When I go to HD or Lowes they have strict guidelines when it comes to countertop overhang distance and the need for brackets. They just told me that 5" is the max size of overhang that does not need a bracket. In other granite places they say 12" is the max distance that one could have an overhang without a bracket needed. I am building a table with cabinets and putting a countertop on it, as well as an island. I had this idea of a table because friend did it. She used corian as the countertop. And she doesn't have brackets supporting it. In a granite showroom they have a table made out of granite.. the base and the top. The overhang is 15"... So my question is.. do I need brackets on a 15" overhang? On the island, a 12" overhang (rounded so just the middle is 12")? And if I do... and I'm using full overlay cabinets, wouldn't the bracket go on the side so I can open the cabinet? How does that look with brackets on 4 corners.. I mean, where are they placed exactly? Other option was to have 3/4" top with plywood under it.. Can't seem to find that.. And some granite people say it's not as strong.. others say the plywood would give more stability. This is important because someone could really get hurt if it's not done right.

Depending on where you live, stones are generally around 2cm or 3cm thick. If 2cm, then a subtop is needed under the stone. So with 1" = 2.54cm: 2cm = 0.787" 3cm = 1.181" These are averages with actual slab thicknesses around those numbers.

Yes, you will still need support. Check the "Stone Information and Advice" thread for more information, but to summarize.... countertop support: Supporting the width of the countertop: You need a corbel or support every 30 linear inches of unsupported overhang Supporting the depth of the countertop: General: You need to support at least 2/3 the entire depth of the stone, so assuming you have 24" deep cabinets on one side of the island and your seating overhang is on the other side, you need the following: If your granite is 2 cm thick, then there can be no more then 6" of of unsupported span with a 5/8" subtop If your granite is 3 cm thick, then there can be no more then 10" of unsupported span - no subtop required If you need support, then to determine your corbel dimensions: . Thickness of Stone - Dimension of Unsupported Span = Corbel Dimension . i.e., an 18" total overhang in 2 cm would require a 12" corbel; the same overhang in 3 cm would require an 8" corbel If you are using a pony wall or cabinets with a depth of less than 2 times the depth of the overhang, then you need to provide support to equal at least 2/3 of the total depth of the countertop.

Would you even notice this if you weren't going around with a tape measure? I'm pretty neurotic about finish details, but that wouldn't bother me. What bothers me is when you can see things like door jambs that don't have a uniform reveal and it jumps out. Your situation will not catch the eye unless you have had too many glasses of wine and are on your back on the floor comparing the undersides of the cabinet overhangs.