Can a granite counter top be "notched"?

[MiamiCuse]

I am installing a counter top along a wall with two windows.

One window is wide 8' wide and then a section of exterior wall (10" wide with a vent stack inside for the sink and dishwasher), then to it's right another window 3' wide.

I would like the counter top to extend outside pass the exterior wall by about 10" so the 8' window is a pass through window (slider window). The smaller window to the right will be just a picture window. I am trying to determine do I size the smaller window bottom to be higher than the counter top height so it's just a regular window?

or do I size it such that the large window is a pass through and the smaller window will have the counter top as the "sill" but not pass through?

Can they cut a granite that starts with a notch, then 12" over protudes 10" for eight feet, then a notch for 10" then protrudes for only 4" for another

36", then another notch for 8"? This is something typically done or would be unusual?

Thanks,

MC

[Joe]

Every time you turn a stone cutting machine on or off and change settings it costs you money. If you are seriously considering something so complicated, better discuss it with the fabricator and avoid a major sticker shock. The granite shop may have some better ideas for doing what you want, so make a rough sketch and talk to them about it. Laminates are a whole different story for creative fabrications, as can be noticed in any upscale restaurant or club. The machines for working these materials and the broad range of panels and adhesives can lead to far more artisitic forms and prices a fraction of stone. Choose within your budget and good luck.

Joe

[Edwin Pawlowski]

If I'm reading this right, you want the counter top to extend out from the kitchen to an outside area, such as a deck? While the idea sounds intriguing, it may also offer some construction headaches, such as sealing the windows properly. I'd consider making the smaller window the pass through if that is at all practical. The countertop sounds expensive with all those cuts, but a pro may have other ideas. I'd certainly talk to one or two to see if they are either up to the challenge or laugh you out.

[RickH]

I just had very complicated granite tops made by an outfit that had a CNC water cutting robot. And I got to see them cut it. The damn thing could literally cut ANY shape and with no dust, just high pressure water. If you could find someplace with a computer controlled water cutter they probably wont even charge for the complex cuts, but everyone charges to the nearest full rectangle, IOW you pay for all the waste. The cutting head not only moved on x/y axis but could also angle the jet so deep bevels, under-cut bevels etc could be done just as easily as a straight line. I was not upcharged for any of my detailed cuts, I just paid for the total square footage including waste. The only thing the water jet couldnt do was the ogee edge, but a different router table did that, also with the slab submerged in water so no dust.

[George]

Why would someone who has a CNC cutting machine not charge for complex cuts? They did spend a few bucks for the machine and someone has to know how to program the work.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

It is no more time on the water jet cutter to do complex versus straight once it is programmed. They charge for machine time and probably have enough built into the price for some programming. It is amazingly simple once you know how and countertops are simple repetitive cutting.

These guys do similar work in stone

but the machine is the same.

[RickH]

The designer measured, went back to his office; entered the drawings into a CAD program, a few days later he brought the cad drawing back to my house to re-verify all the measurements. (he measured within

1/16 inch tolerance no wiggle room). I signed off on the job, when they scheduled my job I asked if I could see them cut it. It was so simple, the designer downloaded the drawing to the machine from his CAD program, the operator selected and positioned the starting 0,0 coordinate over the slab and pushed a button, the robot did the rest.

So they have relatively the same labor costs for complex or simple designs, thats how they can charge the same. The machine pays for itself in volume as they can process more granite than a manual labor shop, and not have to pay the health insurance costs for siliconosis poisoning due to dust.

The installers came with the slabs and they slid right in tight.