A typical overhang for a comfortable seating area should be around 25-30cm (10-12”), this should leave enough knee room and adequate space between the countertop edge and the person seated. Therefore, as the depth of the overhang increases, so does the comfort and usability of the bar.
Overhangs 1 1/2'' are the ``standard'' and look very good. For the sitting areas 12'' is enough to have room for bar stools. You could extend to 15'' if you have enough room.
The standard is 12'' for bar height and 15'' for counter height overhangs. It's pretty easy and very worthwhile to mock this up so you can get a feel for the legroom you need.
Aside from height, an aspect one ought to consider is a breakfast bar's depth, usually measuring between 30-45 cm (12-18 inches). This measurement provides enough space for dining and work activities while ensuring stability.
The standard 12-inch overhang is ideal for most people, providing a comfortable and practical seating area. A 10-inch overhang can work if space is limited, but it might not be as comfortable. An 18-inch overhang offers plenty of legroom but requires additional support.
For starters, make sure you design your island with enough space underneath the counter for your knees. Generally speaking, a countertop overhang of 12-18” is a good place to start.
Tops on half wall can be installed using steel supports with overhang up to 12”. Overhang greater than 12” will require corbels or legs. Tabletop application requires the use of a full substrate which extends within 4” of the edge of the table top.
A breakfast bar is a countertop that extends from a kitchen island or kitchen cabinets to provide extra seating for meals, such as breakfast. They are typically between 36 and 48 inches wide and around 16 to 24 inches deep, with enough space for two to four people to sit comfortably.
It is widely recommended that a breakfast bar overhang is kept to a maximum of 300mm if unsupported.
It is also important to allow enough room between the breakfast bar and any wall behind it for easy access, this should be about 60cm/24in. Breakfast bars are typically incorporated into an island to create a relaxed, informal area.
The usual maximum for an unsupported overhang in granite or quartz is 300mm. Please do ask our sales team for more advice for your actual kitchen because this can depend on the granite chosen. Larger overhangs will require extra support by way of breakfast bar leg or some sort of downstand/end support panel.
Most building codes recommend a minimum roof overhang length of about 12 inches for eaves. This length is generally enough to direct water away from the walls and windows, helping to prevent potential water damage to the foundation and siding.
The best type of wood to choose for a worktop is hardwood, such as Oak, Maple or Iroko or as they are able to easily stand the rigours of modern life and create the versatile surface needed.
A typical overhang for a comfortable seating area should be around 25-30cm (10-12”), this should leave enough knee room and adequate space between the countertop edge and the person seated.
Any overhang over 300mm, will require some support, such as a supporting leg or base units. The example below shows a breakfast bar with the worktop supported on the ends with 2 base units. If you decided to have a deeper space under the breakfast bar, then this would be an ideal way of creating it.
By carefully planning these spaces, bars can optimize their service efficiency and create a welcoming atmosphere for all. Customer activity at the bar requires 18”-24” (46-61 cm) of space. Public circulation areas behind customers need 30”-36” (76-91 cm), with the overall public zone extending 48”-60” (122-152 cm).
For a raised bar with stools, the standard overhang is typically 12 inches to accommodate the bar stools, while the raised bar should be between 42 to 48 inches tall. If space is tight and you expect users to be mostly standing at the bar, you could reduce the overhang to eight inches.
Choosing the Right Height and Depth
The average bar height is 42 inches. You want to keep your bar between 36 and 42 inches high so that your barstools can comfortably fit under it.
Standard Overhang
Keep in mind, however, that this isn't always the case. In certain instances, a larger or smaller overhang may be desired. This is more common with custom countertops. Still, while some countertops can have different overhang measurements, 1.5 inches is considered standard for residential homes.
Breakfast Bar: Similar to a kitchen island, a breakfast bar offers 20cm to 40cm (8 to 15 inches) of worktop overhang, providing comfortable seating space.
The flush breakfast bar provides space for guests or family to gather in the central hub of the home; the kitchen.
If you are simply extending the size of the worktop beyond the cabinets to act as a breakfast bar, then ensure that any protrusion of 300mm or more has legs for breakfast bar support.
Bar tops range from 24″ to 30″ in depth. This includes a standard 4″ drink rail. The bar top should overhang the inside face of the bar die by 11″.
What are the maximum overhang requirements? The maximum overhang for a quartz countertop should not be more than 1/3 of the countertop depth. Also, it should not exceed 15 inches.
Amount of overhang you have is the most important factor to consider in deciding whether you need support brackets. Most granite fabricators will recommend support brackets on overhangs over 12″ however, solely based on the overhang amount.