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granite countertop overhang help

16 years ago

We are installing granite in our kitchen. We have a small bar top area that is in the shape of an "L" that is 3.5 ft by 6.5 feet. The support is a "knee wall" that is in front of the traditional cabinet base. This wall is made up of a 2x4 base plate and top with 1/2 inch ply board on either side and sheet rock on the outside section.

Our contractor is installing 3cm granite top that will be 14 inches wide. One inch will overhang the inside of the bar, 5 inches will sit on top of the wall and the other 8 will overhang for the bar top area.

Do we need corbels for this 8 inch of overhang(contractor says yes) and how far apart do they need to be?

Thanks

Featured Answer

brickeyee

13 years ago

I have used sheets of flat steel a number of times.

On house had a 15 inch overhang and the owner was adamant about nothing showing.

Some strips of 1/2 thick by 4 inch wide steel plate (around 40 inches long) filled the bill.

The end was beveled at around 45 degrees to make the strips blend in under the granite, and the top of the cabinets was notched to provide clearance.

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Comments (6)

debbie_2008
16 years ago
good question because I am being told by the guy doing the install on my granite (a sub not the fabricator) I can skip the corbels, the template guy told me today, I am on the edge, and he would skip them. My overhang is just under 12 inches. I want to skip them, but don't want to regret it. You will have more overhang than supported, unless I am misunderstanding? Yours could be a diff situation.
annzgw
16 years ago
Since you have such a narrow base that the granite is sitting on, I'd definitely add support. If someone decided to sit on it or a child tries to swing from the ledge it could definitely break. Of course its strength depends on the type of granite you have.

Corbels don't have to be huge and bulky if you don't like that look. The best prices I've found are online.

My granite overhangs a little over 12 inches and the corbels are 27" apart. The amount of granite that overhangs the corbels is around 3".
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We are doing kitchen upgrade- keeping our cabinets but replacing laminate countertops with granite. Our island is a bit unusual- two 18 " cabinets with a 30" opening between them, so my husband who uses a wheelchair can wheel underneath. We'd like to add 10" to either end of the island, making it a total of 86" long. The width is 36", with the cabinets being 26" and a 10" overhang. We know we need to add extra support for the granite. We are thinking of using two corbels on each end to cover the 10" overhang. Then using the counterbalance brackets I've read about on this forum for the 10" overhang on the long side. My questions are: are 2 of the brackets enough support, or would I need 4 brackets to support the 86" length? And do I need any extra support for the 30" opening between the cabinets? We'd like to get this worked out before the granite guys come to measure and template. Thanks for any suggestions.
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@mudworm, I've never seen any numbers on what overhang soapstone can handle without support. Because it is softer than granite, I'd guess that it wouldn't handle as much - but there are different kinds of strengths so I could be wrong. Maybe you could put up a post with a title like "How much support for a soapstone overhang?" Something to get the folks who know soapstone better to comment. You wouldn't wand to do it without a subtop and have it crack - especially if it fell on someones foot. You might think of it as a sub-top rather than a rough top. You want a finished surface because it will be visible. It could be plywood with a 1/4 round molding along the edge painted to match the wall. Or wood veneer to match your cabinets. @natal - the raw granite for our island cost over $2000 - that's not counting the fab. Looking around on the web, piece of cherry veneer cabinet grade 3/4" plywood, 4 x 8 is less than $200. I'm sorry that I didn't think of it at the time. It's true that isn't a big deal to not have that touch, but it would have been worth the small additional cost to me.
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My architect/designer sez these days Granite prices lower than nearly all the other solid surfaces and contributes to its popularity espec if u r not looking for esoteric colors. Marble, which i have alot of in our offices for multiple conf and other tables, even in a dark shade, is "delicate" in the sense that it is brittle and can crack etc, and in a lite color maintenance is brutal b/c it will stain (not an issue with, say, a dark wine color marble like we have but it does crack). I have seen some Granite Tiles used where costs need trimming and when done in larger tiles, and done well and creatively, the look is acceptable and grout lines minimal. So you may be able to compromise in one area this way...it is the long lengths of granite that set you back. Soapstone is a joy b/c of the touch, and if you like it oiled up black, stains not an issue. Natural colors of soapstone are lovely but we have only used that in dining area cabinet tops in bar-like areas...and natural is not good for kitchen. (It also is great in bathrooms, even flooring b/c it isnt slippery). But soapstone is a more old-fashioned/colonial like look...not slick and modern My favorite for counters is Stainless Steel!!! installed in 1993 i still love it. But i would then warm up the look by having the island be done in something else. Also St.Steel with dark wood cabs really look warm and approachable.
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weedyacres
16 years ago
When we were planning our kitchen, the cabinet company said the rule was 70% of the counter needs to be supported by the cabinet (i.e., only a 30% overhang). 30% of 14" means that only 4.2" can overhang without additional support.

If you've got 24" cabinets with a 12" overhang, then your granite is probably 37", so you're at 32%, probably close enough.
chefkev
16 years ago
The granite fabricator I just saw recommended no more than 10" overhang without braces or supports and 10" is what he did in his home, he did say though that even with 10" you could be in trouble if someone sits or stands on it.
ron6519
16 years ago
Support it every 30" at most.
Ron

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