Created: 23-05-22
Last Login: 23-05-22
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Kitchen Sink Buying Guide
There is a multitude of size options for your new kitchen sink, which can be found as little as 9" in length or exceed 40" for larger spaces. Know the purpose of the sink and how it will be used. For example, if you're looking for a sink to install into your kitchen island to help with food preparation, you likely only need a small prep sink which will be 24" long or smaller.
If replacing your main kitchen sink, you'll want to go a bit larger. The most common sizes for a kitchen sink are 30" or 33", however a standard size could measure anywhere between 24" and 36" in length. The bulk of what you find while shopping will fall within this size range. Generally, sinks up to 30" will contain one large single bowl. These sinks are fantastic for washing larger pots and pans, so they're ideal for bigger families that do a lot of stovetop cooking. If a double-bowl sink is desired, although they do exist, you may have some trouble finding one under 30" in length. Sinks that measure more than 30" in length will usually contain two or more bowls, however, you may still find some single-bowl sinks in these larger sizes. If you like to keep a food prep area separated from your dirty dish bowl, then a double or triple bowl sink may be what you need.
Kitchen sinks that are larger than 36" in length are considered oversized sinks. These fit very well into large kitchens, where a small or standard size kitchen sink may get lost in the design. Oversized sinks are also often found in professional kitchens or industrial settings, where large basins can really be taken advantage of.
Aside from the length of the sink, you should pay close attention to the depth of the basins as well as the width from front to back. Someone who prefers to hand wash their dishes may appreciate a deeper sink for soaking, or a wider sink which provides a bit more room to work.
You may now have an idea of the size you want your new kitchen sink to be, but before you make a decision, you'll need to know what will fit. If you're replacing an existing sink, measure the length and width of the opening where your current sink rests. To do this, you'll likely need to remove the sink. Also measure the depth of the bowls, as a significantly deeper bowl than what you currently have may require alterations to the in-wall plumbing. You'll need to know what will fit, and whether modifications will need to be made to your countertop, cabinet, or plumbing.
If you're planning to jump from a shallow sink to something with a deeper basin, take some measurements from the existing plumbing. If the basin hangs too low, the sink will not drain properly and modifications may need to be made behind the wall, e.g. lowering the pipe that feeds into the wall. To know how much deeper you can go without modification, measure the length of the pipe that connects the sink drain to the tee below the sink. This pipe is referred to as the tailpiece. If the tailpiece is 2" in length, then you should be able to install a new sink that is 2" deeper than what you currently have with no issues.
A Guide to Stainless Steel Kitchen Sinks for Homeowners
The kitchen sink plays a vital role in the modern-day kitchen; it’s so important that you’d struggle to live in a kitchen without a proper sink.
From cleaning large pots to preparing food, you need to make sure that your kitchen sink is great and absolutely perfect for your kitchen. Stainless steel kitchen sinks are popular due to their flexibility which makes it a good choice for:
Homeowners in their kitchens
Kitchens in restaurants or cafes
as well as whole other list of uses for a stainless steel sink.
In this post, we’ll cover the things that you need to know before purchasing a stainless steel kitchen sink.
Stainless steel kitchen sinks are a good choice for just about any kitchen thanks to its array of good qualities. You’d be hard-pressed to find a kitchen sink as timeless as stainless steel ones which also has the ability to complement kitchen designs nicely.
Stainless steel sinks are also famous for being strong and durable. With proper maintenance, stainless steel kitchens are expected to last for more than 30 years – a nod to its longevity and satisfactory performance.
Before you buy a stainless steel kitchen sink, you’ll need to consider some aspects to make your purchase worthwhile.
This includes:
The grades of stainless steel
It’s thickness (also referred to as its gauge)
Insulation and coatings for the sink
Its finish
Some other considerations include the number of sinks that you want as well as how you would like it to be mounted, although those factors are less important than the factors listed above.
It would also be helpful to understand how to maintain and take care of stainless sinks properly. Proper maintenance is essential to ensuring that your sink’s long-lastingness.
Stainless steel is usually steel that has been mixed with other elements to improve its properties. Think of stainless steel as a material that is mixed with the best of other materials to make a perfect final product.
The two most important materials to check before purchasing a sink is chromium and nickel. These two materials enhance the properties of stainless steel which make it durable and resistant to corrosion.
Choosing an Overmount or Undermount Sink
There are many aspects of a kitchen sink to consider, such as size, depth, dividers, and materials. Deciding whether you are looking for an over or undermount sink is best decided first, as it will simplify your decisions down the road. Your countertop material will be a key factor in this decision.
