recycled kitchen islands on wheels

I'd also check craigslist. Mine had a rustic work table/work bench that would have been perfect

I love the cart idea! You might be able to recycle an old table or workbench with character. If the table is 30" high, add 4" industrial wheels, and 1" - 2" butcher block or stone, and you are up to typical counter height.

I think it's an excellent solution.

A moveable cart sounds like a great solution to your space, but one thing I wonder is how moving it, even irregularly, might impact your floor. It looks like oak?

We recycled a 5'x3' dining table with a 2cm carrara top, into a work table island, which is 34" high--correct for my height. We added a platform, blocks to extend the legs, a cabinet, and a couple of short shelves. I later added a cast iron swing stool on each short end. It's not attached, but it's so heavy and bulky, I would not want to be the one moving it, especially not often. Having said that, I love it, and it's become the centerpiece of the kitchen.

A few years ago, I built my grandson a play cart, by recycling an outdated entertainment center. I set the wooden cabinet on an old metal industrial cart, like those that painters use, and attached it with nuts and bolts. It's on wheels and we frequently move it in and out of the playroom to set up tables for large family meals. I can move it by myself, but it is substantially smaller and lighter than the island, and no stone counter top. Only one set of wheels swivel, so I have to 'steer' it--make sure all your wheels or castors swivel.

I look forward to seeing your cart.

SF Craigslist

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/for/5411807188.html

Three of these benches

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/tls/5406942743.html

two UC Berkeley lab tables

FOR FREE!!!!

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/zip/5408401316.html

School lab table, 40.00 or BO

https://monterey.craigslist.org/fuo/5410558836.html

Whether they're soapstone or epoxy resin, you'd almost need a crane to lift those lab tables, but oh what a great find!

I have salvaged epoxy resin lab tops for perimeter counter, and used a scrap for a pad for my stand mixer, so I can vouch for their durability. I buffed out the more obvious scratches, but they were in better shape than the ones form UC appear to be. Soapstone would be even easier to refinish. Ours were salvaged from a high school, and used in a church for a while before we bought them. And, no, the thought of dissections being conducted on them does not make me squeamish.

Like Leela4, I was a bit concerned about your floor material. What I've found with casters on heavy objects is that they tend to sink into any kind of resilient flooring enough to really resist rolling, or if you have tile floor they get hung up on the grout lines. But with a concrete floor, I wouldn't expect you to have any concerns on that front.

I think 72x30 would be a good size for you--big enough to be useful, but allowing a bit more aisle space and breathing room.

that uc berkeley tables are supposedly 150 lbs

that uc berkeley tables are supposedly 150 lbs

Correct, according to the ad, which I didn't read before my previous post. But they are painted wood tops, not soapstone or resin. I guess if they're used in a lab, they can technically be called lab tables. :[

Here is a moveable island we did in a kitchen last year. I'm not a fan of casters...but if you plan to move it a lot...I guess that would be more practical. Or you can buy those furniture gliding pads to put underneath the 'legs'.

Shiloh Cabinetry: Modern Country Kitchen - Xenia, OH · More Info

I wouldn't want a lab table in my home! It could be contaminated with radiation, chemicals, or bacteria (amongst other things). I'm assuming they have used a geiger counter as part of routine safety inspections, so that likely rules out radiation. But as a former lab employee and science student, I wouldn't want a lab bench in my home, especially in a food area.

OMG do not use a used lab table in your kitchen, not safe!!! Who knows what those things have been contaminated with over the years.

If lab tables were that easily contaminated, they'd be one use and disposable. They are made from very dense, impervious materials, soapstone or epoxy resin, and are very heat resistant. My children had a HS science teacher who set one of his lab tops on fire every year as a demonstration for the freshmen bio students.

I have to admit that I wouldn't want a lab top from the county morgue, but only because of the images that conjures. I'm very comfortable with my slabs, which were used in a HS lab--probably no radiation or human dissection going on there. As a rule, I don't prep raw food directly on the counters--I use a cutting board, but I would be comfortable eating directly off of them. I did have to deal with some chewed up gum, stuck on the undersides--OMG!

Nice! The marble is gorgeous!

Re. lab table, I checked with DH who's a hands-on lab scientist. There's no health issue with using lab tables unless they come from a safety level lab (and then you wouldn't even get them), plus lab tables are decontaminated on a regular basis IF there are bacteria, etc, otherwise your experimental samples would be contaminated. There are more chemicals in regular furniture or carpeting/fibers than on a lab table.

I'm a hands-on lab scientist too, and I would not feel comfortable with a generations-old lab table (with unknown maintenance) with painted top in my kitchen. I do not agree at all about the chemicals - for example a frequently-used chemical in genetics labs is ethidium bromide - a very toxic chemical that causes birth defects. Many labs in the "old days" especially in academia were very casual about its use and chemical hygiene and disposal. You will not find ethidium bromide in carpet or furniture.

Radioactive isotopes may also penetrate wood and contaminate it long term, and maybe be within safety limits for a lab surface but not a food prep surface.

Anyway it sounds like the tables are not a good fit for the OP, but just in case anyone else is thinking of picking them up, I wanted to put that caution out there!

