Is anyone out there a granite installer / expert? I've been considering granite for my 2 level bar, but I'm running into all sorts of discrepancies between granite sellers. I'm running into two different issues.

1. How much of an overhang can you have without needing supports. I've heard anywhere from 1/3 of what is cantilevered on the other side, to 6", 10" and one vendor told me 11". I can't get a straight answer out of anyone.

2. How much can granite be shimmed?

Here is my situation with the bar. When I built the wall, I built it out of 2 x 8's just like a standard wall at 16" OC. The bottom plate is ramset into the concrete. The problem that I have now, is that since the floor isn't level, the top of the wall isn't level. There is a good 1/2" of difference as you go around the perimeter. I have the cabinets completely level, but there is a good bit of difference when moving around the bar.

My question is that if I install the 1/2" steel hidden supports, can I just level them by routing out different depths in the top of the wall, thereby leveling the steel supports? The problem I see with doing that, is that in some places the granite will only be supported by the steel and there would be gaps between the bottom of the granite and the top of the pony wall.

I hope I'm making sense....

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Doesn't the 8" overhang require some amount of cantilever on the other side?

The only standard I can find is from the National Stone Institute:

"In designs where the countertop is cantilevered beyond the supports (overhanging), the cantilever shall be limited to 6" (150 mm) for ¾" (20 mm) thick countertops and 10” (250 mm) for 1¼" (30 mm) countertops, but in no case may the cantilevered portion represent more than 1/3 of the width of the countertop. Cantilevered countertops exceeding these dimensions will require corbelled supports beneath the stone."

Based on their requirements and 1 1/4" stone (no one I spoke to ever mentioned 3/4" stone) and a 7" wide pony wall, my max overhang is ~2". In your example (5" wall), their requirements are no more than 1.25".

I hadn't ruled anything out, until the guy at the cabinet place told me to stay away from it, but I can't seem to remember why.

It still comes back to this cantilever issue though regardless of what I choose. Unless I go with wood or something else that can be screwed to the pony wall.