diff --git a/applications/test/surfaceWriter/Make/files b/applications/test/surfaceWriter/Make/files
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d52a295402
--- /dev/null
+++ b/applications/test/surfaceWriter/Make/files
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+Test-surfaceWriter.C
+
+EXE = $(FOAM_USER_APPBIN)/Test-surfaceWriter
diff --git a/applications/test/surfaceWriter/Make/options b/applications/test/surfaceWriter/Make/options
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a504dd8617
--- /dev/null
+++ b/applications/test/surfaceWriter/Make/options
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+EXE_INC = \
+    -I$(LIB_SRC)/surfMesh/lnInclude
+
+EXE_LIBS = \
+    -lsurfMesh
diff --git a/applications/test/surfaceWriter/Test-surfaceWriter.C b/applications/test/surfaceWriter/Test-surfaceWriter.C
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0d8e0c1e4e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/applications/test/surfaceWriter/Test-surfaceWriter.C
@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+/*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*\
+  =========                 |
+  \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
+   \\    /   O peration     |
+    \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2019 OpenCFD Ltd.
+     \\/     M anipulation  |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+License
+    This file is part of OpenFOAM.
+
+    OpenFOAM is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+    under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+    the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+    (at your option) any later version.
+
+    OpenFOAM is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+    ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+    FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
+    for more details.
+
+    You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+    along with OpenFOAM.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+Application
+    Test-surfaceWriter
+
+Group
+    grpSurfaceUtilities
+
+Description
+    Test surface writers.
+
+Usage
+    \b Test-surfaceWriter inputFile outputFile
+
+\*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+
+#include "argList.H"
+#include "surfaceWriter.H"
+#include "MeshedSurfaces.H"
+
+using namespace Foam;
+
+// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
+
+int main(int argc, char *argv[])
+{
+    argList::addNote
+    (
+        "convert between surface formats, "
+        "but primarily for testing functionality\n"
+        "Normally use surfaceMeshConvert instead."
+    );
+
+    argList::noParallel();
+    argList::noFunctionObjects();
+
+    argList::addOption
+    (
+        "type",
+        "writerType"
+    );
+
+    argList::addArgument("inputFile");
+    argList::addArgument("outputFile");
+
+    #include "setRootCase.H"
+
+    const fileName importName = args[1];
+    const fileName exportName = args[2];
+
+    if (importName == exportName)
+    {
+        FatalErrorInFunction
+            << "Output file " << exportName << " would overwrite input file."
+            << exit(FatalError);
+    }
+
+
+    if (!MeshedSurface<face>::canRead(importName, true))
+    {
+        return 1;
+    }
+
+    const word writerType =
+        args.lookupOrDefault<word>("type", exportName.ext());
+
+    auto surfWriter = surfaceWriter::New(writerType);
+
+    {
+        MeshedSurface<face> surf(importName);
+
+        Info<< "Read surface:" << endl;
+        surf.writeStats(Info);
+
+        Info<< "Open " << exportName
+            << " for writing with " << surfWriter->type() << nl;
+
+        surfWriter->open
+        (
+            surf.points(),
+            surf.surfFaces(),
+            exportName.lessExt(),
+            false // serial
+        );
+
+        surfWriter->write();
+    }
+
+    Info<< "\nEnd\n" << endl;
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
+// ************************************************************************* //
diff --git a/applications/utilities/mesh/manipulation/checkMesh/checkTools.C b/applications/utilities/mesh/manipulation/checkMesh/checkTools.C
index 4b530ee9ef..8aa7783038 100644
--- a/applications/utilities/mesh/manipulation/checkMesh/checkTools.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/mesh/manipulation/checkMesh/checkTools.C
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ void Foam::mergeAndWrite
                 false  // serial - already merged
             );
 
-            writer.writeGeometry();
+            writer.write();
             writer.clear();
         }
     }
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ void Foam::mergeAndWrite
             false  // serial - already merged
         );
 
