Finding the Right Corbels

Most of the corbels come in several sizes and a variety of different woods which makes it easy to fit a wide range of design needs and easy to fit a type of application desired. You can even choose the same design of corbel to carry a theme in a room, but use the right sizes to fit the different tasks in the room.

A kitchen, for example, the smaller corbels may be used in the design of cabinetry, medium and large corbels may be used as support structures for countertops as well as shelves.

This makes it easy to find the right wood corbels for different types of applications. As an example, the same wood corbels can be used in different parts of the kitchen: smaller corbels can be incorporated in the design of the kitchen cabinets, medium corbels and large corbels can be used to support countertops, kitchen hoods, ledges. Large wood corbels can be installed in the door openings or incorporated in trim-work throughout the house.

Corbels Depth Requirements

Most of our corbels come in several sizes. When choosing corbels to support your kitchen countertops the most crucial thing you should focus on is the corbels depth. To provide the additional support required for granite and marble countertops the corbels depth should be at least half of the countertop overhang depth. For example, if the overhang of your marble or granite top on your kitchen island is 12″ deep, then you should select a corbel that is at least 6″d. This rule also applies for applications where a knee wall is present such as a kitchen pass-through or bar countertop.

The wood carvings along with the brackets and wood corbels can be used to beautify a fireplace mantel. You can also find coordinating onlays, corbels, and wood brackets to pull the look together. Repetition or matching of the pattern unites the room’s decorative scheme.

To support a simple shelf or mantel shelf the depth of the wood corbels should be at least 70% of the overall depth. For example, for a 10″d shelf the corbels should be at least 7″d. In many cases, it is more appropriate to select a wooden corbel depth that is 1 to 2 inches less than the overall shelf width. For example for a 10″d shelf a corbel that is 8 or 9″d would be recommended.

Wood Types for Corbels

Red Oak Corbels

Red oak is porous hardwood with a texture that ranges between medium and coarse. The red oak wood is strong, quite heavy, and wears well. When stained, the grain of oak is exaggerated beautifully.

Alder Corbels

Alder wood looks more brown-orange after it has been cut, giving the wood a warmer feel. Alder hardwood is used a lot in the clear finish as well as tinted.

Maple Corbels

Maple wood is durable and hard, which makes it resist shock and any dents that may occur. Maple has a very soft-looking grain. Maple wood looks great stained, painted, or even unfinished.

Cherry Corbels

Cherry wood is exceptionally beautiful with a gorgeous grain to it. Cherry wood is light, but it is also very strong and resistant shock resistant. Cherry accepts stain well and due to the incredible beauty of the wood, we do not recommend covering up the natural wood with paint.

You can accentuate the corbel’s wood grain by putting just enough stain on to bring out the texture or paint it to bring out the design. The look of the corbels also heavily relies on the existing style of the room in your home. In some spaces and with certain designs one finish may look better than another. What you don’t have to worry about is corbels being finish-specific, but some may work a bit better than others in individual rooms and finish ideas.