Edge & Backsplash Linear Footage
Add up the finished edge and backsplash run on a stone countertop — perimeter minus cutouts plus backsplash — and price the edgework by the foot.
Finished edge footage
Finished linear feet is the exposed perimeter minus cutout edge, plus the backsplash run. Multiply by your fabricator’s per-foot rate for the chosen edge profile to get an edgework subtotal.
Edgework is priced by the foot, so measure the foot
After material, edge profiling is often the next line on a countertop quote — and it's billed by the linear foot. Getting the finished footage right means counting only the runs that actually get polished: the exposed perimeter, minus where a drop-in sink or cooktop interrupts the front, plus the top of any stone backsplash.
The profile you choose moves the rate. A simple eased or pencil-round edge is the cheapest; ogee, dupont, and mitred built-up edges cost more per foot because they take more grinding and polishing. Multiply your footage by the rate for the profile you want and you have a defensible edgework budget before you ever call a shop.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as finished edge?
Finished (or profiled) edge is any run of countertop that gets polished into an edge shape — an eased, bullnose, ogee, or mitred profile. It's the exposed perimeter of the counter, not counting the sides that sit against a wall, which are left square because you never see them.
Why subtract cutouts from the perimeter?
A drop-in sink or cooktop breaks the front edge where it sits, removing that run from the profiled edge. Subtracting the cutout length gives a truer figure for how much edge actually gets finished. Undermount sinks are different — their opening is polished separately and priced by the shop as its own line item.
Is the backsplash edged too?
The top of a stone backsplash is usually polished, so its run is added to the finished linear footage. A full-height backsplash is measured as area instead. Enter whichever backsplash run takes an edge profile, and leave it at zero if you aren't using a stone splash.
How is edgework priced?
Fabricators typically charge edgework by the linear foot, with the rate rising for more elaborate profiles — a simple eased edge costs less than an ogee or a mitred, built-up edge. Enter your per-foot rate and the tool multiplies it by the finished footage for an edgework subtotal.
How do I measure the perimeter of an L-shaped counter?
Walk the exposed edge and add up each straight run: the front, the returns, and any island or peninsula edges you'll see. Skip every side that meets a wall. The sum is your exposed perimeter — enter it here, then subtract any sink or cooktop that interrupts the front.
Educational estimate — confirm which edges your fabricator profiles and their per-foot rate for your chosen edge before budgeting.