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DIY Pallet Kitchen Island for less than $50!

When we were living in a rental, our home was lacking a counter space, and it didn’t have a Kitchen Island. So we built a DIY Pallet Kitchen Island for less than $50!

When we were living in a rental, our home was lacking a counter space, so we built a DIY Pallet Kitchen Island for less than $50.

I adore pallets and when we needed a budget friendly option, I turned to what I knew would be most economical! 

Loving how our Pallet Bookcase turned out, I wanted to do something similar.

Here’s how you can build a DIY Pallet Kitchen Island yourself for less than $50.

When we were living in a rental, our home was lacking a counter space, so we built a DIY Pallet Kitchen Island for less than $50.

DIY Pallet Kitchen Island Materials

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  • 4 – 4 X 4 posts – cut to your height
  • 2 – 2 X 4s – the length of board should fit your space. We used scrap wood.
  • Pallet Wood
  • Tape measure
  • Screws
  • Drill and Table Saw

We didn’t have an existing frame as we did with our Pallet Bookcase, so we had to build a frame.

This wood purchase was all that we needed for this project, but you can buy all the wood for the framing inexpensively.

When we were living in a rental, our home was lacking a counter space, so we built a DIY Pallet Kitchen Island for less than $50.

The corner posts are 4 x 4s cut to our counter height which is typically about 36 inches.

The framing is from 2 x 4s. Make sure there is enough clearance for any appliance doors before you make your cuts.

We measured for the exact fit of this kitchen as well as our height, so I am not including exact measurements since your space will vary.  They should fit to your space and needs.

When we were living in a rental, our home was lacking a counter space, so we built a DIY Pallet Kitchen Island for less than $50.

I wanted the weathered pieces to be the most prominent, so we cut and fit them to the sides and attached by using the existing holes.

When we were living in a rental, our home was lacking a counter space, so we built a DIY Pallet Kitchen Island for less than $50.

Look at that beautiful, natural gray, washed out by wind, sun and rain!

I’m seriously swooning!

When we were living in a rental, our home was lacking a counter space, so we built a DIY Pallet Kitchen Island for less than $50.

We built this DIY Pallet Kitchen Island’s to create additional storage space, but hidden from plain view. We created shelves and a front to hide the storage.

When we were living in a rental, our home was lacking a counter space, so we built a DIY Pallet Kitchen Island for less than $50.

For the front, I wanted a rustic, pieced together feel, so I varied my wood textures and hues.

When we were living in a rental, our home was lacking a counter space, so we built a DIY Pallet Kitchen Island for less than $50.

The very bottom shelf was most visible. Continuing with that weathered, rustic feel, we cut pallet sides to varying lengths and used distressing glaze to hide the cuts.

When we were living in a rental, our home was lacking a counter space, so we built a DIY Pallet Kitchen Island for less than $50.

So now for the next shelf and top!

When we were living in a rental, our home was lacking a counter space, so we built a DIY Pallet Kitchen Island for less than $50.

Using the braces on the sides, we cut scrap wood to fit the length between the two braces. For the top, we used other wood from a previous project in order to cut our wood costs.

Recycling and upcycling is key to saving money!

When we were living in a rental, our home was lacking a counter space, so we built a DIY Pallet Kitchen Island for less than $50.

It’s important to note: I don’t recommend using pallet wood for the top of a kitchen island.  

Since pallet wood is treated with chemicals, it isn’t safe for a food prepping surface. But if you don’t have scrap wood on hand, this will add to your bottom line if you need to purchase it.

When we were living in a rental, our home was lacking a counter space, so we built a DIY Pallet Kitchen Island for less than $50.

Since the wood top was new, I distressed the top and frame to create a weathered look. This also added a semi-seal to help with food stains.

When we were living in a rental, our home was lacking a counter space, so we built a DIY Pallet Kitchen Island for less than $50.

So there you have it!

An easy weekend project that didn’t take rocket science to create, but a perfect temporary solution to a kitchen problem!

All for less than $50.

When we were living in a rental, our home was lacking a counter space, so we built a DIY Pallet Kitchen Island for less than $50.

It was a helpful addition to storage and was cute to boot!

When we were living in a rental, our home was lacking a counter space, so we built a DIY Pallet Kitchen Island for less than $50.

So If this post inspires you to build your own DIY Pallet Kitchen Island, be sure to share your creations with me!

I’d love to see what you come up with. For more tips on how to decorate a rental, you can read how we adding our touch here.

UPDATE:

You should see this kitchen island now! We converted it to fit our Farmhouse kitchen.

DIY Farmhouse Kitchen Island - how to make an affordable kitchen island for your home.

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When we were living in a rental, our home was lacking a counter space, so we built a DIY Pallet Kitchen Island for less than $50.

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21 Comments

  1. Pingback: 21 projets de palettes en bois de bricolage – La femme de ta maison
  2. We toenailed them in, meaning we drilled thru the cross piece in at an angle toward the 4 x 4 to connect the two boards together. If I had a kreg-jig, I would have used that, but the toenailing does the trick.

    Hope that helps – feel free to ask me any other questions you may have!

  3. How did you attach the cross pieces to the 4 X 4’s.

  4. Jen,
    LOVE your $50 kitchen island…it will be featured at my arty on Monday. Thank you for sharing it at Show and Share.

    Blessings,
    Linda