What is a bird’s beak edge?
A bird’s beak edge is an edge treatment in which the edge of a board, table or window sill is profiled into a curved shape that runs back underneath — comparable to a bird’s curved beak. In Dutch it is called a papegaaienbek, parrot’s beak, and the moulding plane once used to make it carried the same name.
The profile
A straight, sharp edge on a worktop or sill is vulnerable and looks hard. Rounding or profiling the edge makes it more robust and softer in appearance. The bird’s beak is one of the classic profiles for this: the top face bulges forward and curves back inwards under the edge.
Applications:
- Timber and stone window sills
- Worktops and countertops
- Table tops and furniture edges
- Stair treads (in the related form of the nosing)
Practical points:
- In timber the profile is cut today with a router and a profile cutter; work in two or three passes to avoid tear-out.
- Always rout the end grain first and the long edges afterwards; any break-out at the end of an end-grain cut is then removed.
- In stone and solid surface the profile is ground; have the supplier do it, because a hand-ground line is rarely even.
- On an external sill, an under-profile with a drip groove helps rainwater fall clear — that is functional, not just decorative.
The second meaning: a burst pipe
In plumbing, the Dutch term is also used for a pipe that has split open. When water freezes in a plastic or metal pipe it expands and tears the wall lengthwise; the edges curl outwards and form a gap that resembles an open beak.
Prevention is far easier than repair:
- Run pipework on the warm side of the insulation, not in a cold crawl space or against an outside wall in an unheated loft.
- Insulate pipes that must pass through cold zones, and drain down outside taps and their supply pipes before winter.
- In a building left empty over winter: drain the system and turn off the supply. Insurers do not always pay out for freeze damage where reasonable precautions were not taken.
Related terms
- Window sill
- Drip groove
- Panel
- Router
- Frost protection
Want to learn more about construction terms? Visit our knowledge base at fredsdiyplans.com.