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Granite Edges

How to Choose The Perfect Edge for Your Countertop

Every homeowner would like to have granite stone for their countertops because of its natural beauty and strength. It provides the class and elegance that no other material could give.

For this reason, granite countertops became the number one choice for those who can afford it. Although granite countertops exude that elegant and strong character, they must be completed with the appropriate granite edges. Without these edges, your countertops will look as if they are still being worked on. They will also be prone to chipping and breakage. If you incorporate the right edges, not only will you get that finished look but you will also add value to them.

Stone manufacturers have various edge designs that you can choose from. Experts in the field recommend that care must be taken in choosing the appropriate edge design for your countertop. The edge needs to be perfectly fitted to the overall décor of your house or the fixtures where they will be put into. You will be glad to know that with the use of modern CNC machines, it is now easier to make intricate granite edges that were very difficult to make before. Your only limitation is your imagination and your budget.

There are basically 4 types of granite edges. They are eased or straight, bullnose, bevel and ogee or fancy types. Under these 4 basic types are a number of variations. Here then are the simple descriptions of each type and their corresponding variations.

Granite Edges Eased / Straight Edge
Also called ‘pencil edges’ these types of edges are the ones that are most commonly installed. Most standard homes have this kind of countertop edges. The edges are eased off and made dull to reduce its sharpness. The easing off or rounding of the edges is only about 1/8 inch. Although not very attractive, a countertop with this edge will be very strong.

Bevel Edge
This edge has a dramatic look because it is not perpendicular to the surface of the countertop. In other words, the angle of the edge is not 90º from the flat surface. Typically, the angle of the bevel is 45º. There are a number of variations for this type of edge.
a) ¼ Bevel – where only ¼ of the height of the edge is beveled and the rest are eased off.
b) ½ Bevel – where only half of the edge’s height is beveled and the other half is eased off.
c) ¼ Bevel, top and bottom – where only ¼ of the top and ¼ of the bottom is beveled and the center half is straight.
d) Reverse Bevel – where the top of the edge is rounded off and the remaining height of the edge is beveled.

Bullnose Edge
This edge is characterized not by straight lines but by circular shapes. Its variations are:
a) Half Bullnose – where the top half of the edge’s height is rounded off in a circular shape.
b) ¼ Round – where only ¼ of the edge’s height is rounded and the remaining height is eased off.
c) Full Bullnose – where the total height of the edge is rounded off giving the profile of a half-circle.
d) Demi Bullnose – where the overall height of the edge is shaped into a quarter circle and the bottom edge of the countertop is eased off.

Ogee Edge
These edges have more intricate patterns giving the countertop a more aesthetically pleasing appearance. With the use of CNC machines, stone manufacturers have no difficulty in producing these edges. However, you need to be careful about their maintenance because dirt and grime will easily lodge in the intricately shaped edges. You also need to consider the normal traffic in your kitchen countertop because the more intricate your granite edges, the more they are prone to chipping and cracking. Here are some of the variations of this type of edge.
a) Standard Ogee – where the edge has a small S-profile from the top of the edge to half of the edge’s height.
b) Flat Ogee – where the profile of the edge has a very shallow U-shaped curve running from the edge’s top to about ¼ inch from the bottom of the countertop.
c) Deep Ogee – where the edge has a bigger S-profile from the top of the edge reaching to about ¼ inch from the bottom of the countertop.
d) Waterfall – where the whole edge profile has 3 equally spaced small curves.
e) Cove – where a U-shaped shallow curve runs from the top of the edge to about half of the edge’s height.
f) Double Bullnose – where the total height of the edge is shaped into two equal curves.
Granite Edges

Granite Laminated Edge
This is a special type of edge design where a matching narrow strip of granite is laminated to the edge of the main countertop. The grains of the narrow strip of stone are carefully matched with that of the main countertop so that they will appear as if they are made from one single stone. Some of the popular types of laminated edge are:
a) Design 1 – where both the main countertop and the narrow strip have a Demi Bullnose profile.
b) Design 5 – where the top stone has a standard ogee shape while the bottom strip has a full bullnose shape.
c) Design 10 – where the top stone has a standard ogee while the bottom strip has a straight profile.