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counter bar overhang support

11 years ago
quartz countertop to be placed over newly installed kitchen cabinets with an overhang for bar stools…countertop 36" ht. installer states that the overhang can only be 6" without support underneath…we have seen 9" overhang without support…your thoughts?

Comments (17)

  • 11 years ago
    Can he do l brackets? We bang our knees on the corbels all the time. Ouch!
  • 11 years ago
    Both are only 72" wide, have a wall on each side of the overhang and will have the same 2 cm quartz material installed for the countertop. The articles I continue to read have never stated 6" as a maximum overhang without extra support like the installer is quoting my daughter with no written reason to limit the overhang to 6". Please help us or should we start over to purchase the material and have installed by different company rather than Lowes:)
  • 11 years ago
    We have 11" overhang and there is no additional support. Today we talked to our contractor about the bar we will have in the near future and he said that you can go up to 10" without any additional support. Anything longer than that would need some support underneath. I am assuming you are not planning to sit on top of it
  • 11 years ago
    6" overhang is way too narrow for brackets for anyone to even consider sitting at the counter:(
  • 11 years ago
    Ok, now I get it,,Lowes..never ask them for advice
  • 11 years ago
    printesa is confirming what my research has found about the 10" and we just want to use 9"…guess my daughter needs your installer!
  • 11 years ago
    Thanks, I truly don't want to bash Lowes but just want them to get the job done for my daughter:)
  • 11 years ago
    My counter overhang is 11" & the material is 1 1/2" LG manmade solid surface. I wanted a deep overhang as we are all long legged. No support. The span is six feet. That's why you need to question, research & read up.
  • 11 years ago
    Our bar will be 10' wide so, for that span, we can do 10" overhang without any additional support. Ask other installers and see what they charge and if they can do it.
  • 11 years ago
    it depends on if any countertop is cut out of the supported side, as well, such as for a sink or cooktop. our cooktop was close to one end so very little quartz went through, but i was happy to have corbels.
  • 11 years ago
    I think it would depend on the weight and thickness of the countertop and the material used. 2cm versus 3cm will weigh less therefore you should be able to have more overhang unsupported with 2cm. Granite will obviously weigh more than laminate so they should have different requirements for those as well. I would ask around at a few other kitchen design shops and see what they recommend for the type of material and the thickness. I would play it safe and have some sort of support added if necessary. I don't like corbels much myself....but would rather have them versus having my counter possible crack.
  • 11 years ago
    2 cm is WEAKER and can not span as much distance without support as 3 cm can. The installer is CORRECT about the distance that 2 cm can span. Look at doing an invisible CounterBalance steel brace.
  • PRO
    11 years ago
    At a height of 36" your overhang should be 12" to fit a barstool under, at 6" that is more of a lean-to. And, I second Sophie's advice .. 2cm is weaker, and therefore not as strong as a 3cm .. don't look at it as one is lighter vs heavier, it's a thickness-thing not a weight-thing.
  • 11 years ago
    Our installer "recommended" a brace for our 11" overhang ... But he added that as long as we don't sit on it or place any extraordinary weight on it it would be fine. We opted to omit the brace in favor of a cleaner look. 4 years and no problem!
  • 11 years ago
    Use one of the metal supports like CounterBalance!
  • 10 years ago

    Of course, this is an old thread, but to help others who may be searching, use steel! http://www.countertopbracket.com/