For the first time a comparison is made between the surface characteristics of layers simultaneously grown on nominal and on vicinal (111)B substrates under the 1x1 reconstruction regime which provides flat surfaces for both orientations. The influence of growth temperatures, 600 and 700 degrees C, on surface characteristics is thoroughly reviewed based on an atomic force microscopy study. This study yields additional insight into results already reported on growth mechanisms occurring along these two orientations for the root 19x root 19 growth regime. For the nominal (111)B layers, it will be shown that monoatomic steps at the surfaces define large atomically flat plateaus at both temperatures. At 600 degrees C, growth will be shown to proceed mainly through the development of two-dimensional nuclei, which are limited in size to a critical value and can coalesce by a proximity effect. These nuclei will be shown to be much smaller at 700 degrees C, thereby turning the step flow into the main mechanism occurring at that temperature. For the vicinal orientation, monoatomic-stepped and step-bunched surfaces grown at 600 and 700 degrees C, respectively, will be obtained under our 1x1 growth conditions, the same as in the root 19x root 19 regime.