Every homeowner wants to understand the distinct types of kitchen sinks in the market before going shopping. If you take your time and research about different types of kitchen sinks, this will enable you to purchase the most suitable one. What brings the difference between the kitchen sinks are the materials used to make them, sizes, mode of installation, shapes, and designs. As the consumers’ needs keep changing, this prompts trends in the manufacturing industry, hence, leading to the production of more new types of kitchen sinks.
In this post, I will discuss with you the different types of kitchen sinks based on the materials that make them. You are aware that kitchen sinks are made of materials such as stainless steel, fireclay, granite, porcelain, and cast iron among many more others. The difference in materials that are used to produce these models leads to the different types of kitchen sinks.
Also, we will discuss the various kitchen sink styles. Kitchen sinks can be a single bowl or double, and they all have admirers. You can also have a drop-in sink, flush mount or an undermount kitchen sink. Every of this style has its pros and cons. I recommend that you understand what is useful in each style before you choose to buy it. In this post, I will give you a comprehensive analysis to help you perform excellent shopping.
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Types Of Kitchen Sinks Based On The Materials
In the modern day world, kitchen sinks manufacturers are having plenty of materials to use. All this depends on the consumer interest patterns on certain kitchen sinks made of particular materials. At the end of it all, the focus is on the materials that attract a high demand from the customers. Today, we have kitchen sinks made of copper, granite, marble, stainless steel, glass, quartz sinks, and fireclay among many more others. In this post, we will focus on each material.
Composite Kitchen Sinks
In the making of these type of kitchen sinks, a resin filler is used to mix quartz and granite elements. The granite is first crushed to enable easy blending of the two parts of the entire material. The resin is used in the mixture at around 20-30% while the rest of the material is the rock. As a result, the material formed in this case will have similar qualities as pure quartz and granite. These kitchen sinks are highly resistant to scratches and stains. You don’t have to worry about the durability and maintenance issues.
In the modern market, granite composite sinks are the most durable models. And now the combination of both granite and quartz offers you a visually aesthetic quality of your kitchen sink which is eye-catching. Due to the high density of the material, it can provide high resistance to heat, chip, and scratch. The sink can weather hot pots and pans without leaving a mark on the surface which is quite an admirable element. They can withstand dents, scuffs, and cuts.
One of their drawbacks is that when a glass falls on their surface, it gets shattered into pieces due to the sturdy, stable surface. The other drawback is that they are more costly than ceramic and stainless steel kitchen sinks. You also need to check the nature of the cleaning chemicals you use since some of them can cause damage to the surface.
Concrete Kitchen Sinks
Since not many people own concrete kitchen sinks, owning these types of kitchen sinks makes you unique. The material offers you countless customizations which provide you with flexibility. Due to the customization aspect, you are provided an opportunity to use different design features such as unique bowl shapes, inlays or drainboards. For a seamless appearance of your entire kitchen décor, you can also use a concrete countertop.
On the other hand, this type of kitchen sink will require regular sealing to repel moisture and avert staining. Since it can be custom made, this makes it expensive. You will need strong cabinet support for this type of a kitchen sink since it is heavy. Over the time, it is possible that the sink develops fissures and cracks.
Fireclay Kitchen Sinks
Fireclay kitchen sinks are made of clay that is heated at extremely high temperatures to harden it. Ceramic clay is molded into the desired shapes and left at high temperatures for more than a day. After confirming that the clay has dried, the structure is coated with porcelain enamel and placed in a kiln for more than 15 hours. In the course of this period, the porcelain is fused into the clay to make a stronger kitchen sink. Then this implies that porcelain is not a coating anymore and becomes part of the clay.
The extreme periods of hardening the material through heat make fireclay more durable than cast iron for those who commonly compare between the two. The sink is easy to maintain and non-porous. Even when the surface accidentally chips, a fireclay kitchen sink won’t corrode. These products are glossy and might exist in various colors though white is the most common.
One of their demerits is that they are expensive compared to most of the other sinks. These types of kitchen sinks will need a meticulous installation of the drain opening since over-tightening when fitting a garbage disposer might result in a chip. As well, it is possible to develop chips from hard knocks on the surface. You need to execute the right maintenance and care practices to avoid this scenario. You can shop various types of fireclay kitchen sinks from Amazon.
Cast Iron Kitchen Sinks
Cast iron might not be very popular today, but it is one of the widely known materials for making a kitchen sink. Since iron can easily corrode due to its ability to react with various substances, the structure is always coated with porcelain. At the end of it all, this leads to the formation of a porcelain kitchen sink. The enamel coating finish made of porcelain can withstand corrosion, does not stain and scratch. Some people think that the porcelain coating is just painted on the surface of the iron which is not true. The reality is that the porcelain is melted and fused with the cast iron to make the surface tough.
In spite of the advantages told above, you will experience some challenges when you buy this kind of a kitchen sink which is quite reasonable for any other sink. The sink is pretty heavy and can complicate the installation process depending on how you want to fit in your kitchen. For an undermount installation, this might require an expert to fix it. You will need a strong cabinet base to support your heavy sink.
Stainless Steel Kitchen Sinks
Stainless steel kitchen sinks are less expensive compared to the most of other sinks. They are light, and most of them do not have complicated installation processes. The availability of both top mount and undermount proves the versatility of stainless steel. These materials offer a high level of resistance to stains and heat. People will often buy stainless steel kitchen sinks because they are durable.
On the other hand, you have to understand that stainless steel kitchen sinks are the noisiest. Before you buy a sink made of this material, you have to confirm that it is fitted with padding and soundDefend technology to help lower the noise emitted when you are using the sink. Another problem is that they often show water spots which complicate your effort to keep them appear clean at all times. They can also develop scratches as they age.
