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The time has finally come. You’re getting the granite countertops you’ve pined over for years. Your new kitchen is going to be a luxurious .It will be an upgrade from your current kitchen, and you can’t wait to show it off to your friends and family. It’s an exciting time, and there are a lot of fun decisions to be made throughout the process of remodeling your countertops.
Yet you might not have considered what type of overhang to choose for your granite countertops. If you haven’t heard the term “overhang” before, that’s all right. If you have an island in your kitchen (or you’re planning to install one), you’ll want to think about whether to use it as a bar top or table, or whether it’s strictly going to be a prepping surface. Sometimes, people choose to place their sink or appliances inside their kitchen island. These are things you’ll need to think about before placing the order for your granite countertops.
If you don’t have an island, or you don’t want to use your island as a high bar, you can still add a seating area to your countertop design. Many people raise one countertop to use as a high top or even a “pass through” to the breakfast nook area or living room, if you have an open concept. These kinds of design elements will determine what edging and overhang you want to include when placing the order for your granite countertops.
If you’re going to use your island or some other part of your countertop as a seating area, you’ll want to consider how much overhang you need. Remember, the amount of overhang directly correlates to how much legroom you’ll have while seated. The typical overhang is 12 in., but some people choose to extend their granite countertops further than that. If you extend them to 15 in. or even 18 in., be aware that extra reinforcements will likely be needed to ensure the granite is stabilized. You don’t want the overhang to fall if someone leans on it or places something heavy on it. This might add cost to your remodel.
When you consider the size of your overhang, you also need to consider the size of the kitchen space. Maybe legroom is important to you, so you want to extend your overhang as much as possible. But do you have the necessary kitchen space? You need a good amount of room to walk all the way around your island so you’re not constantly running into the overhang (can you say bruises?). You also need to be able to get around the overhang if someone is seated there.
Maybe you’ve decided not to add a seating area or bar section to your kitchen countertops. This doesn’t mean you don’t have to consider overhang. Basic granite countertops still need an overhang if they’re not going to be flush against the wall. Typically, this is just 1 in. to 2 in. of extra length for design and function. An overhang of at least a half-inch will prevent crumbs and food particles from falling from the countertops onto the drawers below. Can you imagine the hassle of having to wipe the tops of your drawers and cabinets constantly because of falling crumbs?
Once you’ve decided how much overhang you want for the various components of your new countertops, your work is over, right? It’s time to wait for your gorgeous new countertops to arrive? Not so fast! You also need to decide what style of edging you want. There are several different styles you can choose from:
Squared – Also called flat, this is a standard cut where all angles are 90 degrees.
Eased – This is a traditional squared countertop that is slightly shaped; only the corners are rounded.
Waterfall – This is a luxurious style in which the granite extends all the way to the floor.
Bullnose – A typical rounded edge.
Ogee – This is an “S” shape. Two arcs curve in opposite directions. It’s an elegant and timeless look.
Marine – This edging style features a raised edge, the opposite of mitered. It looks like a “lip” on the outside edge of your countertop.
Custom – You don’t have to choose one of the standard edges. The sky is the limit. Just know that a custom design will increase the price of your remodel, sometimes significantly.
Are you ready to talk countertops? Stop into your nearest Ogden’s Flooring and Design location and let our team of experts show you the samples we have in stock. We can help you choose the perfect granite countertops for your new kitchen.