The overhang is the area of the countertop that extends beyond the base cabinets.

The purpose of the overhang is so that debris and crumbs don’t fall into the drawers or edges of the cabinets’ doors. The standard overhang for countertops is 1 to 1 1/2 inches. The standard overhang for a kitchen island is 12 inches these measurements vary widely according to custom work.