Corbels for Granite Countertops

Corbels (or consoles) are like support brackets that are fixed into a wall or any architectural fitting in order to hold or support the superincumbent weight. Corbelling is an ancient technique which has been used since the Neolithic times. However, it became popular during the Medieval era in various architectural forms like Chinese architecture and the Scottish baronial style.

Corbels are still a significant part of home improvement. If you want to include them in your home, the best way to do that is to install corbels for your kitchen countertops. Corbels can be a great addition to your kitchen decoration that provides style along with added support to furniture like countertops.

Corbels are an excellent option if you are looking for a solid support for heavy countertops like those made from granite. However, when it comes to choosing the best corbels for granite countertops, there are a lot of things to consider.

Corbels use almost the same functional area as brackets, the only difference between the two is the width; corbels being thicker than brackets. When you choose kitchen countertops with a heavy material like granite or marble, then corbels or brackets become an essential part of their installation.

There are a few things that you need to consider while selecting corbels for countertops. The first being their application. You need to opt for strong corbels with an approximate depth of one-half and three-quarters of the countertop for excellent support.

Since they provide enough support, you also need to decide upon the number and placement of the corbels. For good overall support, keep a 3ft distance between two corbels for a standard granite countertop.

Corbels come in a huge array of designs, sizes, shapes, and materials. You will find them in almost all imaginable shapes from the standard L-joints to attractive and elegant designs found in classic style stone corbels.

Different contemporary designs like vines, flowers, grapes, leaves and many other abstract designs that go with that particular kitchen style will also be available. Along with the patterns and sizes, there is a huge variety when it comes to materials for corbels.

Wooden, metal, marble, and polyurethane are most sought after when it comes to durability and strong support for granite countertops as well as kitchen islands. Selection of the best type of corbels for your countertops depends upon the kitchen decoration theme as well as the colors of the countertops. Granite is available in colors like black, white, red, green, and blue.

When you have a contemporary kitchen decoration with white or beige cabinetry and black granite countertops, the best thing would be to opt for iron corbels. Metal corbels look perfect when they are paired with a light colored background.

If it is a rustic kitchen decor with an all wooden cabinetry in natural wooden hues, then you better opt for hand carved wooden corbels that are made of wood. The best thing would be to select the same material as the rest of the cabinetry and paint it the same color as well.

You can opt for various types of wood like alder, maple, birch, oak, cherry, teak, etc. The rest of the popular materials of corbels like marble and polyurethane are mainly popular for kitchen decorating.

Some of the popular designs of corbels that you can use for granite countertops are: plain, shaped bar bracket, corbel shaped bar, leaf bar, open back bar, traditional scroll, woven, tropical corbel, mission, grapevine, metaline, eagle, and horse corbels. Simple as well as intricate metal designs are available in the market.

You have a wide range of designs, materials, and types of corbels to choose from, which can be quite a task. However, if you are aware of your requirements as far as the application and style of the corbels for your granite countertops are concerned, then you can easily select them for your kitchen!