We think a kitchen sink is something you are going to want to decide on when designing your kitchen and when thinking about your kitchen worktop material. The great thing is pretty much any style or material of sink will work with our Granite or Quartz so the choice really is yours. We have put together some information on kitchen sinks to give you some design inspiration and advice.
Sink MATERIAL
There was a time when the only material for a kitchen sink was ceramic or porcelain but now with modern advances in technology we are seeing a new era of sink materials coming onto the market.
Ceramic
Usually what you would find in a traditional style kitchen or country kitchen. A ceramic sink is available in belfast or inset for over or under-counter mounting. Ceramic is a very hardwearing material, normally handcrafted and baked in fireclay. They are easy to clean and maintain with regular wipe-down cleaning. Your ceramic sink will remain stain free for many years to come. Another key feature is they are silky to the touch which gives a tactile element to your kitchen to suit your touchy-feely needs…
Resin
Similar in look to a composite sink, resin is made from man-made materials so it is cost-effective and highly resistant to the rigors of daily use in the kitchen. Resin sinks are certainly a modern choice opted for in many a contemporary, high gloss or matt kitchen but also work well with stylish traditional shaker kitchens too. Resin sinks are generally only available in white, black or grey but this will suit most tastes. You can rely on your resin sink to be easy to clean and maintain and be highly resistant to scratches and stains.
Composite Quartz
Composite Quartz has many of the features of Resin sinks but it contains real Quartz which means it can withstand very high temperatures. They are generally heat resistant to over 200 degrees centigrade and are highly scratch resistant. They are easy to keep clean and maintain and are available in a wide range of colours.
Stainless Steel
Stainless Steel is an industrial-looking option but is seen in many kitchens of various styles, traditional shaker to modern high-gloss. Stainless steel sinks are hard-wearing, easy to clean and maintain, they never crack or chip but they do suffer from light scratches on the surface. The scratches are actually less noticeable over time so it’s not something to put you off.
Linen Stainless Steel
This is a type of stainless steel with a micro-dot pattern in the construction of the material designed to protect against visible scratching. All the other features such as hard-wearing, easy to clean and no chance of cracking or chipping are still built-in.
Natural Stone
Probably the least common of all sink materials, but one of the most amazing. These sinks are made from natural soapstone and they can be made to almost exactly match your worktop material and give an authentic period look. The downside to these sinks is the high cost and it scratches and chips easily.
Sink STYLE
Not only are there a range of materials for kitchen sinks but also styles and layouts. Let’s take a look at some of the options.
Inset sink
An inset sink is usually fitted on-top of the worktop this is called a top-mount inset sink. Inset sinks can also be under-mounted where they are recessed or mounted below the worktop for a seamless fit without a visible rim.
If you are to under-mount your sink we aware that you can’t use laminate as your worktop material as only the top layer of the worktop is waterproof and the cutout inside won’t be.
A benefit to an under-mount sink is they free up more worktop space and can be easier to keep clean; if you can imagine you can simply wipe crumbs or spills straight into the sink.
Undermount
An undermount sink fits neatly under the worktop, allowing you to use more of your worktop space as there is no rim. This makes it easier to keep the worktop clean, you can simply brush dirt and grime straight into the sink. Undermount sinks can be used with most worktop materials including Granite and Quartz, however not with laminate worktops as the cut-out reveals the unprotected wood construction of the worktop.
Round inset bowl
Like with the other inset sinks above you can choose to either mount above or below the worktop with a Granite or Quartz worktop. A round sink looks great with a modern style kitchen, but they do tend to be smaller and don’t have a drainer.
Belfast
The Belfast sink is a classic design most suitable for traditional shaker style kitchens, normally manufactured in porcelain or ceramic. They are designed to be undermounted only, with the option of being on show from the front – which is really rather nice!