I absolutely agree about a used lab table with a painted wood top, or any kind of porous top. (As I mentioned before--any table used in a lab is technically a lab table, but I think most of us expect a lab table to have a soapstone or epoxy resin top.) **And if anyone decides to rehab a soapstone or epoxy resin top, please do your research, work outside (especially with epoxy resin), and use protective gear.** This thread might come up in a search, so it's always good to repeat the warnings.

Now, does anyone know if the rumors about granite being radioactive are true?

Apologies to rjksnf--I think I have cabin fever. ;)

Yum! Can hardly wait to see the finished product.

I love me a cool, custom island. Our original plan was also to get ours on wheels. However, we needed it wired and the electricians couldn't figure out how to wire it, have it moveable and have it pass inspection. When I complained/whined to my contractor about the lack of options, he said, "Geez, Daisy. Most people just stick a couple of base cabs together, slap a counter on them and call it a day." The perils of hanging out on GW.

Love the wheeled cart, and looking forward to seeing the larger cart!

That wood and marble together are fantastic! Fun project.

Thank you, I am very excited. The base will be delivered Saturday and the marble installed Tuesday.

This is going to be terrific. I look forward to your photos when it's all in place. Love it.

Gotta get in for the end results. I really think the wood and stone look great together.

Morning everyone. I should wait until all is finished but I'm just too excited. This morning, the island base and crank table were delivered. Nothing is staged but I wanted to share a few photos.

Apologies for the messy home and my scrubby face but I wanted to provide an idea of the scale. I just measured the island base and with the 3 cm marble, it will be exactly the height of my perimeter cabs. Once all is finished I will include a breakdown of the materials used for both pieces.

Looks awesome! Love the cart.

I was going to wait until the marble was on to comment, but that looks great! Happy to hear that you are so excited.

Wonderful. Beautiful. Feel free to send it to me if you decide you don't like it! And, did you decide to not have wheels? Either way - super cool.

No wheels. I couldn't find any I liked. After I reduced depth measurement to 30 in, I no longer will need to move it regularly. Instead, we put adhesive felt pads on each foot. It moves easily for cleaning purposes. Cutting the wheels also increased the amount of vertical space for the shelves.

Awesome! It's a work of art. You too.

Beautiful! How did you find whomever made this island? And did you make the plans, etc.? Looks awesome.

I have been working with the carpenter who made it for years. He has built most of my furniture (including the chimney cabinet you can see in one of the photos). If anyone is interested and lives in the Bay Area, I'm happy to provide his contact details but I am not sure of the rules about posting that kind of stuff. He has done some notable commercial work as well and he has a booth every month at the Alameda flea market.

I designed the island and selected the materials, he did all of the wood work and had his welder fabricate the steel.

It looks perfect and I am sure with the marble on will be stunning!

My kid is in the Bay area, but I'm sure that's not in his budget :)

Still super impressed by the design and the execution.

Thank you for the kind words!

The carpenter's pricing is competitive. Typically, pieces cost more than something you will find in a West Elm, but less than something at Restoration Hardware. You also get the benefit of all wood construction and most materials are reclaimed. He does have a rule about not copying things that are available from other places so he typically won't copy the Restoration Hardware or Pottery Barn stuff. He does negotiate on things that he sells at the flea market and I have enjoyed some good deals. Custom work is not as flexible in the pricing department as you are paying as much for his time as you are for the final product but he will work with you on budget and is good about keeping to it.

If you look at the blog page, you can see some of his current inventory and he highlights certain custom work.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bryan Appleton Designs.

Wonderful. Love it so much.

It's finished. I may have had a nightmare about the install last night, but lets ignore that as everything was easy peasy.

Im in love. The marble glows and the grey, green, and mostly gold veins comment the wood perfectly. Now I just need to resolve the rest of the kitchen :)

for or some reason, I can't get more photos to load so I will try a new comment.

More photos.

Materials:

-The frame is steel L braces that were welded together.

-The shelves are 3/4" alder plywood with the same stain as our table.

-The wood paneling on the front is reclaimed redwood that was scrubbed clean and then sealed with a clear coat.

-The top is honed 3 cm Eureka Calacatta Danby.

A big thanks to everyone who helped me sort this out. I am very humbled by how much assistance I received including searching Craigslist for a suitable base for me!!!!

The island top is beautiful! Go ahead and wax poetic--I've said that my Carrara top reminds me of crusted-over snow. Sometimes I still stop and look at the veins in it, and run my hands over the surface. I hope you get a rush every time you walk into the kitchen. :)

Well, that is just gorgeous! I love the rustic with the classic marble - the thickness of the marble is perfect. Can't quite get over that veining either - wow.

I was waiting for the marble & I am not disappointed. The whole project is impressive & that marble is icing on the cake. Great job on the templating. I have quieter Imperial Danby & am feeling some vein envy.

Thanks everyone! The marble really is something. It is so silky smooth and so creamy white. The light color really improves the dark feeling of the kitchen.

I spent a long time on the template. I stood in front of the slab with tape and slowly marked out various options. Then I would take a photo and crop out the rest of the slab. Then I sent that photos to my partner and a good friend and we debated the movement. It was actually a useful approach and I would do it the next time I need to templates stone. It really helped to isolate the proposed area and not be distracted by the other parts of the slab.

i love your marble Romy. Your whole kitchen, actually. I think the veining throughout you counters is great.