# Attempting to knock-off this kitchen island



## Bennecc (Nov 1, 2012)

I'm planning to copy-cat this kitchen island that my wife picked out online. 
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/reclaimed-pine-marble-butcher-block/?pkey=e%7Cisland%7C6%7Cbest%7C0%7C1%7C24%7C%7C2&cm_src=PRODUCTSEARCH%7C%7CNoFacet-_-NoFacet-_-Featured_Recipe_Rule-_-&bnrid=5217995&cm_ven=AfCmtyCont&cm_cat=CmtyContOth&cm_pla=GAN&cm_ite=Std

I think I've got a good idea how I'm going to build it, but I'm having some trouble choosing the wood. It looks like the legs are 2x4 or maybe 2x3 in this reclaimed unfinished pine, which obviously I don't have. 

I'm looking for suggestions on what type of wood to use as well as how to finish it to get a similar look. Should I just use nice pine and try to condition and stain with a light colored stain? I thought of using something else, but I don't know where to get any of the other wood types thicker than 1".

Thanks for any ideas!


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Hard to say. If I see something that I'd like to duplicate or get ideas from, I don't necessary think I need to use the same species, I just work with what I have, or what I can get. Be yourself and build it to your likings. Everyone here is going to have a different choice of wood. Doesn't matter. It's what you like. 
Good luck.
Maybe an introduction about you would be helpful, So we can understand what your likes and dislikes are. 
Always welcome to wood talk.


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## Bennecc (Nov 1, 2012)

Thanks for the welcome Dominick. Well in this case, I'm not necessarily set on using the pine, but I do want to replicate the warm weathered look. 

My main question involves the legs. I haven't been to a lumber yard yet (I've got to find one that will sell retail first) but the only wood thicker than 1" at the big box stores are whitewood or treated. I don't want to laminate the legs to get a thicker piece. 

So its not so much that I care which wood I use, I just want it to be a piece that looks decent enough and is strong enough to go in my kitchen. And, I'm having trouble finding pieces thick enough in anything but the cheapest stuff. I guess if I need something the thickness of a 2x4 I should be asking for 6/4 boards, right?

I'm not sure if maybe I'm just looking for wood at the wrong places?


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Try looking for a local sawyer, other than big box stores. The only thing with a sawyer, is you may get rough cut lumber. Do you have the means of dressing rough cut lumber? Meaning jointing and plaining. Nothing wrong with laminating lumber to make thick stock. If you use pine, I'd stain it or even distress it. Lots if things to consider when doing something like this. 
What's your experience like? Is this something you can take on? Need more info on you and your capabilities.


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## Bennecc (Nov 1, 2012)

Well, I don't have the means for dressing rough cut lumber. However, I'm always up for getting another tool!

As far as laminating the legs goes, I figured if I did that then there would be a visible glue joint on 2 sides, right? I've seen how it can be done to have the glue joints on the corners, but that's not something I want to try to take on. 

The plan if using new pine is to distress it, condition it, and stain it. When I get to that point I'll test several different products to see what gives me the finish I like. 

My experience is limited when it comes to building interior furniture. However, I'm handy and have always been able to figure things out. I can build most of a house I've just never done much fine wood working. But this piece seems pretty simple. I'll just use pocket holes for the joints. I've done several concrete countertops so I may do that in place of the marble insert or just find a scrap piece of marble to have finished. 

So if I wanted to dress rough cut lumber for this project, what would I need? Could I get by with just a bench plane?


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## frankp (Oct 29, 2007)

Personally I wouldn't use pine. I don't like the way it looks and it's too soft for furniture, in my opinion. Even kitchen furniture... especially kitchen furniture. I'd go with something more along the lines of maple or another white hardwood that stains well.


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Concrete counter tops, now your talking. I did a couple end tables with concrete tops with leaves impressions. If you want thick legs, why not pallet wood? Tear down a few pallets, besides most if the time it's free. That's what I did for my end table legs. I do have to agree with frank on the pine being soft and for blotchy staining. I guess it depends on the look your after. 
Here's what I did with mine. 







































Buying rough cut lumber, you'll need to have a jointer and a surface planer. It's a must have. 
Not a bad idea to have regardless.


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## chsdiyer (Dec 12, 2011)

If you pick your boards well you could get by with a benchtop planer and hand plane. I did that for the counter top i made with rough 8/4 walnut. The thickness was too much to get the edges jointed (edit:with my router) so i used a hand plane to get it (after ripping on the table saw). There are lots of tips and tricks for jointing without a jointer on here that are helpful. I did have one board that was a little cupped/twisted so i took it to a wood working shop in town and they ran it over there jointer for me for little cost. There's a sled you can build for your planer that could have even done that for me, but for a one time job i didn't feel like building that. Before running to buy a planer though, i'd check where you're getting you lumber first. There is one lumber yard here that prefers selling their hardwood lumber rough(though they'll clean it up for you for a price) or there's another that doesn't sell any rough (a bit more expensive).

As far as getting wood, i'm not sure how to find a sawyer in town, but the local lumber yards are usually pretty helpful. I was intimidate to go in to some of the bigger ones at first since i didn't need all that much but they were pretty welcoming even knowing i just had a small order. There was one smaller place that clearly didn't want me there, but they were only there to sell to cabinet makers. And any lumber yard will likely be cheaper than HD and Lowes and have better wood (and service for sure).


