When considering the type of granite countertops for your kitchen remodeling, you may not give much thought to the edge profile. You may be satisfied with any edge profile, thinking it does not really matter anyway. However, edge profiles has a significant impact on the look and function of your kitchen countertops, so you should give it due consideration.
To do this, you need to know something about edge profiles. In most cases, the basic profiles included with the package deal Keystone Granite and Tile offers starting from $1,749 for up to 40 square feet is the best choice for your kitchen. However, it is still a good idea to know what they are and how they can make your kitchen a better place for you and your family.
Below are the basic edge profiles for granite countertops. Find out which one will probably work best for your own kitchen.
Square
The square edge is the simplest and often the most popular profile for the kitchen. It is clean and sleek, ideal for most kitchen designs. It is interesting to note that the square edge is not completely straight, however. Fabricators add kerfs or small grooves on the edges to soften it. This is safer, as the sharp edge can lead to some nasty injuries, especially for small children. The kerfs also help strengthen the integrity of the edge, minimizing chips and breaks from regular use.
You can choose the regular square edge, or variations to it. A square edge with waterfall is a treatment involving a slight dip before going down straight. Another variation is an eased edge, which is still a square edge but s slightly rounder top.
Choose a square edge if you want to keep your kitchen countertops from hogging the limelight from other elements in your kitchen, such as metal accents to your backsplashes, a snazzy kitchen faucet, or new cabinets.
Beveled
A beveled or chamfered edge is a popular profile for traditional kitchen designs. Its angled cut brings to mind a classic architectural style. By definition, a bevel is any angled cut, but this is usually a 45-degree angle cut for countertop use. A bevel edge profile makes a strong statement for kitchen design despite the softening treatment by fabricators by the addition of kerfs.
A variation of this is the extreme bevel profile, where the cut is at a much steeper angle. You can also choose a single bevel, or a double bevel, where the cut occurs on the top and bottom edge of the counter. Some homeowners choose to combine a bevel cut with other types of edge treatments.
Granite countertops with bevel edges have a subtle and elegant look, providing a good look at the grain of the stone. There was a time when only the more affluent could afford natural stones for countertops, so the bevel edge was good way to show it off. Of course, technology has advanced to the point that even manmade materials can simulate the look of natural stones, so this function of the bevel cut no longer applies. Nevertheless, it is still a good edge treatment for the elegant and refined kitchen.
Mitered
Granite countertops come from slabs that are typically 3 cm thick. It is possible to get thicker slabs, but they are more expensive and usually much heavier than you would want for kitchen counters. However, you can simulate the look of thicker slabs by choosing a mitered edge.
A mitered edge is basically a separate piece of granite cut at a 45-degree angle joined seamlessly with special adhesive to the kitchen countertop, which is likewise cut at a 45-degree angle. If done properly, it looks like a square edge, but it makes the counter look double its actual thickness. If you want a more rounded look, you can request for an eased and mitered treatment.
It is important to note that the mitered edge profile looks deceptively simple. Many granite countertop suppliers will advise against it because it is hard to execute. You need an experienced fabricator such as the ones from Keystone Granite to cut the stone precisely so the two stones join seamlessly. This can be hard with natural stones, especially granite, because there are wide variations in the color and pattern. The fabricator has to make sure there is continuity along the seams.
Bullnose
If you have young children running around the kitchen all the time, you might want to consider a bullnose edge. It has a rounded and soft style that minimizes injuries and accidents and also very popular because it highlights the solid thickness of granite countertops. It looks particularly attractive in contemporary or modern styles of kitchens.
You can choose to temper the roundedness by choosing the demi-bullnose or half-bullnose edge profiles. Both variations have a rounded top edge like the full bullnose, but an angled bottom edge. The half-nose bullnose has a slightly rounder bottom edge, however.
These are the basic edge profiles. You can choose premium edge profiles that are also popular with homeowners, but they are more expensive because they require a great deal more time and labor to fabricate. These include the waterfall, cove, quirk, DuPont, and ogee profiles. It is perfectly fine to stick with the basic edges; your kitchen countertops will still look fantastic.
Conclusion
It takes considerable skill to fabricate edge profiles for granite countertops even the basic ones. You want to make sure your contractor and fabricator has the skills and experience necessary to do it right. Keystone Marble and Granite is your best bet in the areas of Columbus, Ohio, Delaware cities, Lancaster and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. With showrooms in Lancaster and Horsham, Pennsylvania as well as New Castle, Delaware and Columbus, Ohio, we will walk you through each slab and explain how each can benefit you in your kitchen remodel. If you want a manmade stone that will last a long time, we also carry the top brands of engineered stones in the industry such as Cambria, Caesarstone, Silestone, and MSI, all with manufacturer warranties.
Once you have chosen your slabs, we provide free professional design consultation and quotes so you know exactly where you are before committing. We also have a quick turnaround, so you will get your products on time and on budget.
We are experts at fabricating and installing granite countertops, so you can be confident that you will get the very best in product and service quality. Give us a call or send us an inquiry through our website to set the ball rolling!