Kitchen Countertop Extension

[Buck Williams]

328396Looking for how best to extend a kitchen countertop run, over a radiator that needs to be accessible. There is about 36" x 24" space between the end of my cabinet run and the wall. Countertops will be quartz, hoping you experts can tell me the best way to support it. I am thinking that I could build a rectangular frame, screw it to the back, the end of the cabinet, and the side wall, run some cross pieces from front to back for added support, and add a piece of cherry trim to the front. I've googled "countertop support" and a lot of L-brackets and corbels come up. The radiator and the 24" depth make that difficult. For the cross pieces - think floor joists, is their any rule of thumb as to how far apart the supports should be. Thanks in advance, don't know if I'm overthinking this, wonder how others would approach it. Would like to get rid of the crappy old temp countertops. 328394328433

[Jamie Buxton]

Yeah, you fasten cleats to the wall studs, and run a beam across the front of the opening. The strength of the beam may depend on what loads you think will be seen by the counter. You don't want it to bend. For most kitchens, a 2x4 on edge should do just fine. If you like more strength, sister two 2x4s together; they're darn near free. Then cover the front of the beam with cherry to (sorta) match the cabinets.

The countertop guy is likely to want a subtop of 5/8" ply covering the cabinets and the extension area. Sometimes he'll supply it. More likely you put it in. If you can avoid it, don't put a seam in the subtop right at the edge of the cabinets.

[Buck Williams]

Thanks - hadn't considered the sub top, shouldn't be a problem, haven't selected the tops or an installer yet, I'll check with them when I do. My cost of doing that vs paying someone to do it, hmmm... looks like I'm doin it. Thanks

[Max Neu]

I would also use an end panel the same depth as the base cabinets that mounts to the wall,that way you have support all the way to the floor.

[Buck Williams]

good point Max, I'm going to build a Craftsman - Prairie style radiator enclosure out of cherry to hide the radiator, and have the front be removable by using some knock down hardware, no reason that I couldn't extend the sides of the enclosure to add support to the counter. It's unlikely that I, or a future owner would ever need to "get at" the radiator, to bleed air or shut a valve down, but I really can't bury it. I've done a couple other radiator enclosures in that style, stapled a reflective plastic bubble insulation in the sides and back and never noticed any reduction in heat output. Thanks for the idea, it's funny how you get locked into a solution, and don't consider other very simple ideas.

[Peter Quinn]

Is that steam or hydronic? If its hydronic, I'd get rid of the radiator, add a hydronic toe kick heater on a separate zone, and install a cabinet there, unless you intend to make it a desk space., then you'll have to either build a box around the heater or locate under another cabinet adjacent. That radiator is not really going to do its job buried under a counter, unless you put some kind of a fan in front of it and push...that all gets a little weird. Supporting the counter you have some great advise above, sub structure, cleats, hit framing, check with your counter top guy for his specs on that span, I think the man made quartz products can handle a span better than natural stone. I have a similar condition in my own kitchen, but the radiator is right under a window where I want to locate an L shaped banquette, as we design the kitchen in our heads, the window has to get smaller, sill height is too low, radiator has to go, heating guy tells me its not huge to pull the old one, run up pex to feed a forced air hydronic toe kick heater of similar Btu's, probably a good idea to zone it separately as they don't store heat like the old iron radiators do. I figure if you are spending that kind of money on decent nice counters, it man be worth really dealing with the problem if budget allows. Mine doesn't presently so my 1950's kitchen stays while I save. Doing it once, doing it right, even if its not ready until my funeral!