of fall in blog land?  I hadn't even been thinking about it until I heard a few mention it.  Now I'm like bring it.  I love the change of seasons. sigh.    

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