Kitchen Sink Buying Guide
Being one of the most frequented rooms around your home, the kitchen will necessarily see a lot of wear and tear as the years roll by. After all, with the amount of food preparation and cleaning we do, the sink itself has to be perfect for these conditions, both beautiful and strong enough. If you want to buy a new one you will likely encounter a very wide variety of choices that may seem a bit confusing at first, however fear not ? you will get through this with a great looking kitchen. Today sinks come in many different varieties of materials, shapes and types of mounting. If you feel overwhelmed, you will need to be careful in your choices.
The first thing you will figure out is that there is literally a sink for everyone in most stores. Figure out what size sink you need by measuring the dimensions of your old one. That will work if you only need or want to replace the sink rather than the entire set alongside the countertop and more. Consider the material you want to work with, as this is also a very important decision that will be there with you for years to come.
Kitchens have three dimensions to work with, but they are not available in varying sizes due to industry and production constraints and standards. The usual dimensions for front-to-back are seen in 1-inch increments, all the way from 11 to 24 inches, as well as the 26, 28 and 32 inch sizes. The side-to-side sizes are available from 11 inches to 40, as well as 42, 44 and 45 inches in width. There are different depths available, depending on the manufacturer, however the sizes more or less remain the same regardless of who makes them.
Mounting Methods
Check up on the installation method of the sink you have chosen and how it will fit in the countertop. The easiest type of installation is the so-called self-rimming, top-mount sink. It easily rests on the countertop, however it also has a corner which may collect dirt and other unpleasant things in time.
Rimless sinks, also known as undermount sinks can be fused to the underside of your counter. Even if the installation method is different and certainly a bit more complicated, this actually makes it much easier to clean in the end. One thing you must pay close attention to is the place where the sink connects to the countertop, as this place will be difficult to hide once it is installed. These types of sinks are held by metal strips that are an essential part of the construction, either attached or part of the countertop.
Mounting holes of faucets
When you are done with choosing the bowl configuration, you should check the mounting holes. Look for the fixtures there and keep in mind that despite the regular configuration, you might also have holes for a sprayer and a hot water dispenser. Other mounts and holes might include a hot water dispenser, sprout for a water filter, air gap for your dishwasher drain and even a liquid soap dispenser. It is possible to drill into a stainless-steel sink with a special saw, however you should most likely find a sink that fits your needs instead of doing any work on it.
Bio: Cindy Davis is dedicated blogger and housewife. She likes writing about home remodeling and household cleaning related topics. Therefore her present article is focused exactly on a household cleaning and maintenance theme.