Kitchen Sinks
Matching your bowl to your life
When you pack for a trip, you may take everything but this fixture - but that doesn’t mean your kitchen sink is not important! The sink is one of the most frequently used items in a kitchen. It’s where you clean up after a meal, get your drinking water, wash your vegetables, the list goes on. It only stands to reason that something with so many uses certainly deserves a little attention!
When deciding what kind of sink to incorporate into your kitchen, you must consider the specific tasks your sink must accommodate. The universal standard for kitchen sinks is one stainless steel bowl, averaging 21 inches by 25 inches in size. These days however, most people prefer double bowl sinks, as they are better suited to families and make clean up and meal preparation easier.
When considering a new sink there are some key factors to keep in mind:
- Your countertop - if you are upgrading from a one bowl to a double bowl you may need to cut a different hole in your countertop to allow for the larger size bowl to fit. Your countertop and sink must be a perfect match and able to work well together.
- Your faucets - Some faucets are better suited to certain bowl types. Many bowls have precut holes in them so it is important to ensure the faucet you have chosen will fit the bowl you desire.
- The setting - Sinks can be made of the same material as the countertop, self-rimming or under-mount.
- The material - Sinks are generally made from stainless steel or other metals, porcelain, china enameled cast iron, fireclay, quartz silicate, or solid surface.Stainless steel sinks are the most common as they are durable, stain resistant and can withstand years of abuse. If you desire color in your sink, enameled cast iron has many options to choose from. Solid surface or quartz silicate resist scratches and nicks well.
Some sinks come with built in accessories such as a cutting board or dish drying rack. Other sinks may be used with a garbage disposal so you should plan your hole around this as well. Other accessories that may be useful with your kitchen sink include drain baskets and colanders.
