Stone worktop trends and possible complications

Every year we see new home design trends come and go. Yet there are also those that stick around for years. Some trends are great and easy to accommodate. There are also those that can make things a bit trickier. Here are some examples of popular trends and how some of them can cause an issue.

List of trends:

  • Large islands

  • Large island overhangs

  • Thinner worktops

  • ‘Floating’ worktops

  • Handle-less doors

  • Down-draught extractor cut outs

  • Larger cut outs for hobs in larger pan drawer units

Complications:

  • No more than 300mm of stone should go unsupported. Larger islands mean that the slabs are larger and this can be an issue in terms of stability. End support panels at the ends and in between can solve this issue.

  • If you install floating worktops above handleless doors, it can weaken the support since the metal front rail will only hold the units together. It will not offer much support for the worktops.

  • Large islands require large slabs of stone. This can result in levelling issues. The larger the stone, the more difficult it becomes to make sure that it is perfectly level.

  • A large hob cut out above a set of drawers can equate to a very weak part of the slab. Little support in this area is never ideal.

Never underestimate the importance of a professional installation when it comes to natural stone worktops. A professional installation is the best choice since it is faster, easier and you will enjoy a more precise result.