Island Overhangs and Worktops

[Mr Blobby]

Speaking to two kitchen designers for our new build and its a nightmare.

 

This is still a work in progress, but Designer A has provided the following design, with the unsupported corner.   Sorry about the crap resolution.  Worktop is quartz.

 

 

Designer B, a German kitchen designer whose components we actually quite like, is very keen to remove the prep sink and move the hob into the centre of the island.  He was very keen to persuade us that sinks on islands are always a bad idea because they always splash and require mopping up.  Wife was symapthetic as she's never been overly keen on the prep sink but I detected a whiff of bullshit.  On reflection I suspect the real motive here is maximum profit for least effort by designing a rectangular island under a dekton worktop with unsupported 20cm overhang on two sides.  The more I think about a 20cm unsupported Dekton overhang the less keen I am, but would be very grateful for any comments and answers to the following in case I am being overly cautious.

 

1. I still think the prep sink on island makes sense, with Quoker tap because its at the tea end away from the work end.   I am mindful of course of costs and impact on services required under insulated slab.  Those that have both prep sink with boiling tap and hob on island, would you do it again?  Any downsides?   Is the prep sink a good idea or should I cave in and resort to a single sink?

 

2. Am I right to be concerned that a 20 cm overhang is not big enough to sit comfortably on stool with knees under? 

 

3.  Does Dekton chip at the edge as comments in other threads suggest and if so then should I go for quartz instead?

 

4. Does quartz have better strength for (depending on thickness I guess) unsupported corner overhangs?  Is a 35cm unsupported corner overhang on a quartz worktop a good idea, or is it likely to break?

 

5.  Would it be better to replace the corner overhang with a supporting carcass and instad have three stools in a line under a deeper overhang (facing the ovens in the image above) that is then supported at both ends?  Intuitively this would be stronger.

 

6. Is Silestone another brand of Quartz?

 

7.  What is generally the cost difference between Dekton and Quartz?

 

Any other comments on our kitchen design most welcome!

 

 

 

[Big Jimbo]

I like the idea of the prep sink. Getting glasses of water, or a cuppa while somebody is rushing around in the main kitchen. I used silestone at my daughter place with a 350mm overhang to one side, and One end. When i used to do a lot of granite they never wanted overhangs of more than 300mm. Quartz is much more flexible than real stone. I think 300mm for me is the minimun for stools and seating.

[nod]

We installed a German kitchen and was persuaded not have the sink on the island 

We used quarts for the top With a 350 overhang 

[Mr Blobby]

1 hour ago, nod said:

We installed a German kitchen and was persuaded not have the sink on the island 

We used quarts for the top With a 350 overhang 

 

Thank you for the image.  That's the sort of overhang I want.

So looks like we'll be getting a quartz worktop.  The ceramics like Dekton just aren't strong enough for more than 25 cm overhang, and the cutout for the prep sink makes it even worse.

Edited October 1, 2021 by Mr Blobby

[nod]

2 hours ago, Mr Blobby said:

 

Thank you for the image.  That's the sort of overhang I want.

So looks like we'll be getting a quartz worktop.  The ceramics like Dekton just aren't strong enough for more than 25 cm overhang, and the cutout for the prep sink makes it even worse.

Quite a big chunk

Took three of us to lift it into place