Granite countertops are one of the preferred material styles because of the durability of the natural stone. While traditionally countertops are set directly on top of a base cabinet, occasionally they also include overhangs that cantilever out beyond the face of the cabinet base, pony wall or the island. These overhangs must be supported in order to handle the weight of the granite and ensure that the material does not break over time. Once finished and properly supported, the overhang can handle the weight of stone as well as daily use.

Spans and Cantilevers. In designs where part of the countertop is spanning between supports, the length of the span shall be limited to 2′- 0″ for ¾” stone thicknesses and 3′- 0″ for 1¼” stone thicknesses.

In designs where the countertop is cantilevered or overhanging the supports, the cantilever shall be limited to 6″ for ¾” thick countertops and 10” for 1¼” countertops, but in no case may the cantilevered portion represent more than 1/3 of the width of the countertop.