While undermount sinks are currently preferred for looks, overmount can be a better investment in longevity for certain countertop materials like wood. Undermount sinks, currently loved for their smooth look and how they complement stone and solid surface countertops, also get an extra inch or so of depth out of their lower mounting point.
UNDERMOUNT SINKS
Undermount sinks have that name because they sit under the counter, so that the the edge of the sink is below the level of the countertop. There are three types of undermount sink installation.
Positive reveal- counter stops before the edge of the sink creating a ledge
Negative reveal- counter overhangs the sink a little
Flush- counter and sink edges are aligned
Undermount sinks have their advantages and drawbacks. Examine the pros and cons to decide if one is right for your kitchen.
Pros:
~ Creates attractive, clean lines in your kitchen
~ Gives you slightly more counter space
~ Easy to wipe food and liquid messes directly into the sink
~ Undermount sinks can be deeper for cleaning large pots and pans
Cons:
~ Usually more expensive
~ Professional installation recommended
~ Risk of chipping the counter edge when moving heavy dishes
~ Water can get into gap between the sink and the counter, if not perfectly sealed. Top craftsmanship is advised.
~ Best used with waterproof, non-porous countertops like granite and other types of stone, or a water-resistant composite.
Undermount sinks are not appropriate for counters that are not water-tight, such as wood. Solid surface countertops are recommended for undermount sinks, since some countertop materials may not be strong enough to support the weight of the undermount sink. Talk to your contractor to be sure that the materials and sealing techniques that they use are suitable for an undermount sink.
The Great Debate: Top-mount or Undermount Sinks?
Decisions when undergoing a kitchen renovation or producing your own kitchen – each time you make one you are faced with two more, as if you’re Hercules cutting off the many heads of the menacing Hydra. Unfortunately, we’re not here to provide you an encyclopedia that will inform your conclusions for each and every decision that you will have to make in this overbearing task, but this latest blog instalment by QN Designs will bring you the insight to hopefully make one of those decisions just that little bit easier. Here’s all that you need to know about making the choice between style and convenience, between trend and budget: the choice between having an undermount or a top-mount sink.
Typically, when you buy a sink you will find that you have the inset bowl as well as a lip lining the edge or outline. For top-mount sinks, if you drop them into a cutout hole within a benchtop, the lip will save the sink from falling straight through and clanging onto the ground. Hence, top-mount sinks are also commonly referred to as drop-in sinks. You may also hear them being called overmount sinks and rimmed sinks for the similar reasons.
While a top-mount sink sits jovially above the benchtop, an undermount sink is holding on for dear life underneath the countertop. Due to these circumstances, an undermount sink must be specially installed through methods including sandwiching the sink lip between the underside of the benchtop and a support board, bonding the sink to the benchtop using a glue-like epoxy or merely bolting the sink underneath the counter. It altogether allows for a comparatively more streamlined look on the surface where there is no visible lip but instead sports a smooth benchtop surface across the whole space. If you want to stay up to date in terms of kitchen fashion and trends, then undermount sinks are generally considered to be more marketable and in style than your traditional drop-in sinks whom have been around for eras.
When considering the price of these two sinks, you must be sure to take into account both the cost of supply and the cost of installation. For the aspect of supply, an undermount sink is going to be more expensive than an overmount sink of the same shape and material.
In terms of installation, undermount sinks are also pricier in comparison and this is quite evident when we consider all the work needed to keep these bodies from losing its stick and falling to the floor while smashing all the plates within. It includes the price of extra materials needed for the job as well as the price of external labor if you are having a third party do the work. In addition, undermount sinks are strongly recommended to be partnered with a sturdy benchtop such as engineered stone, meaning that there is also polishing to be done on the inside edges of the cut out to smooth out any coarse surfaces.
Is a Double-Bowl Sink Worth the Space?
If you have an older home, it probably came with a double-bowl kitchen sink. This trend made its rounds at a time when dishwashers were not yet standard in the average American home. The primary purpose of double-bowl sinks was to make dishwashing easier: one bowl for soapy water, the other bowl with clean water for rinsing.
Nowadays, the double-bowl sink is rarely used for dishwashing. However, this type of kitchen sink does more than make dishwashing easier. Some of the benefits of a double-bowl sink are:
It’s ideal for washing large pans and other items that you don’t want to run through the dishwasher.
It helps keep things organized. For instance, you can put dirty dishes in one bowl while you use the other for food preparation.
It makes garbage disposal easier too. You can use the garbage disposal on one side even if the other bowl is full of water or dirty dishes.
Today, single-bowl sinks are dominating the home kitchen designs arena. Single-bowl sinks have one deep basin without any divider. They offer a number of benefits, including:
They provide more space for washing bigger kitchen items.
They do not take as much counter space as double-bowl sinks.
They are ideal for smaller kitchens.