Eased Edge: The Complete Guide and the Wider World of Edge Profiles

Eased Edge: The Complete Guide and the Wider World of Edge Profiles

The eased edge is the most-specified edge profile in residential countertop work in North America. It is the default in modern kitchens, the easiest to fabricate, the cheapest to deliver, and the cleanest to polish. Customers want it, designers spec it, and shops cut it on roughly 60 to 70 percent of jobs based on the surveys we have seen.

This hub uses the eased edge as the anchor case for the wider world of CNC fabrication and edge profile work. Because eased edge is just the entry point. A working fabricator needs to know every edge in the catalog, when each one is right, what each one costs to produce, and how each one holds up over the life of the countertop.

This hub anchors the CNC fabrication and edge profiles cluster of the Complete Guide to Countertop Fabrication. The supporting articles cover specific edge profiles, the saw and waterjet equipment that produces them, and the comparison decisions homeowners and designers run into.

What An Eased Edge Is

An eased edge is a simple 90 degree edge with the top and bottom corners slightly broken to remove the sharp arris. The break is typically about 1/16 inch to 1/8 inch radius. The edge looks crisp and modern from any angle, and the broken arris keeps it from chipping in normal use.

Eased edge is sometimes called a "modern edge" or a "clean edge" in showroom language. Some sources call a true square edge "eased" if the arris is just sanded smooth without a measurable radius. The terminology varies by shop and region.

The eased edge is produced on the CNC bridge or by a hand polisher. The CNC route is the modern standard in any shop above hobby scale. The CNC bridge runs the edge profile bit, applies the eased detail, and polishes in one pass. A skilled CNC operator can run eased edges on a kitchen's worth of parts in under an hour.

Eased Edge Versus Pencil Edge

The most common showroom confusion is eased edge versus pencil edge. They look similar from a distance.

A pencil edge is rounded over the entire top, creating a continuous curve from front face to top surface. The radius is typically about 1/4 inch. The look is softer and more traditional.

An eased edge keeps the 90 degree corner with just the arris broken. The look is sharper and more modern.

In residential kitchens since roughly 2018, eased has overtaken pencil as the dominant edge. Pencil still shows up in traditional kitchens, in bathrooms, and in any project where the designer wants a softer feel.

For the breakdown in detail, see the supporting articles on pencil edge vs eased edge and pencil edge.

The Full Edge Profile Catalog

Every working shop has a sample board with the standard edge profiles. Customers run their fingers across each one in the showroom before they sign the quote. The standard catalog includes:

• Eased. The modern default. 90 degree edge with broken arris.
• Pencil. Rounded over, about 1/4 inch radius.
• Quarter bevel. A 45 degree cut on the top corner, about 1/4 inch wide.
• Half bullnose. A half-rounded top with a flat bottom face.
• Full bullnose. Fully rounded edge from top to bottom.
• Ogee. The S-curve profile, traditional and ornate.
• Double ogee. Two stacked S-curves, very ornate, used in formal kitchens and bathrooms.
• Dupont. A flat top with a small radius at the front face dropping into a flat front, traditional in higher-end residential.
• Cove. The opposite of bullnose, a curve that scoops inward. Less common in residential, more common in commercial.
• Mitered apron. A 45 degree miter that creates a thick built-up edge from two pieces of slab. Used for waterfall ends and chunky island looks.
• Waterfall. A mitered end where the slab continues from the top down the side of the island to the floor.

For deep dives on the specific profiles, see the supporting articles on cove edge, half bullnose edge countertop, ogee profile edge, double ogee edge profile, dupont edge, and dupont edge countertop.

Edge Profile Pricing

Edges are where shops quietly lose margin. The pricing structure should be visible to the customer and consistent across quotes.

• Eased edge: included
• Pencil edge: included or plus $3 per linear foot
• Quarter bevel: plus $3 to $5 per linear foot
• Half bullnose: plus $5 to $8 per linear foot
• Full bullnose: plus $8 to $12 per linear foot
• Ogee: plus $10 to $15 per linear foot
• Double ogee: plus $15 to $20 per linear foot
• Dupont: plus $12 to $18 per linear foot
• Cove: plus $10 to $15 per linear foot
• Mitered apron, 4 inch: plus $80 to $120 per linear foot
• Waterfall end (per end): plus $400 to $800

Ranges vary by region and shop overhead. The structure matters. Each profile is its own labor cost and each one carries its own quote line.

CNC Bridge Versus Manual Edge Work

Edge profiles can be produced on a CNC bridge saw or by hand polisher. The modern shop runs the CNC bridge for almost everything.

The CNC bridge holds a profile bit, runs along the slab edge under computer control, and produces a consistent profile on every linear foot. The polishing wheels follow the bit. The output is a finished edge ready for QA.

Hand polishing still has a place for repairs, touch-ups on field cuts, and small jobs where bringing up the CNC is not worth the setup. But the working shop produces 90 percent or more of its edges on the CNC.

CNC bridge saws in the working shop market run $80,000 to $250,000 depending on size, configuration, and brand. Used machines run lower. Lease structures are common.

