DIY Island Bar Table – Converting a Table and Benches to an Island Bar with shelves and a wine rack
It went something like this …….
I’m on the phone to my bubble.
“I don’t like my table and benches, they’re just not working and don’t fit my décor anymore. I’ve just seen a great table with shelves on one side and bar stools, on IKEA”.
Bubble sends message, with pic below 😊 ….. (via SIGNAL, if you haven’t dumped WhatsApp yet, do so and don’t use Telegram) .
I say, “But that’s almost the same as your current table” and as if to remind, send her a pic of her current table, at which she’s probably currently sitting 😊.
“But it’s got shelves and bar stools”, she says.
By now I’ve gone on to IKEA’s site and located the table….torken , corken, vunder buffen 😂.
I drop down to “Dimensions” and say, “They’re not bar stools, because the table isn’t bar table height, 42” (107 cm) …… { just one of those things that for some reason I knew, how, why, I have no idea }.
“But I’ve always wanted an island bar table and stools in the Kitchen”.
“It’s basically the same as your table, but costs £250 ! 😂”
“I know, but it’s nice”.
I have the feeling that I’m in a pub and seeing a leather seat, sit on it, but it begins to move and I realise that the seat is a saddle and that the saddle is attached to a bucking bronco. Logic is just not going to play and I’ll have to go with the flow. The rides started, there’s no alternative.
Where was my head, when I say, “I’ll stick some tall legs on your table, job done, money saved ! “.
“But the IKEA has shelves”.
Yep, rabbit, head lights, like to please and brain out of gear, “Ok, I’ll stick in some shelves”.
We’d already arranged that I’d go down for a while and I get bored on the 5-6 hour drive down, during which I think, (which, I probably wasn’t at the time), ‘mmm, a wine rack would work well and she’s wanted one, since moving in’.
Driving nostalgia, Pork Pies, Songs in your head, Dog, Fun ?
I’m carrying some tools, contingently as always, but no idea of design or any other form of planning.
In my business career, I was ace at planning, but in DIY and indeed life, not great. Regarding DIY, there’s a reason and that’s, that I can’t draw.
One of my best mates at school, who was taking another class at the time, later that day told me that he had heard the Technical Drawing teacher, with whom I was ‘enjoying’ tuition, shouting my name at the top of his voice, which was apparently heard, the other side of the school. The detail was muffled, but my name had been clear.
I had/have a problem with perspective and chuck in to that, Isometric and the other variant thing (was it 3rd angle, orthopaedic 
?), accompanying white noise and my perspective issue and I had problems with my drawings. This usually resulted in the creation of physically impossible structures and apparently, teacher frustration.
So, that’s the prologue to my DIY – Table to Island Bar conversion with shelves and a wine rack.
Arriving Saturday, I had Sunday off.
MONDAY – Day 1
This was basically taking the table legs off and seeing how they attached to the top and visiting a local Builders Merchant to buy 44mm planed wood, Screwfix for a 14mm drill bit (hadn’t brought one with me, that was that large) and a cheap (probably just good enough for the job), G cramp.
Using the table as a bench, measurements were marked and holes drilled for the first leg and so it went on ….
Amazing how the new table height immediately got used and was much more fun than the old, even though we were standing to eat or drink (no bar stools )
TUESDAY – Day 2
Playing around with bits of wood (the design thought process).
This seemed the way forward.
Went to the beach.
WEDNESDAY – Day 3
Some assembly began, using nuts and coach bolts.
THURSDAY – Day 4
This was a period of thinking about the design of the island bar and how stuff would then go together, so much so, that bemused, I was asked, “Why have you just been standing there for an hour or two ?”. Seemingly she was not alone.
All this whilst intermittently involving myself with my bubbles search on Facebook (Satan get behind me) Marketplace in a hunt for bar stools (bargain ! ) and then driving for about an hour and a half, to collect some.
FRIDAY – Day 5
SATURAY – Day 6
Visited a woodyard for plywood sheet and they cut to my sizes, apart from the shelves, which I cut and affix with metal brackets.
SUNDAY – Day 7
We realise that the bar stools are too wide for the table, which makes it difficult for us both to get in and out of them when we are both sat at the island and so my bubble sells the bar stools, at a profit ! Then buys a different new pair.
MONDAY – Day 8
Sanding to prep for painting and gluing of shelves.
I’ve FINISHED !
Now over to my bubble for painting 
.
TUESDAY – Day 9
Painting.
WEDNESDAY – Day 10
Great colour choice ! (not made by me).
From this …….
To this ……
I have to admit that my bubble was right. This island thingy makes sense, its much more practical than the table and benches and much more fun. Nice one, great decision.
DIY Island Bar Table – Converting a Table and Benches to an Island Bar with shelves and a wine rack
Brilliant job.