Island on wheels??

[pray4surf]

Considering a kitchen remodel. Wife wants an island w/out sink, stovetop, etc. Just a prep surface.

Despite the smaller nature of the existing kitchen, I think a small on is quite doable. Thinking 'outside the box' I'm wondering if it would be possible to put the island on wheels.

Obviously, I'll need a way to lock the wheels to prevent the unit from rolling while in use...

In my thinking, the mobility allows for greater flexibility...

Is this possible/feasible?

Your comments are appreciated...

Also, any advantage to installing the flooring from wall-to-wall then installing the base cabinets?

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[Mike]

This is done all the time. Sometimes the look of the wheels is a plus with the design (industrial type). You can also build it so the casters are hidden by the base molding.

How about whees just on one end?

It depends on what type of flooring you are using...does not make sense if you are paying $5.00 per square foot....that means you will have an extra cost (approx. $200.00) in flooring that you will never see. If you are doing it so you don't lose the height, then build up under the cabinets with plywood.

[Dan Hartung]

Commonly done, often with a butcher-block type cutting surface. (If your wife is anti-bacterial happy, then consider a replaceable synthetic surface, or just a hard surface on which to use those throw-away cutting sheets.) They can be designed with open storage below or match the enclosed cabinetry.

As a kid, my family had a wheeled dishwasher with a cutting-board top and hose attachments for the kitchen sink. It made a small kitchen more flexible, but when we moved to a new house my mom insisted on a built-in!

Do think in advance where it will be "stowed". If it will just stay in one place the wheels may not be an advantage. Try a cardboard mock-up the size you're thinking and make sure it doesn't choke up the work area, and you can also move it around to think about how it would be used in different positions.

[Stephen R]

Putting an island on wheels is good if you have a place to park it out of the way. I would imagine it would be a pain to move it all the time. Be careful if you have a floor which can mark up easy. I know there are resilient rubber/lockable casters available, but once you roll it over something hard, it could mark up the floor.

Stephen R.

[barry martin]

Rick:

P > Considering a kitchen remodel. Wife wants an island w/out sink, stovetop, P > etc. Just a prep surface. P > P > Despite the smaller nature of the existing kitchen, I think a small on is P > quite doable. Thinking 'outside the box' I'm wondering if it would be P > possible to put the island on wheels. P > P > Obviously, I'll need a way to lock the wheels to prevent the unit from P > rolling while in use...

Yes, that was one of my initial thoughts. Another was the flooring surface needs to be something reasonably hard so as to keep the casters/whaterv from sinking in. OTOH don't want too hard. Thinking ceramic tile would get damaged (crack) if use a metal caster. Hard rubber might be OK on such a floor.

As for doable: yes. We've installed wheels under entertainment centers, etc., so as to make them more easily moveable. Big problem is sinkning into the carpet. Solution seems to be to use as large a wheel as possible.

- ¯ barry.martinþATþthesafebbs.zeppole.com ®

• Odd Books: "Old & Barren: Embracing Your Inner Spinster"

[xymergy]

My house came with such an island on wheels. Two things I want to point out about it, one good, one not so good. The good part of mine is that it is topped with stainless steel, which I love. The bad part is that it was built to be 36" high (standard counter height), and then the wheels were added, which made it uncomfortably high for me. I took the wheels off, and now it's perfect. I don't miss the wheels, personally, and am only mentioning this so that if you do decide to use wheels, make sure you include their height in the total measurement of the island for comfort.

[MJS]

Think about how one works in a kitchen.... I want to be able to scrap to a waste hole when I trim an onion, garlic.... (trash, compost or disposal.) I want to keep a small amount of hot, soapy water to rinse between uncooked and not cooked.... (hot and waste connection)

THS

[norminn]

I've always wanted an island, never had one. It can be very flexible and convenient. Wheels wouldn't need to lock unless you are doing something pretty strenuous. Design it for flexibility, flooring type and special cooking interest - if the cook does a lot of pastries/cookies, a marble top might be nice. Could have fold down leaves to double as a buffet server for company. Special storage for baking and cutlery tools. I'm a clean freak about cutting boards; always wanted a butcher block. Can stack removable cutting board AND marble if built right - just switch them.

[.]

check out a restraunt supply store for stainless steel type of table / cart with wheels that lock and whatever type of storage you desire below the tabletop - doors or drawers or open shevles

[Frogleg]

The OP said the disired object was additional prep *surface* (space), not the whole kitchen enchilada. No one has enough counter space or storage in a kitchen. A 'floating' island would be very handy for both. If small, it could easily be shoved around for cleaning, and close to existing counter area to extend the space.

[me63401]

Have any links for such and island?

John

[.]

quick search on google: restraunt supply worktable

with lower shelf options to add drawers and casters

this will give you several pictures...

just have to go to you local phone book and find some-one i'm sure they will be able to outfit the table the way you want it

david

[Bob Bowles]

[me63401]

Thanks so much

I live alone....dont even have a kitchen table or chairs yet.

I am curious if such a "kitchen island" could be used as a "table" to eat off as well as additional work space in the kitchen? Just get some counter height stools to set around it? What do you think?

I like the idea of a stainless steel top.

John

[norminn]

clipped

You can do any damn thing you WANT to when you live alone, and you can do it naked :o)

I like the idea of living alone, but I don't :o)

[Dorot29701]

We recently got new kitchen cabinets. I have a small "U" shaped kitchen and the open end of the U is a dining section. I needed more drawer space - so the man who built the cabinets built me a free standing cabinet on rollers - so I can move it out of the way when I need to move something large through the back door.

It's very steady and does not roll easy - I mean I have to really push so I can clean under it. It matches my other cabinets and has a formica top. Could easily move it over to between kitchen and dinette and use as island.

Dorothy

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, usually you install two free rolling castors and two locaking ones. That way it's easy to move around and when parking, lock them. Tony

[Dorot29701]

Tony -

Mine may have the two locking ones -nothing was said about it and I wouldn't know from just looking. Could be the reason it's not too easy to move.

Dorothy