Sinks and your new bench top — things that you might not have (but need) to consider. — SteedForm

1*k9bZE27DBne4v2iFCNUabg.jpeg — Image via SpaceCraft Joinery of a kitchen SteedForm worked on.

When it comes to selecting a bench top — there are a lot of obvious factors that spring to mind. How does the surface perform? What’s the colour range? The veining? Is it natural? Engineered? The cost?…

But what about all the other additions that are less in your face? For example — what kind of sink do you want?

Did you even know there are multiple to pick from? In fact… there are some sinks that have to be installed in particular ways.

Sinks can be something purely functional, or a big opportunity to wow with a showstopping design feature.

Let’s sink our teeth into this topic and take a look at all your options —

What type of sink do you want? How will it be mounted?

Each sink looks different from the next, and each have different fabrication processes.

Top mount sinks

Top mounted sinks are the ‘standard.’ They are dropped into a hole cut into the vanity or bench top, where the over sized lip of the sink forms a seal.

In kitchens, the most common and budget friendly option is a stainless steel top mount sink.

Under mount sinks

Undermount sinks have become increasingly popular in the design world — allowing for a seamless and modern look.

Undermount sinks are not suitable for all applications — working best in conjunction with a natural stone or engineered bench top.

The look is achieved by cutting a hole smaller than the sink that will be clamped to the benchtop from underneath.

Undermount sinks will eat into your cabinetry storage more than a top mounted sink, as they sit lower. If you are short on space — this is something to consider.

Often, these sinks are more expensive due to their connection to upmarket, designer applications. They can also incur additional installation costs as they are more difficult to mount.

Flush mount sinks

Flush mount sinks are pretty self-explanatory — they sit flush in your surface. This level application looks sleek, and also helps to create a seamless working space.

Flush mount sinks can be the solution to some issues that arise with both under mount and top mount sinks. Because flush mount sinks sit level with the bench top, it creates ease of cleaning. Where dirt and bacteria can build around top and under mount applications, flush mounts stay clean.

Butlers sinks

A traditional looking sink that can either accentuate a traditional kitchen, or take charge as a quirky and modern design feature.

Butlers sinks are deep, large basins, usually bigger than the average stainless steel under mount or top mount sinks.

Due to their size, and the fact that the profile will be visible at multiple angles, custom fabrication is needed. This also means that particular materials (for example printed vein products) will likely not be appropriate.

These above factors, plus more, make butlers sinks quite expensive. But, people happily justify these costs — the end product can be quite spectacular.

Tap holes

Some sinks do not have taps attached, meaning a hole will need to be cut into the stone. Typically, top mounted sinks will not need custom tap holes.

This can be another design opportunity — do you want the tap to be in the middle? or offset to either side?

Tap holes usually come at an additional cost, but are quite cheap (in the scheme of things) to fabricate.

Do you want drain grooves?

Despite their once popular appeal, we have seen a decline in people wanting them.

Whenever someone comes to us wanting drain grooves, we urge caution. Drain grooves almost always void product warranty, and can cause defects in your stone that will not be covered by the individual manufacturer.

Drain grooves can cause weak points in the stone — meaning cracks or chipping are more likely to occur. They also create an almost perfect home for germs and dirt, meaning mold or other bacteria could begin to form.