If you are thinking about a breakfast bar, you have made the right decision so far. It opens up your kitchen to more uses. The kids can eat and chat while you prepare. To make use of your breakfast bar, you need to add an overhang.
Adding an overhang will give you more counter space and legroom. It may seem confusing how much overhang you need. Let’s go through it.
How much should a breakfast bar overhang?
Breakfast overhang usually ranges between 10 and 18 inches. However, 12 inches is considered a standard overhang. This overhang should be large enough to accommodate a foot. The overhangs will need to be large if the people who will use them each day are too tall.
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You may need a support panel below if the overhang is larger. A larger overhang will mean more comfort and better use. These are the sizes to consider when designing overhang.
Far-out:
There should be a maximum far-out of 18 inches. Nevertheless, the minimum should not be less than 10 inches. Keep in mind that if the far-out exceeds 15 inches, then a support panel needs to be installed under the overhang.
Wide:
The size of a breakfast table is usually determined by how many regular people use it and how big the room is. It is recommended that a person have an overhang of at least 30 inches. There is no stranded measurement for this. It can be reduced slightly.
As such, if you want to make a breakfast bar for four people, you need to keep it wide, about 120 inches.
Deep:
A large overhang means more comfort, a small one means less. For any type of overhang, you should have at least 18 to 20 inches of depth. Your overhang shouldn’t be smaller than 10 inches. Otherwise, you won’t be able to sit comfortably.
What is the typical overhang for a breakfast bar? How many inches should a breakfast bar overhang?
Breakfast bars typically have an overhang of 10 to 18 inches. There is no standard measurement for such bars. For example, 25 inches might be more comfortable. You could use the extra space for the storage of food or something similar.
Overhangs are usually a minimum of 40 inches above the floor. The knee can be pushed overhanging if the height is less than this. Typically, drip edges are half an inch to an inch wide.
Typically, breakfast bars have an overhang of at least 12 inches. Overhangs shorter than that are not recommended. An overhang of more than that may be beneficial. But a large overhang reduces the kitchen’s space.
What is the minimum overhang for a breakfast bar?
A breakfast bar must have a minimum overhang of 10 inches. Ten inches is not much. However, you can keep no more than 19 inches of overhang. However, keep in mind that this is not a standard ten-inch overhang. It must be 12 inches or more to get a fair amount of comfort.
But if your kitchen has very little space, you can go down to a minimum of 10 to maintain the space, not less than that.
It seems that this site is not that important for a breakfast bar. However, having a small overhang can be problematic. Sometimes, your leg won’t fit underneath it. Therefore, experts advise that you have the most inches of overhang possible.
You may also hang your breakfast bar on the wall if you are out of space. It will save you some space.
Is a 12-inch overhang on the island enough?
Many of us use our Kutch islands as social hubs, with space to cook and to sit. The easiest way to gain that space is to add an overhang to the countertop. Twelve inches is the standard size for an overhang. 12 inches of the overhang is enough to get your knees under at the island.
However, experts recommend having more than 12 inches of space for comfortable seating. You can go as far as 15 inches overhang without supporting structures.
Depending on the material and thickness of the overhang, however, this maximum size can vary. Place an extra leg or support under it if you need a larger size.
5 things to consider before planning a kitchen breakfast bar overhang
Breakfast bars are the perfect furniture for maximizing the space in your kitchen. Check out these 5 things you should consider before installing a breakfast bar in your kitchen.
The space of your kitchen:
Ensure that the kitchen has enough space to accommodate the breakfast bar before installing it. In case there is not enough room, it is not of any use. There will be less space for cooking if you go to a breakfast bar.
Your breakfast bar will be determined by the size of your kitchen space. If your kitchen is large, you can go with a slightly larger size. You should also consider how many people will use it regularly in your home when determining its size.
Height of the structure:
It is also important to consider the height of the structure. Even though the average height of the breakfast bar is 40 inches, the height can vary depending on who uses it regularly. A breakfast bar with a 40-inch height will suit most people up to 6 feet tall.
It is recommended to increase the height of the breakfast bar if the average height of the family members is greater than six feet.
Make sure you choose the right countertop material:
The countertop can be made from different materials. Most people prefer to use stone. However, acrylic is a popular material for breakfast bars as well. You can also use wood for breakfast bars. Wood creates a unique look.
Reclaimed chestnut wood makes a lovely countertop.
A kitchen island’s size matters:
Kitchen islands and breakfast bars are essential in most American kitchens. It is important to note, however, that a kitchen island differs significantly from a breakfast bar. The kitchen island is used for cooking, while the breakfast bar is used for eating and chatting.
Luckily, it is possible to combine them if you put a little overhang on your kitchen island. This can serve as a breakfast bar if there is no extra space available.
Having good lighting is essential:
It is very important to have good lighting for breakfast bars. You should install a breakfast bar in a place where there is plenty of natural light. Otherwise, ensure you have adequate lighting.
How do you hang a breakfast bar?
Breakfast bars come in many varieties. These can either be freestanding, wall-mounted, or mounted on a ledge, depending on the design. Depending on the design, the process of hanging breakfast bars will vary. Here are the steps to follow.
Items you will need:
A wall stud anchor, breakfast bar, screws, drill, tape measure, and saw are needed for installation work. You will also need safety gear like gloves and goggles.
Hook up the anchor:
Mark the part of the wall where you want to install a breakfast bar. If you are installing a breakfast bar for two people, use 2 anchors. Place at least three anchors if the breakfast bar can accommodate three people.
Next, mark the spot where the anchor will be placed parallel to the wall and drill the appropriate number of holes. Attach the anchors to the wall with screws.
Install a breakfast bar:
Make sure the breakfast bar is a certain size. Place the breakfast bar on the anchor and screw it in place. You will have to follow a different installation process if you do not install the breakfast bar with the wall.
Kitchen island with breakfast bar:
If you want to use the overhang on the kitchen island as a breakfast bar, you can easily do this. Start by removing the old countertop from the top of the kitchen island. Adding the overhang to the original countertop size will yield the new countertop size.
You can then place this larger countertop on your kitchen island.
Final Thought
Breakfast bars typically have an overhang of 12 inches. It is possible to have an overhang of 15 inches without using support anchors. However, you would have to have a minimum size of 10 inches to fit your leg underneath. In contrast, if you have a support anchor, you can have up to 18 inches.