Kitchen Benchtop Edge Profiles: Pencil Round, Arris, Mitred & More
Reviewed by Team Asetica · Sydney · Perth · Melbourne · Updated July 2026
An edge profile is the shape cut into the visible edge of a benchtop — square, rounded, chamfered or mitred. It affects safety (how likely an edge is to chip), cleaning, cost and the overall look of the kitchen. Common choices for sintered stone and porcelain include pencil round, arris, bullnose, half round, lamb's tongue and mitred waterfall edges.
- Pencil round, arris, square, bullnose, half round, lamb's tongue and mitred are the most common edge profiles for sintered stone and porcelain benchtops.
- Arris (a lightly chamfered square edge) and square edges are the simplest and lowest-cost to fabricate.
- Mitred edges join two slabs at 45° to simulate a thicker, premium waterfall look, the most complex to fabricate.
- Sintered stone contains no resin binder, so edges don't yellow or degrade at the join over time.
Specifying an edge profile for your project? Asetica supplies the trade nationally from showrooms in Sydney and Perth. View the Collection →
What Is a Benchtop Edge Profile?
A benchtop edge profile is the shape and finish applied to the visible outer edge of the slab — the part you see and touch every day. It's a small detail with a real impact: it changes how the benchtop reads visually, how safe the edge is around kids, how easy it is to wipe clean, and how much the fabrication costs. Speak with your stonemason early about which profiles suit your chosen slab thickness and material.
What Is an Arris Edge?
An arris edge is a square edge with the sharp top and bottom corners lightly chamfered off — just enough to remove the corner that's most likely to chip or catch on clothing, while keeping the clean, minimal look of a square edge. It's one of the simplest and most cost-effective profiles to fabricate, and it's a common specification for contemporary kitchens where a fully square edge is preferred but a completely raw corner is a safety concern.
The Most Common Edge Profiles
Pencil Round
A pencil round edge is rounded on the top and bottom with a subtle curve running the full length. It's soft to the touch, forgiving around young children, and easy to clean because there's no sharp corner to catch debris. It suits both 12mm overlay installations and full 20mm benchtops.
Arris (Eased Square)
Covered above — a square edge with the corners lightly eased. Minimal, contemporary, and one of the lowest-cost profiles to fabricate.
Square Edge
No rounding or chamfering at all — a completely flat, 90° edge. It's the most budget-friendly option and suits architectural, minimalist kitchens, though the sharp corner is more exposed to chipping than an arris or pencil round.
Bullnose
A bullnose edge is fully rounded into a half-circle profile, with no flat vertical face at all. It reads softer and more traditional than a pencil round and removes any hard corner entirely, which suits family kitchens and rounded cabinetry.
Half Round
A half round edge curves on the top face only, leaving a flat vertical face below. It gives a softened top edge without the full bullnose curve, a middle ground between pencil round and bullnose.
Lamb's Tongue
A lamb's tongue edge combines a curved top with a concave, S-shaped detail below it before meeting the flat vertical face. It's a more decorative, traditional profile than pencil round or arris, and suits classic or heritage-style kitchens.
Mitred Edge (Waterfall)
Two slabs are cut at 45° and joined at the corner to create the illusion of a much thicker benchtop — commonly used to simulate a 40mm-look edge from two 20mm slabs. It's the most premium, seamless-looking profile, and the most complex to fabricate, so it needs an experienced stonemason and clean joinery.
How Edge Profiles Compare on Cost and Complexity
| Profile | Fabrication Complexity | Typical Cost Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Square | Very simple | Lowest |
| Arris | Simple | Low |
| Pencil Round | Simple | Low |
| Half Round | Simple-Medium | Low-Medium |
| Bullnose | Medium | Medium |
| Lamb's Tongue | Complex | Medium-High |
| Mitred / Waterfall | Complex | Highest |
Why Sintered Stone Handles Edge Profiles Well
Sintered stone is fired from natural minerals with no resin binder, which matters at the edge specifically: resin-bound materials can yellow or degrade at a mitred join over time, especially with heat or sun exposure. Sintered stone doesn't carry that risk. It contains crystalline silica like other stone materials, so professional fabrication with wet cutting and dust extraction is required — but the finished, installed edge is inert and safe. The material's density also allows precise, clean cuts, which is what makes tight mitred joins possible.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Mixing more than one edge profile across the same kitchen — it reads as inconsistent.
- Specifying a mitred edge without confirming your cabinetry has the support to carry it.
- Choosing a fully square edge in a home with young children without discussing an arris chamfer as an alternative.
- Using a fabricator without sintered stone or porcelain experience — thin, dense slabs need specialist diamond tooling.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an arris edge?
An arris edge is a square benchtop edge with the top and bottom corners lightly chamfered off, removing the sharpest point while keeping a minimal, contemporary look. It's one of the simplest and lowest-cost profiles to fabricate.
What's the difference between a pencil edge and an arris edge?
A pencil edge has a full rounded curve along the whole edge, while an arris edge is mostly square with just the corners eased. Pencil round feels softer to the touch; arris keeps a sharper, more architectural line while still removing the risk of a raw corner.
Do I need thicker slabs for a mitred edge?
No. Mitred edges are usually fabricated by joining two standard slabs — commonly 20mm — at a 45° angle to simulate a thicker 40mm-look edge, rather than sourcing a genuinely thicker slab.
Will a square edge chip more easily than a rounded one?
A fully square edge has more exposed corner than a pencil round or arris profile, so it carries a marginally higher chip risk at that corner. Sintered stone's density and lack of resin binder reduce that risk compared with resin-bound materials, but any stone edge can chip under a hard, direct impact.
Can I get samples of different edge profiles?
Yes. Physical edge samples are available on request or in showroom at Asetica's Sydney, Melbourne and Perth locations.
Asetica Surfaces is a trade sintered stone supplier serving architects, builders, stonemasons, cabinet makers and designers across Sydney, Perth and Melbourne. Our team draws on hundreds of completed benchtop, splashback and facade projects and a European manufacturing partner that has produced sintered stone since 2007. See the range at our showrooms, or call 1300 161 388.
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