I want to use an antique server for a island- I need some advice!

Wanda Gengler
by Wanda Gengler
I am planning a French country kitchen (white) cabinets but the server is a mahogany stain. it is about 60 inches long and 18 inches wide I am planning a 36 inch top of granite for seating my husband is 6'6 that is why so wide. What can I dress the back part up with and what type of support would you use to help distribute the weight of the granite?
  4 answers
  • Hillela G. Hillela G. on Feb 09, 2017

    Can you center the granite top so that there is only 9 inches overlap on either side?

  • William William on Feb 09, 2017

    You could glue and tack wainscotting panels on the back and paint them. For supporting the granite, you can make or purchase corbels. For approximately 18" overhang you may need three to four corbels (spaced evenly) to carry the weight and prevent granite from cracking.

  • Kcama Kcama on Feb 10, 2017

    We did this same thing with a mahogany sideboard. Although we didn't have a deep overhang on the sides, just the ends. Ours was a bit wider, but we used the wood from the top to create shelves on the "back." Just deep enough to store large canning jars. It is useful and attractive.


    Unless you securely attached it to the floor, with that much extra weight on one side, you would definitely need legs at the outside corners of the overhang - it would be dangerous to have that tip over into someone's lap. You could make it lighter by using granite tiles rather than a granite slab. We did use a slab, but used virtually zero grout line tiles on our kitchen counters.

  • Joseph Glackin Joseph Glackin on Feb 10, 2017

    Do i have this right? You have an 18" top surface. You want to put a 36" surface on that? If the server is against a wall, you will have an 18" overhang? So far, have I got it?

    Then it is easy. Your 36" top will be at the balance point. Corbels from the ends (60") that extend 12" out and drop 9" down the server will support it forever.

    (A right angle brace on each end of the top.)