Copper Kitchen Sinks
When a copper kitchen sink is mentioned, many people think about its beautiful patina. Any material that is made of copper must have a living finish. Some people might not understand the importance of this living finish. Most kitchen sinks suffer corrosion which is not a quite exciting idea to many kitchen users. When a copper sink undergoes a patina process, this helps to prevent the corrosion of its surface. Then this adds the longevity of your copper kitchen sink.
However, you will still encounter some difficulties when you decide to buy a copper kitchen sink. If you are not careful, you might buy a copper kitchen sink whose components are lead and mercury making the low material quality. The right material should be 99% copper and 1% zinc. For those who don’t feel attracted by the patina process, you will need to polish your sink often to keep the appearance that appeals to you. Finally, most of these kitchen sinks are expensive.
Types Of Kitchen Sinks Based On Styles
The other way we can categorize types of kitchen sinks is by focusing on their styles. When you want to buy a kitchen sink, you will have to decide whether to purchase a single bowl or double basin kitchen sink. You’ve got to think about the installation style which can be flush mount, drop-in, or undermount. Let’s focus on easy style.
Top Mount/Drop-In Kitchen Sink
A drop-in kitchen sink is one of the most straightforward installation models. The sink style bears names such as self-trimming, top mount, and drop-in. After you buy this type of a kitchen sink, and you only insert it into a custom made hole in the surface of your countertop. These sinks have a rim that extends to the outwards to enable it to gain support from the countertop surface.
In this case, you don’t require any internal support which reduces the expenses. Also, given that this sink is self-trimming, you won’t need an expert installation which again helps to lower the budget. You only need to take the right dimensions of the sink before drilling the cutout on the countertop. After you insert it, the sink’s lips will overlap with the countertop for a seamless appearance.
One of their drawbacks is that you might struggle to clean them. Grime will build on the lips of the sink. The dirt and scum that grow around this area are hard to clean. As a consequence, your entire structure will lack a sleek outlook. Whenever you want to sweep the food from the countertop to the inside of the sink, some of it will get trapped by the lip which is much to the disgust of the user.
They are also closely related to flush mount kitchen sinks. The only difference is that flush mount installation allows for the sink’s material to mix with that of the countertop for a smooth transition. Since a flush mount transitions well with the countertop, you won’t find any rising surface.
Double Bowl Kitchen Sink
People who like multitasking will love to have a double bowl kitchen sink in their kitchen. If you are always a busy person, owning this type of a kitchen sink will reduce the amount of time you spend doing your kitchen chores such as washing your dishes are preparing your food. You can use one bowl for soapy water and wash your dishes. In the same time, the other bowl will be used for rinsing, and the process will be quite faster.
Also, as you soak your dishes in one bowl, you can be skinning your food and preparing it in the other basin. At the end of it, you will find that this sink saves time and water. People using a single bowl keep the water running till they finish their washing chores and this won’t be the case with a double bowl kitchen sink. As well, it will allow fitting a garbage disposer on one of the drains.
Nevertheless, if you buy a double bowl kitchen sink which has small basins, it will be difficult to wash the large dishes. Since they come in different sizes, you need first to understand the dimensions of your countertop cutout before you go for shopping this type of a kitchen sink.
Single Bowl Kitchen Sink
Due to the amount of working space that they offer, separate bowl kitchen sinks are very popular. You can easily wash your large cookware, pots, and pans. Most of these sinks have a drainer section where you can leave your washed dishes. They are compatible with many worktops since most of them are surface mounted. As well, single bowl kitchen sinks come in several shapes and style which provides you with a vast number of options.
The only problem is that it lacks the flexibility and versatility that is displayed by a double bowl kitchen sink. You can’t multitask when you decide to buy a single bowl kitchen sink.
Undermount Kitchen Sinks
Undermount kitchen sink installation gives your kitchen a seamless look. These sinks don’t have a rim or lip which means that they are installed under the counter. Debris and food remnants are easily wiped down the sink unlike in the case of a drop-in kitchen sink. These types of kitchen sinks offer your kitchen a modern appearance. A smooth transition is always inevitable when you install an undermount kitchen sink. Most of these sinks are large and deep which allow you an effortless cleaning.
Nonetheless, these types of kitchen sinks need a massive budget because they are expensive and might require expert installation. Sinks made of materials such as fireclay and cast iron will require additional support under the counter during the installation process.
However, stainless steel sinks can easily be glued under the counter since they are lighter than both fireclay and cast iron sinks. Besides, these sinks don’t have pre-drilled holes for kitchen faucets which imply that there is an additional work of drilling them on the counter or the wall. All this process requires a lot of money since expert installation is the safest way to go about this.
Farmhouse Kitchen Sinks
The design of this kitchen sink allows the front part to be exposed. They are also known as farm-style kitchen sinks or apron-front. Most of these sinks require undermount installation which provides your kitchen with a flawless appearance. They are also available in a double bowl and single basins.
Additionally, farmhouse kitchen sinks are available in a wide range of colors and materials. Stainless steel farmhouse kitchen sinks are much common since they are inexpensive and durable. The bowls are large and provide a traditional outlook into your kitchen.
The only problem is that some of these sinks are expensive. Besides, they require expert installation because most of them are undermount installations. For people who are extremely tall, they might struggle to work with these kitchen sinks because of their depth. You will have to bend several times to collect the dishes on the sink’s surface.
Conclusion
In summary, types of kitchen sinks can well be analyzed by considering the materials that make them and their styles. In this in-depth analysis, we have seen different materials that are used in the manufacturing of various kitchen sinks. We have analyzed both the advantages and disadvantages, thus, enabling you to conduct the best kitchen sink shopping. The installation styles are also important and how the sinks are designed. I hope this post has been helpful to you. If you like the material, share it with your friends.