bar top

Hey guys. I have a customer that wants a tile bar top. He would like the top to hang over about 10in. The tile is a 6x6 porcelain. The sides will probaly be a stone chair rail 2 1/2 x 12in. What would be the best way to build the top. Seeing that the chair rail is about 2 1/2in I was thinking of two or three layers of O. S. B plywood then backer. Do you think that would be strong enough with the 10in overhang? Or I could do corbels. The top will be about 4 feet wide and the walls are framed about 30in apart. Thanks.

If the overhang (cantilever) is to be on the stool-side only 2-1/2" of thickness isn't near enough. Also there is no substantial way of attaching anything to the edge of stacked OSB.

I have built many bar tops from 2X4's with 3/4" plywood tops. THEN you have plenty of meat to attach backerboard to the edges and the cantilever will support the weight of someone pushing himself up off a stool using the overhang to do so.

Chair rail can then be attached to the edge and additional stone can be installed below the chair rail to cover the remaining 2-3/4" (+-) of area below the rail.

Framing walls at 30" isn't the best idea either if I am understanding what you propose.

Those are my thoughts anyway.

The walls are 30in apart with plentiy of 2x4 to tie them together. So you would do 3/4in plywood (osb) 1/2 backer, also backer on the edges. How far could I cantilever over without worrying?

Sorry I miss read what you wrote the first time. As far as suppoting the cavtilever, what would you suggest?

I should add that the framing and the drywall is allready done. I was hopping that there was a way to do it without changing the framing.

I must be missing something!

The framing is spaced at 30"? What is going to cover the drywall, anything?

A ten inch cantilever made of 2X4 won't need any additional support. Corbels would be a nice touch in the right locations but they can also be knee-bangers.

Generally speaking and from a comfort standpoint and bar top is 42" high and the overhang should be around 16 to 18 inches to allow for knee room. This way a standard stool is high enough and a standing person can also comfortably lean on the bar.

There are two walls built comeing off the wall at 90 degrees. They are 6 feet long, 40in high and 30in apart. They are drywalled on all three sides. The drywall is staying as is. The original plan was to do a granite top, but they desided to go with tile. The granite cantilever was to be supported with small corbals, but I assumed that the tile would need more. I was hopeing that a couple layers of plywood and some backer would be enough, but it looks like I might have to have the wall rebuilt for better support.