The Sink
There are many types of kitchen sinks on the market in a wide variety of materials. We can’t cover all of the combinations of possibilities here, but we will discuss the most common. These include drop-in sinks, under-counter sinks, apron front sinks, and integrated sinks.
Drop in sinks, also known as self-rimming are most commonly stainless steel, but can be cast iron, vitreous china or acrylic. They are literally positioned (preferably not dropped) in place through a cut out in the countertop surface. The most common of these is the stainless steel sink in the double bowl variety. Builders usually provide them in subdivision homes, and are typically dropped in place over a plastic laminate countertop.
Look above (left) at this drop-in from Kohler – this is the Swerve. WOW! Look at the arched detail on the front edge. Common drop-in sink, Ravina (right).
|
Blanco Radius 10 (top) and Precision (bottom). |
|
|
Under Counter / Under Mount sinks can be a vitreous china, cast iron, fireclay, marble, or stainless steel. Stainless steel again has become a stylish and very popular option for several reasons:
• easy maintenance
•
durability
•
typically lower in cost than the other options
•
easy to match faucet finishes and other kitchen products.
Under-counter sinks are installed under a stone or solid surface material, can be used in a tiled-in option with ceramic tiles, or even with wood countertops if you use water savvy species and treat the edges properly. Countertop materials and the benefits of each will be covered in a future Holmes in Style article.
There are so many different styles and some fantastic looks, but beware of those newer sinks that have sharp interior 90’ corners. These sharp corners look impressive, and are easy to produce for the manufacturer, but they are hard to clean and maintain for the homeowner… requiring an old toothbrush to get into those 90’ corners. Blanco offers Precision with the sharp 90’ corner as well as the radius corner called Radius 10 for a similar look, but with easier maintenance.
Apron Front sinks have a decorated face and rest on specially constructed base cabinets to support the weight and styling. Some materials used to make these sinks include: cast iron, fireclay, and of course with today’s hot trend, stainless steel. They are typically used with the same countertop materials described with under-counter sinks and up until the surge in stainless steel, the apron front was associated with more traditional or country-styled kitchens.
 
Blanco’s Precision U1¾ Apron Front Kohler’s tile in Tidings Design on Alcott.
Integrated, when talking about sinks, means almost the same thing as discussed under Integrated Appliances in my last article, but, when referring to sinks, integrated means much more of a melding with (or perhaps melting in with) the countertop. Solid surface manufacturers and of course with the popularity of stainless steel, stainless steel countertop manufactures now offer the opportunity for customers to have their sinks seamlessly installed.
You will have a difficult time trying to find the line that would separate the countertop from the sink bowl. Integrated sinks are wonderful products for ease of cleaning and for wiping as you will have no lip, no caulking strip, and no surface rim to clean with that old toothbrush.
The look of stainless steel under counter sinks integrated into a stainless countertop is fantastic if you like the contemporary look and don’t mind the character line scratches in a stainless countertop. The solid surface countertops integrated with solid surface sinks offers more flexible as it will fit into any preferred style group. It is significantly more durable as a countertop material.
Axia 8 Silgranit sink by Blanco. |
|
|
|
Silgranit made by Blanco is available in seven colours and is “Made of 80% natural granite, SILGRANIT® combines the textural beauty of nature with unmatched strength and durability. High-quality acrylic bonds the material giving the sink an unsurpassed hardness and scratch resistance. With its ultra-resistance to chipping and staining, and a heat resistance of up to 280°C (536°F) – hotter than a pot straight from the stove.”
Information quoted from the Blanco.com and PMFplumbing.com websites.
When selecting a double bowl sink, look for a low height sink divider to allow you to put larger pots into the sink, and provided earlier overflow from one sink to the other. Kohler has trademarked the name Smart Divide to describe this feature, and smart it is. What a difference it is to easily wash the large roasting pans and fill soup pots without resting them on the bottom of the sink!
This sink is by Julien, a Canadian company (yeah!) that is leading the way in style and functionality with plumbing products!
Julien’s Work top sink in the Classic Collection. |