-        writer.writeGeometry();
+        writer.write();
         writer.clear();
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/sampling/sampledSurface/sampledSurfaces/sampledSurfaces.C b/src/sampling/sampledSurface/sampledSurfaces/sampledSurfaces.C
index efe043f428..fcfb3478e6 100644
--- a/src/sampling/sampledSurface/sampledSurfaces/sampledSurfaces.C
+++ b/src/sampling/sampledSurface/sampledSurfaces/sampledSurfaces.C
@@ -560,7 +560,7 @@ bool Foam::sampledSurfaces::performAction(unsigned request)
             // Write geometry if no fields would otherwise be written
             if (!outWriter.nFields() || outWriter.separateGeometry())
             {
-                outWriter.writeGeometry();
+                outWriter.write();
                 continue;
             }
 
diff --git a/src/surfMesh/writers/boundaryData/boundaryDataSurfaceWriter.H b/src/surfMesh/writers/boundaryData/boundaryDataSurfaceWriter.H
index 569c07fb5a..93535078c2 100644
--- a/src/surfMesh/writers/boundaryData/boundaryDataSurfaceWriter.H
+++ b/src/surfMesh/writers/boundaryData/boundaryDataSurfaceWriter.H
@@ -165,13 +165,12 @@ public:
         //- Write surface geometry to file.
         virtual fileName write(); // override
 
-
-    declareSurfaceWriterWriteMethod(label);
-    declareSurfaceWriterWriteMethod(scalar);
-    declareSurfaceWriterWriteMethod(vector);
-    declareSurfaceWriterWriteMethod(sphericalTensor);
-    declareSurfaceWriterWriteMethod(symmTensor);
-    declareSurfaceWriterWriteMethod(tensor);
+        declareSurfaceWriterWriteMethod(label);
+        declareSurfaceWriterWriteMethod(scalar);
+        declareSurfaceWriterWriteMethod(vector);
+        declareSurfaceWriterWriteMethod(sphericalTensor);
+        declareSurfaceWriterWriteMethod(symmTensor);
+        declareSurfaceWriterWriteMethod(tensor);
 };
 
 
diff --git a/src/surfMesh/writers/ensight/ensightSurfaceWriter.H b/src/surfMesh/writers/ensight/ensightSurfaceWriter.H
index 39a958a20b..a5e2de9536 100644
--- a/src/surfMesh/writers/ensight/ensightSurfaceWriter.H
+++ b/src/surfMesh/writers/ensight/ensightSurfaceWriter.H
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ public:
         //  False if geometry and field must be in a single file
         virtual bool separateGeometry() const;
 
-        //- Write single surface geometry to file.
+        //- Write surface geometry to file.
         virtual fileName write(); // override
 
         declareSurfaceWriterWriteMethod(label);
diff --git a/src/surfMesh/writers/nastran/nastranSurfaceWriter.H b/src/surfMesh/writers/nastran/nastranSurfaceWriter.H
index 3993148cad..1e1e05feb2 100644
--- a/src/surfMesh/writers/nastran/nastranSurfaceWriter.H
+++ b/src/surfMesh/writers/nastran/nastranSurfaceWriter.H
@@ -236,8 +236,6 @@ public:
 
     // Member Functions
 
-    // Write
-
         //- Write surface geometry to file.
         virtual fileName write(); // override
 
diff --git a/src/surfMesh/writers/null/nullSurfaceWriter.C b/src/surfMesh/writers/null/nullSurfaceWriter.C
index b9bcbcc1c6..9e245f91ec 100644
--- a/src/surfMesh/writers/null/nullSurfaceWriter.C
+++ b/src/surfMesh/writers/null/nullSurfaceWriter.C
@@ -114,6 +114,12 @@ void Foam::surfaceWriters::nullWriter::open(const fileName& outputPath)
 {}
 
