Need advice for knocking off this kitchen island...

[cooper bennett]

I'm doing my best to copy-cat this piece:

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/produ...GAN&cm_ite=Std

This thing is made in China from supposedly reclaimed unfinished pine. Since I definitely don't have any of that, I'm looking for suggestions on what type of wood to use as well as how to finish it to get a similar look. I don't have a jointer/planer and don't plan on buying one. I've looked into a local reclaimed wood business but they charge through the nose and I'm not sure they have what I want anyway.

The legs are the part that is confusing to me. They appear to be 6/4 or 8/4, and I'm not sure where to get any wood that thick except for the standard 2x4 options at Lowe's. Otherwise I would try it with soft maple.

Could this simply be done with standard pine dimensional lumber? I realize it might take some time to finish it nicely, but I'm willing to do that.

Also, I feel like I could find some older weathered barnwood....the kind that has turned sort of grey. Could I sand that type of wood down a bit and stain to get a nice color?

Thanks for any advice!

[Jamie Buxton]

Here's what you can do... Use construction lumber from Lowes -- fir or pine or whatever species your local Lowes carries. They'll have lumber that's thicker than 2x4, like 4x4. Rip it to the dimensions you want. (You do have a table saw or a bandsaw, right?) Don't worry that you don't have a jointer/planer; this is supposed to be a rustic piece, so you leave machining marks on the wood. Construction lumber is likely to be green, so it is going to dry and shrink as it slowly dries out in your house. Again, don't worry about it, this is a rustic piece. Build the table. Think about where the knots and saw marks and such are going to go. Conceal or cut off the grade stamps. Do not apply any finish to it; notice that the piece you're trying to copy is unfinished. Do not sand it. Just leave the surface as it comes from the mill. Then distress the piece a bit. Distressing is a standard technique for furniture that is new, but is supposed to look old and/or rustic. In distressing, beat it a bit with a hammer or chain to leave a few dents. Stab it with an awl or nail to leave holes that look like beetle holes. Carve some edges with a knife to simulate wear. Maybe stain it in a few spots with grape juice or dilute ink. Really, the woodworking is easy. The distressing is art.

[Kenneth Speed]

I see no reason not to use soft maple, I think you'll get a better, stronger piece out of it. You should be able to get 6/4 or 8/4 soft maple from a hardwood supplier without too much trouble.

I think you could tweak the design and make it a better and better looking unit. I don't see any real reason for that applied top and if I were to make one I'd be inclined to make wider drawers or four drawers instead of two. I'd also dispense with what I'm pretty sure is a false drawer on the end.

I think Jamie's suggestions for distressing the piece are good although I'd use something other than a hammer. Everyone recognizes hammer marks. I think you'd want to put a finish on it to protect it from moisture; it IS going to be in a kitchen. The question you have to decide is how distressed do you want it to look or when does distressed become almost destroyed?

[fred hecker]

cooper,

Cedar 4x4s can be a good solution for the legs. You might want to apply a clear coat to protect it from kitchen spills and splashes. Some cedar is the darker, more red, though the lighter stuff has more knots.
"Silestone" can be an excellent counter top, doesn't stain like granite. Wide range of colors, too.
Good luck!

Fred Hecker

[Stephen Cherry]

I'd start scanning the craigslist materials section. In my area recycled lumber of all sorts pops up regularly.