A kitchen needs a sink. But you can’t go out and buy just any sink; it’s got to be the right one. There are a few decisions that you need to keep in mind while you’re shopping, all of which will affect your purchase. So, if you’re in the market for a redesigned kitchen, here’s the simplest, ultimate guide to buying kitchen sinks…
Size…
Primarily, the size of your kitchen is going to determine the size of your sink. Go with the biggest sink that will look appropriate in the space that you have. When it comes to depth, deeper sinks obviously contain more water, but they also mean you get less splashing, and so less water on the counter top. However, depending on your height, you might find it difficult or uncomfortable to reach to the bottom of a deep sink, so keep that in mind.
The Number of Holes…
This sounds like a silly thing to think about, but remember to ensure that there are the correct number of holes predrilled into the sink you choose. The majority of sinks have just one hole drilled for a mixer tap, but if you want two taps, or you want to add a garbage disposal mechanism, you’ll need to make sure that your sink is prepared…
Configuration…
Configuration is really up to personal choice, some people prefer one sink, whilst others like a sink and draining board, or a double sink. There are pros and cons to each style, but your choice depends on how you use your sink. Having two sinks can be great, letting you wash dishes as well as wash food at the same time. A draining board means that you don’t need counter space to dry dishes.
Installation…
There are two common kinds of installation for sinks in the kitchen. The first is a rimmed sink, which is dropped into a hole in the counter top, with the metal rim of the sink staying outside. This is easy to install, and practical, although it does mean that you need to do a little extra cleaning around the rim of the sink where it meets the counter, and the gap between the two will need to be sealed to make it waterproof. Under mounted sinks are mounted from below the counter, and give a flush finish between the sink and the counter top, making for easy cleaning. However, under mounted sinks are more difficult to install, and are only suitable if you have a completely waterproof counter surface, so they don’t go well with wooden counters.
Material…
There are a lot of different material choices for a kitchen sink. Predominantly, most people choose stainless steel, since it’s hygienic, easy to clean and hard wearing. Enamel sinks can be an attractive and colourful choice, but the disadvantage of enamel sinks is that they chip easily, and once chipped, the metal under the enamel will begin to rust. Less traditional choices include things like cast iron or granite sinks. These are hard wearing, but do require special installation because they’re so heavy, plus, they’re usually very expensive.
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License: Image author owned
License: Image author owned
License: Image author owned
Phil Turner has bought quite a few kitchen sinks in his time, he prefers simple ones, but everyone has their own preferences.