Waterjet Cutting

Waterjets fit alongside the CNC bridge for specific work. The waterjet uses a high-pressure stream of water with abrasive garnet to cut stone. The cuts are very clean, the geometry can include curves and complex shapes the bridge cannot do as cleanly, and the heat input is essentially zero.

Most shops do not need a waterjet. Shops doing high-end work with complex curves, inlay work, or commercial projects with non-rectangular geometry justify the investment. Waterjets in the working shop market run $150,000 to $500,000.

For the deep dive on the equipment, see the supporting article on waterjet cutter.

How Material Affects Edge Choice

Not every edge profile works on every material. The rules:

• Quartz (Silestone, Cambria, Caesarstone, etc.): All profiles work. The engineered material holds detail cleanly. Ogee and dupont edges look crisp.
• Granite: Most profiles work but watch for fissures. Ornate profiles like double ogee can pull material at a fissure line. Eased and pencil are the safest.
• Quartzite: Hard material, all profiles work, but slower to cut and polish. Cost goes up.
• Marble: All profiles work but the material is soft. Watch for chipping during fabrication. Eased and pencil hold up best long term.
• Porcelain large format: Limited profile options. The material is too thin (12mm or 20mm) for ornate edges. Eased, pencil, and mitered apron with the right thickness build-up are the main options.

The salesperson selling a double ogee edge on a porcelain slab is selling a job that cannot be delivered as quoted. Train the sales team on which edges work in which materials.

Edge Polishing And Finish Levels

A finished edge in a customer's kitchen needs to match the slab top in polish level. A high-gloss polished top demands a high-gloss polished edge. A honed top demands a honed edge. A leathered top demands a leathered edge.

The CNC bridge polishing wheels handle the standard polished finish. Honed and leathered finishes typically need a follow-up step. The shop QA process before parts leave the shop should include a polish-level check under raking light. Customers notice when the edge polish does not match the top.

OSHA Silica And Dust On The CNC Floor

Every cut and grind in a stone shop produces silica dust. OSHA's silica standard (29 CFR 1926.1153) requires:

• Wet cutting whenever possible
• Local exhaust ventilation on dry-cutting and grinding operations
• Respiratory protection per the action level
• Medical surveillance for workers above the action level
• Documented exposure assessments

The CNC bridge runs wet. The polishers run wet. The hand tools used for touch-ups need exhaust and respirators. The shop floor needs wet cleanup, not dry sweeping that re-suspends silica into the breathing zone. Compliance with this standard is non-negotiable. Workers who breathe crystalline silica dust over years develop silicosis, an irreversible lung disease that has killed fabricators across this industry. Run wet, vent local, mask up. Every cut.

The CNC Operator As A Trade

The CNC bridge is a $150,000 machine. The operator running it can save or cost the shop tens of thousands per year in scrapped parts, blade life, and rework. Treat the role as a trade, not a forklift job.

A working CNC operator knows:

• The feed rate and blade speed for each material category
• How to load and offset parts from the DXF file
• How to inspect the edge for chipping before the part leaves the machine
• When to change a worn blade versus push it one more job
• How to troubleshoot when a part comes off wrong

The shops with the lowest CNC scrap rates pay their CNC operators well, train them carefully, and back them up with documented procedures. The shops with high scrap rates hand the machine to whoever is available and wonder why the margin is thin.

What This Cluster Covers

The CNC Fabrication and Edge Profiles cluster covers the production floor where the slab becomes finished parts. The ten supporting articles in this cluster:

1. Eased edge, this hub, anchored on the most-common modern edge profile
2. Cove edge, the inverse-curve profile and where it works
3. Waterjet cutter, the cutting equipment alongside the CNC bridge
4. Pencil edge vs eased edge, the showroom comparison
5. Dupont edge, the traditional residential profile
6. Half bullnose edge countertop, the half-rounded option
7. Ogee profile edge, the S-curve profile
8. Dupont edge countertop, application in residential kitchens
9. Pencil edge, the rounded profile in depth
10. Double ogee edge profile, the stacked S-curve

Pick the article that matches the next training gap. If your sales team confuses eased and pencil in front of customers, start there. If your CNC team is struggling with ogee detail, start there. If you are evaluating a waterjet purchase, start with the waterjet article.

Where To Go From Here

If your shop is still running edges by hand on most jobs, evaluate moving to CNC bridge production. The ROI math holds at most shop volumes above 2 kitchens per week, based on case studies we have seen.

If your shop has a CNC bridge but the operator role is treated as low-skill, the move is to invest in operator training. Better operators produce better parts with less scrap.

If your edge profile pricing is bundled into a single per-square-foot number, the move is to unbundle. Each profile is its own labor cost. Customers respect line items they can see.

For the wider workflow, head back to the Complete Guide to Countertop Fabrication. For the templating that feeds the CNC, see the Digital Templating cluster (Cluster C). For the nesting that drives the cut layout, see the Slab Nesting cluster (Cluster D). For the install side of the finished parts, see the Installation and Quality cluster (Cluster F).