# 42" x 72" Butcher Block Table Top w/a 18" overhang



## 1thumb (Jun 30, 2012)

Basically a kitchen island. 18 inch overhang is on one side only, the 6 ft siderunning paralell w/slats. Biscuists and kreg screws of course won't support top overhang. Should I fabricate top then rout a channel beneath and insert/attach steel tubes or predrill slats prior to glue up, insert steel rods, then cover up holes with remaining slats? Anyone done either?


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## Charlie5791 (Feb 21, 2012)

How THICK? 
18 inches is a lot of unsupported projection.


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## 1thumb (Jun 30, 2012)

1 and 5/8's thick and it is a lot.


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## Charlie5791 (Feb 21, 2012)

1-5/8 you don't need biscuits and pocket screws. I mean you *can* use biscuits for alignment if you want, but you don't need anything in that joint if it's a clean, tight joint. I have an 8 ft by 3 and a half foot walnut island to confirm that. 
Is the overhang for seating? If yes, you're probably overdoing it. You can have comfortable bar seating at 12 inches. In fact I've done it at less than 8 inches and it still works.

Metal rods: if you take the time to precisely drill for inserting metal rods it will help, BUT, and it's a *BIG* but…, if someone gets up from a chair, using the edge of the projecting counter to assist, it's STILL going to bend. I watched my brother get up from my island this way and it was all I could do to keep from slappin' the living sh&% out of him.

#1 advice: see if you can reconsider that 18 inch figure and get it down some.

#2 advice: instead of drillling for rods and all that, get yourself some 1/2" thick by about 2 inch wide steel. 
You can simply flush mount this to the underside of your counter top OR you can route a channel in the underside of your countertop to accept the steel. I'd flush mount it and keep the counter top full thickness. The *length* of the metal should be:
the dimension of your overhand minus 2 inches (if you have an 18 inch overhang, 16 inches) *PLUS* half the depth of the cabinet from which the overhang starts (but not less than 12 inches). You are holding it back 2 inches from the edge. Almost invisible.

So…. if you have 18 inches of overhang, coming off the back of a full 24 inch depth base cabinet, it would be :
(overhang of 18 minus 2) 16 + (half of cabinet depth of 24) 12.

On a 6 ft run I'd use at least 3 of these bars and see if you can get some kind of corble at the ends for additional support. If the corble just doesn't work for you aesthetically, then use 4 bars.

SLOT the hole at one end of the bar. Attach using a pan head or washer head screw WITH a large washer.

Believe me at 1/2" thick these are still just about invisible and I've seen them float granite 16 inches using these stiffeners. A LOT easier than drilling to insert metal rods


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## Charlie5791 (Feb 21, 2012)

On the long grain? With 18 inches of it hanging over? I don't really think it would be that hard. End grain, no worries. That would hold, long grain, it can snap.


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## 1thumb (Jun 30, 2012)

Great points Charlie, thank you very much. Just go ahead and slap your brother out of GP.

James, slats are 1 5/8 after ripped, 3/8 + after planing. Weakness exists lenghtwise at glue joints, not in material, if that makes any sense


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## 1thumb (Jun 30, 2012)

Overhang with no support. Lean on it to push yourself up from the table as Charlie wrote and somethings going to give


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## 1thumb (Jun 30, 2012)

Okay James. Thanks


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## shawnmasterson (Jan 24, 2013)

I would use biscuits and pocket screws for alignment and clamping force. and I agree that I would take a lot of force to break a proper 6' long grain joint with glue, screws, and biscuits. I am not saying its not possible but probably not going to happen at 12".


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## Charlie5791 (Feb 21, 2012)

Who said it has to be the glue joint that fails? I really don't think it would. Long grain can split though. 

And yeah, even at an inch and a half or so thick.


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## 1thumb (Jun 30, 2012)

I said glue joint and i was wrong, it would be the long grain that would snap rather easily going with the grain. Biscuits and pocket screws were used to join together the 4 ea approx 10 inch wide slabs


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

In my opinion, 18" is too much of an overhang, no matter how you brace it. I know it won't snap. The problem is over time, the top will sag just from it's own weight an items placed on it and leaning on it will accelerate the sag. The steel will also sag. The really only way to support that over hang is to use two legs, one in each corner set back around 4".


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## 1thumb (Jun 30, 2012)

"no matter how you brace it. I know it won't snap. The problem is over time, the top will sag just from it's own weight an items placed on it and leaning on it will accelerate the sag. The steel will also sag."

I think I'd rather it snap then sag and I don't think it will sag using the steel Charlie suggested.


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## shawnmasterson (Jan 24, 2013)

I think if I were to use steel rods I would build the counter then drill for the rods. I would hide the holes with a contrasting plug or an inlay of some sort


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

Corbels to allow leg room, yet offer additional support?


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## Albe (Nov 22, 2012)

I am not the smartest on this but i would tend to agree with James. Some picinic tables run well over 18" between support and they do not seem to sag in the middle and there are usually only treated fir. If you alternate the grain direction and do a good glue up I would think it would be okay. I weigh 250lbs and cant break a 2×4 by walking on it when it is only supported on the ends also I have never been able to break any cutting boards I made using only glue. It seems like over kill to use stell rods and so on but I am by no means a structrual engineer.


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## 1thumb (Jun 30, 2012)

"Corbels to allow leg room, yet offer additional support?"

That was the final decision Mr. Pinto


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## redSLED (Mar 21, 2013)

I'm assuming this is maple or oak butcher block - no one has yet confirmed this.

I agree with Charlie above and his #2 recommendation - put steel flat bar underneath and forget worrying about the overhang's strength integrity. It MIGHT bend a little when someone MIGHT put their full force on it MAYBE 2-3 times a year. I can only see it sagging a bit ONLY IF YOU MOUNT A 20+ lb. face vise underneath. Properly glued up butcher block is not going to separate unless you leave it outside for a whole year of sun, rain, snow and temp variations. Otherwise, yes, 18" is indeed a bit much of an overhang which should be avoided.


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## 1thumb (Jun 30, 2012)

maple and oak


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## 1thumb (Jun 30, 2012)

Sure James, no need to explain, you were correct


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