Bullnose Steps: Buyer's Guide
- Ashlar Stone Products
- Jul 28, 2022
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 14
Make an Entrance!
Yorkshire stone bullnose steps are a timeless addition to any entrance or garden, guaranteed to stand the test of time and are often featured on the original Victorian townhouses of Kensington in London and spectacular stately homes. Bullnose steps help to add sophistication and grandeur to any home, this blog aims to take the stress out of ordering your steps by explaining some common terminology!
Bullnose Step Corner Finishes Your Quote
So what are bullnose steps?
Bullnose steps are generally made from a ‘tread’ and a ‘riser’ which clad existing steps or are sat on a pre-made foundation. The tread is a solid slab of stone, usually 50mm thick, which creates the step on which you place your foot. The front of this slab is then shaped and rounded at the front to create a radius edge – this is called a Bullnose front.
The riser is a thin strip of stone which sits at the back of a step and under the overhang of the step above, this creates a seamless finish to the steps where joints are minimal. See our useful pointers below for more information on measurements.
Bespoke Steps
We cut all of our steps to order, using the stone from our own quarry. We can cut to and width and most lengths up to 2.5m long. The step treads can also be cut out to your specific requirements, in to a T shape to fit in to a doorway for example.
Full Bullnose vs Half Bullnose
Our most popular step is the bullnose front, however sometimes a half bullnose will be required. This might be used when a step is sitting on an existing surface and doesn’t have an overhang. The below graphic shows the difference:
Other Step Profile Examples
As well as full and half bullnose steps, we can also profile steps to other designs, such as chamfered or pencil round. All profiles are priced individually so please specify in your cutting list what profile you would like. Please see examples below:
Bullnose Step Corner Finishes
Radius Corners
If your steps are exposed on one or two sides, we can bullnose the edges and round the corners if needed. Rounded corners are referred to as ‘radius corners’, these usually have a 50mm radius to match the bullnose, but sometimes the radius can be bigger if making a feature curve on the bottom step for example. A 100mm radius is a popular choice for a feature step, this is often combined with a 50mm vertical radius on the riser to match.
Bullnose to a Point
If you do not specify radius corners, bullnosed steps will be finished to a point, this is sometimes preferred and creates a clean look.
Bullnose Return
Another option is a bullnose ‘return’ – This is often used when your step is fitting in to a wall or when the bullnose is not needed along the full side length. When the bullnose is just needed on the corner (as below) we call it a bullnose return.
Your Quote
When supplying and quoting for bullnose steps, we will work from a cutting list. This list will detail the dimension of each step you require (we work in mm), as well as the additional finishes needed. Please note that bullnosed edges, radius corners and cut outs are all additional costs, so these details must be included for an accurate quote. We don’t do site visits or fitting, we are supply only, so your builder or step fitter will be best placed to help put together a cutting list.
Always remember to list any steps which need the sides bullnosing aswell as the front.
Example cutting list:
1qty Step 1500 x 400 x 50mm – Bullnose Front and cut outs as drawing
3qty Step 1500 x 350 x 50mm – Bullnose Front and both sides to a point
1qty Riser 1450 x 150 x 50mm
3qty Riser 1450 x 100 x 50mm
Useful Pointers
We generally cut steps to 50mm thickness, but can do 75mm if preferred
With stone steps it is general practice for the riser to sit on top of the tread below, so take the tread thickness in to account with riser measurements (Riser plus tread = total rise)
Bullnose steps usually have a slight overhang at the front of the step, so add this to the tread measurement you supply to us, also taking in to account the thickness of the riser sitting below it
When planning your steps its often useful to do a basic sketch to help you visualise them, it also helps to show us what you require
We don’t do site visits or fitting, we are supply only, so your builder or step fitter will be best placed to answer questions and help with design
If you have any questions or would like to know more, please dont hesitate to contact us! We look forward to working with you to create your beautiful steps.
Greater London Step Orders
If you live in London and the Greater London area, please contact our dedicated stone supplier - English City Stone. The team are experienced in supply and also fitting steps so you will be in good hands. Below is an example of their work using our stone.
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