 
+Foam::fileName Foam::surfaceWriters::nullWriter::write()
+{
+    return fileName::null;
+}
+
+
 // Field writing methods
 defineSurfaceWriterWriteFields(Foam::surfaceWriters::nullWriter);
 
diff --git a/src/surfMesh/writers/null/nullSurfaceWriter.H b/src/surfMesh/writers/null/nullSurfaceWriter.H
index e8817c4e02..5ccf8a5f09 100644
--- a/src/surfMesh/writers/null/nullSurfaceWriter.H
+++ b/src/surfMesh/writers/null/nullSurfaceWriter.H
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ public:
         virtual bool enabled() const;
 
 
-    // Surface association
+    // Surface Association
 
         //- Change association with a surface (no-op).
         virtual void setSurface
@@ -128,6 +128,8 @@ public:
 
     // Write
 
+        virtual fileName write(); // override;
+
         declareSurfaceWriterWriteMethod(label);
         declareSurfaceWriterWriteMethod(scalar);
         declareSurfaceWriterWriteMethod(vector);
diff --git a/src/surfMesh/writers/proxy/proxySurfaceWriter.C b/src/surfMesh/writers/proxy/proxySurfaceWriter.C
index 1e8d20856b..77518db6bd 100644
--- a/src/surfMesh/writers/proxy/proxySurfaceWriter.C
+++ b/src/surfMesh/writers/proxy/proxySurfaceWriter.C
@@ -93,16 +93,6 @@ Foam::surfaceWriters::proxyWriter::proxyWriter
 
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Member Functions  * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
-void Foam::surfaceWriters::proxyWriter::open
-(
-    const fileName& outputPath
-)
-{
-    fileExtension_ = outputPath.ext();
-    surfaceWriter::open(outputPath);
-}
-
-
 Foam::fileName Foam::surfaceWriters::proxyWriter::write()
 {
     checkOpen();
diff --git a/src/surfMesh/writers/proxy/proxySurfaceWriter.H b/src/surfMesh/writers/proxy/proxySurfaceWriter.H
index 383d4b3fc5..d11f92f539 100644
--- a/src/surfMesh/writers/proxy/proxySurfaceWriter.H
+++ b/src/surfMesh/writers/proxy/proxySurfaceWriter.H
@@ -119,23 +119,12 @@ public:
 
     // Member Functions
 
-    // Capability
-
         //- A separate file is required for geometry.
         virtual bool separateGeometry() const
         {
             return true;
         }
 
-
-    // Output
-
-        //- Open for output on specified path, using existing surface
-        virtual void open(const fileName& outputPath); // override
-
-
-    // Write
-
         //- Write surface geometry to file.
         virtual fileName write(); // override
 
diff --git a/src/surfMesh/writers/starcd/starcdSurfaceWriter.H b/src/surfMesh/writers/starcd/starcdSurfaceWriter.H
index 034725d126..82239526a1 100644
--- a/src/surfMesh/writers/starcd/starcdSurfaceWriter.H
+++ b/src/surfMesh/writers/starcd/starcdSurfaceWriter.H
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ public:
             return true;
         }
 
-        //- Write single surface geometry to file.
+        //- Write surface geometry to file.
         virtual fileName write(); // override
 
         declareSurfaceWriterWriteMethod(label);
diff --git a/src/surfMesh/writers/surfaceWriter.H b/src/surfMesh/writers/surfaceWriter.H
index a2a7451e87..15eb84b8cb 100644
--- a/src/surfMesh/writers/surfaceWriter.H
+++ b/src/surfMesh/writers/surfaceWriter.H
@@ -462,11 +462,8 @@ public:
 
     // Write
 
-        //- Write single surface geometry to file.
-        virtual fileName writeGeometry() const
-        {
-            return fileName::null;
-        }
+        //- Write separate surface geometry to file.
+        virtual fileName write() = 0;
 
 
 #undef  declareSurfaceWriterWriteMethod