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## fromeast2west (Mar 21, 2012)

You could also look around for a place that sells reclaimed building supplies. I'm out west, so our salvage stores tend to have some great redwood in addition to the usual pine and fir. Once you strip it down you may find that the wood has already obtained a nice, mellow color to it, and you won't have to do as much to distress it either.

Reclaimed wood can also be great because it's a lot more stable than the stuff you'll get at a lot of lumber yards because it's had a few decades to settle down and dry out.


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## notmrjohn (Aug 18, 2012)

Ben, I dunno where you are ( how about putting local in profile?) look up "Lumber Dealers" in local yellow pages, also "hardwood dealers" or suppliers or supplies instead of dealer, they will have thicker unplaned wood. Some will re-saw and surface it for you. Some will have s2s, ( surfaced two sides) faces planed to thickness. If you are willing to spend time and dimensions don't have to be perfect, a belt sander can be used to surface. You might need to start at 50 grit and work up. There are many ways to "weather" and distress wood. Google or ask here.

Local sources for stressed lumber, in yellow pages,include, reclaimed lumber, used lumber, wrecking yards, salvaged lumber, replace lumber with building materials, construction materials. Yellow pages often use commas; building materials, used.

Hollow legs boxed from big box dimensional lumber?

Nice lookin stuff, dominic. the carving is nice too. That was sorta gilding the lily. Did you carve, cast, cast and carve edges of concrete? Impressions on top were extra nice. I'm re-doing our kitchen, after doing so many for others, its conglomerated bastardized, Arts and crafts, mission, South West rustic, New Mexico Territorial, shaker, West Texas Rancher,touched with Victorian and Art Nouveau. Yup. Gonna be a mishmash, I'll cook and serve beef Wellington and beans and cornbread at same time. I been wonderin what to do about counter tops.


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## Bennecc (Nov 1, 2012)

Wow Dominick, really nice job on the end tables! Those legs are pallet wood?? Then I think I'll look into that option. 

Frankly, as much as I'd love to have one, I just don't have room for a jointer. I hardly have room for the tools I do have. And really this piece that I'm trying to build is supposed to look weathered so I don't really think it is necessary that the boards are flawless. I mainly just want the solid chunky legs without making them out of 2x4's from HD. 

I've been looking into the reclaimed lumber route and I may have some leads from that. I'm also going to pick up a few pallets later and see if that is something I can use.


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Thanks for the wow!!!! Lol
When choosing pallet wood, I'm pretty picky about it. I don't gather broken or ones that are cupped or bowed. To much work cleaning them up. It's back breaking work, but to me it can be rewarding. Plus it's FREE. Having a planer and jointer does make working with these a whole lot easier. Especially pallet wood. 
Pallet wood is usually grey and dirty due to the weather. Sometimes it's hard to tell what species it is before plaining. And if you've done concrete counters before? Why not for this. 
Good luck and don't forget about us here.


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## notmrjohn (Aug 18, 2012)

When using reclaimed or pallet wood, a metal detector is a nice thing to have before machining it. I usually play it safe and use drum and belt sanders instead of planers and jointers. Big stationary sander for big jobs, but it doesn't take long with ahnd belt sander to dress down wood on small jobs.

Down here some pallets are made from bois d'arc, you maybe run into some in Illinois too, Dom. That stuff can tear up a planer blade even if there is no metal.
There's a dozen or so pallet makers, refurbishers about a mile from me, they all have signs "We buy used pallets, any condition." Finding unwanted pallets around here is not so easy. In addition, just because a pallet seems to abandoned out behind some building, don't mean it is. Because of the concentration of makers, County made taking of pallets bit more serious "crime" than actual value of pallet would warrant. Similar to taking shopping carts in some locales, actual value of one item is not much, but cummulative effect for some businesses adds up.


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Thanks John. Yea Osage orange is some hard stuff, And it's one of the highest btu burning woods. I've been fortunate I haven't had any problems planing and jointing pallet wood.


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## VIFmike (Jul 21, 2012)

I use reclaimed wood for most of my projects. I have lots of it laying here at my home shop and at my job. I have access to literally bins full of it in white pine, oak, ash as well as some odd pieces of poplar etc.

I have lots of pieces of reclaimed oak and ash that are good sized. Let me know what size you need and I will see what I have at home or at work. I know I have some crane pallets made of oak and ash that have 4x4 runners that are 8 foot long. Let me know and I can even cut it down to the correct size if you need and ship it. It's pretty cheap to ship and I can send pics of it as well.


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## VIFmike (Jul 21, 2012)

On that note I am also about to build a kitchen island for a client. I am in the design process now. It will be sort of like that but with a wine cooler the customer already has for me to build in. 

I am also working on a butcher block style island made from oak strips from pallets. This one I have found to get ideas from...










I may or may not use pipe. I might go with 2" square tube or 1"x2" rectangle tube. But it could also easily be done with wood legs. Just something I am building for stock to post on etsy and sell. This one is priced at $1500


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