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Quartzite overhang on kitchen island

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36K views 41 replies 11 participants last post by  SuncoastHS  
W
#1 ·
Hey all. I am getting conflicting feedback on supporting a 16" quartzite overhang. Fabricator claims anything over 12" needs corbels and metal from my fabricator that anything over 12" will need corbel supports on a 16" overhang but metal 'support' guys are telling me their metal brackets will be fine. Anyone have experience with the brackets going with that much of an overhang?
Support brackets - Cabinetry Overhangs | CounterBalance | Countertop Fabrication
Design below
507349

507348

Thanks.
 
R
#5 ·
there are lots of metal supports that are screwed to the top of the island that will support 16" overhang with minimal downward projection. For a overhang of 16, a 12 projection ( cantilever ) will work with a 24 or 36 back on the island

I will try to find the ones I used recently without issue
 
R
#6 ·
W
#9 ·
Thanks - found all the brackets online. Just looking for 'real world' opinion from those that actually used them with a 15" to 16" overhang because, while the manufacturer will generally claim everything will be just fine, sometimes it doesn't work out that way in real life.
 
#12 ·
The over hang question is probably the most asked question in our industry and also the one with the most conflicting answers. The reason for all the confusion is because of all the different products each having its own characteristics directly related to strength. As some one already stated the over hang specs should be determined by the fabricators as he will be the one familiar with the stone being used. In your case you said quartzite, is it in fact quartzite or Quartz (Cambria, Silestone, ceaserstone, etc) because this will be on opposite sides of the strength scale. If it is natural Quartzite I would automatically support any thing over 10” especially on an island that has a two sided overhang meeting at a corner. Further more quartzite is like no other natural stone depending on the color it can be hard like steel but fragile like a marble, it can be dense as an absolute black granite yet absorb humidity and stains like a sponge. It’s usually full of resined micro cracks that will break under the slightest amount of weight if not supported properly. There for at 16” over hang you cannot have any deflection whatsoever so metal flat bars countersunk and anchored in the cabinet deflect to much and are out of the question. Properly anchored corbels would be better Or in the case of very fragile stone like quartzite I would ask to have the cabinet guy frame out the over hang from the cabinet and drop legs at the ends and the corner like a dining room table.
 
W
#13 ·
Thank you very much for that very detailed explanation. I understand everything you said completely, and agree with your advice.

Quick question: What wood would you suggest for the overhang/box. I'm assuming the harder the better, but what species would 'you' go with were you doing this job?

Thanks again.
 
#27 ·
A flat bar anchored to cabinets is usually only a 1/4” thick, to exaggerate the idea of deflection it’s like a diving board especially when your trying to go get 16. ” it is acceptable for certain stones with over hangs at 10-12” even 16” (with the right stone) but if this client is trying to install a what will end up being almost a whole slab of ex: Taj Mahal quartzite it will crack when some one sits or climbs up on that outside corner of the overhangs.
 
W
#38 ·
It is wasted space. I converted to drawers I obviously won't be using every day. Think of them like 'backup storage"

I need a big overhang so that sitting at the island does not 'suck' like 99% of the islands out there that feel like they were built for Tattoo from fantasy island.
 
#20 ·
wootoot said:
Hey all. I am getting conflicting feedback on supporting a 16" quartzite overhang. Fabricator claims anything over 12" needs corbels and metal from my fabricator that anything over 12" will need corbel supports on a 16" overhang but metal 'support' guys are telling me their metal brackets will be fine. Anyone have experience with the brackets going with that much of an overhang?
Support brackets - Cabinetry Overhangs | CounterBalance | Countertop Fabrication
Design below View attachment 507349
View attachment 507348
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Counter guys are right. As a GC we do these all the time during remodels. Google “ hidden counter bracket”. They go on before the counter, attach to the face frame of the cabinet and support the overhang without legs or corbels. Space them every 12” and you’ll be fine and nobody will see them.
 
M
#25 · (Edited)
Try to imagine tilting/placing that stone with hidden supports sticking out. Ugh.

We did ours in marble with a 20" overhang on one side, 9' long, but have end walls for support. We left 7" overhang at the end walls. That fits 4 chairs nicely.

Btw, If you plan to have top drawers, they won't be very useful. Might want to mention that if you haven't already.
 
#32 ·
The linked Hidden Island Support Brackets would be fine except for the dual adjacent cantilevers. This job is going to require a custom square tube steel frame with the welds ground flat, painted flat black, and let into the cabinets.

The stone should be looked at as veneer only. If you can't have your crew dance a Conga line over the underlayment you've designed and installed, it ain't strong enough.
 
#34 ·
Kowboy said:
The linked Hidden Island Support Brackets would be fine except for the dual adjacent cantilevers. This job is going to require a custom square tube steel frame with the welds ground flat, painted flat black, and let into the cabinets.

The stone should be looked at as veneer only. If you can't have your crew dance a Conga line over the underlayment you've designed and installed, it ain't strong enough.
Click to expand...

We normally use this style.

507456


507457
 
#33 ·
My sis-in-law has a large overhang on her peninsula counter, probably 18” all around. old fashioned Formica p-lam. They eat all their meals there as a family, been doing that ever since the house was built in 1965. Works very well for eating, but the cabinets below are very difficult to access, basically you have to get on your knees.
 
#36 · (Edited)
The Natural Stone Institute, the 70-year-old trade association of the natural stone industry, allows 3cm stone to cantilever up to 10" without additional support. Engineered stone manufacturers allow up to 15" without additional support on 3cm. If you span more than about 5' with a 10" cantilever or so without additional support estone will sag, no matter what the manufacturers say.
 
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