kitchen countertops - level or slight slope?

5 years ago

I'm hoping to remodel my kitchen this spring.

One of the MANY things I hate about my current kitchen is that water and any other spilled liquid drips (okay, runs) off the counters and down the face of cabinets and the dishwasher.

I did a rough measurement and found that the current countertop slope, from back to front, is about 1/4" for every four inches. So the back edge of the countertop (where it meets the wall) is about 1.5" higher than the edge above cabinet face frames. The current countertop is Corian; the previous homeowner had done a light remodel on this kitchen at some time in the past, at least 12+ years ago.

Being that this is something that drives me nuts, and I'm only going to get one chance to get this remodel done right....

I'd always thought countertops should be level - and IF there had to even a tiny slope at all, that it should be towards the wall/backsplash, where it would be easier to clean up with a sponge, rather than running down the front of the cabinetry, to the floor, etc. I'm planning on natural stone (granite or quartzite) for the future kitchen countertops.

What do Houzzers think?

Shouldn't kitchen countertops ideally be level?

If there "must" be a slope of any sort - should it be sloping down towards the back of the cabinets, or towards the front?

What's the maximum acceptable slope?

Would it be considered acceptable, when I select a contractor, for me to include in the contract that the cabinets must be level before the countertops are installed? Or to allow some small degree of unlevel variance - and if so, what is that acceptable variance? If a contractor refuses to have a clause in the work contract regarding the cabinetry being level - should I consider that a "red flag" and not sign with that contractor?

Thoughts?

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Comments (9)

PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
5 years ago
I have never heard of this kind of slope on a counter but if it is something you are concerned about make sure it is in your contract and also be aware of the added expense of making your cabinets level
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
5 years ago
The Natural Stone Institute only allows a 1/8" deviation in level over 10'. Yes, your tops should be level. Tile splashes won't look right and seams can be torqued by out-of-level tops.
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Beth H. :
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
there shouldn't be a slope at all. apparently the previous remodelers were sloppy.

everyone strives for level. no one purposely slopes their countertop.

cabinet installers should make sure it's level before templating for countertop

if it's an old house, walls and flooring should also be tended to for level/plumb.
love2browse
5 years ago
Do you have a full bullnose edge? I was told water can run back towards the cabinets with that type of edge.
PRO
Business_Name_Placeholder
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Many things could cause the current counter to be not leveled in 12+ years.

House foundations settle some over time. Some more than others. This is simply a result of the downward force of gravity on physical structures.

or

the floors may have got out of level by unforseen elements, like water damage under cabinets causing floor to get out of whack

or

just a bad original install.

Either way, a good contractor will check all this, & level out whatever needs to be leveled to make a level countertop.

A good contractor & or countertop fabricator has ways to check & install a level counter.

You could request a level check & countertop in writing by whoever you are going to get to install. It's standard practice to do this anyway, so I do not see a problem asking for this. If the installer refuses to put this in writing, I would hire someone who will, if that helps you have peace of mind.
PRO
Flo Mangan
5 years ago
Make it level. No bullnose will stop run off. Top surface is flat to edging. Just make sure the requirements are clear in writing and with sketch if possible.
PRO
Flo Mangan
5 years ago
The most used edging today is an “eased” edge on top corner.
Fori
5 years ago
Yup, you want it level.

It used be a thing for tiled counters with tiled-in sinks to have the counter slope into the sink, though. These counters had raised edges and coved tiles into the backsplashes. Very functional.
suezbell
5 years ago
It seems that what you do not want is something called a "waterfall edge".

You might want a "marine edge"?

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/213076626104995377/

Formica countertops had a slight "mound" in the front -- a slightly raised edge -- even the butcher block look ones.