Choosing a sink for your new granite countertops

Are stainless steel sinks better than cast iron?

When most of us were kids the Cast Iron sink was a symbol of the typical American kitchen. Of late they have waned in popularity; possibly because of their heaviness and the cost of materials.

Stainless steel sinks and cast iron sinks are both capable of lasting a lifetime. Honestly the difference will be up to you, and will rely on your personal taste and cost point. Stainless steel is lighter, so the average customer will have no trouble carrying it to your car (cast iron sinks can weigh as much as 90lbs). Also cast iron sinks are coated with some sort of glaze resembling porcelain, which can chip on occasion.

Undermount, Topmount; what's the difference?

There are some advantages to having a self-rimming sink however; namely that in some cases they can be replaced by another model at a later date without too much difficulty. This is because most topmount kitchen sinks are 33”x22” (this measurement is from the outside of the sink, not the cutout size). Of course in most cases the proper thing to do in any respectable kitchen is to have an undermount sink.

Undermount sinks are usually made of a thicker stainless steel than are their topmount counterparts, mostly 18 or 16 gauge. Another difference is in the way that undermount sinks are attached to the countertop. The correct way to undermount a sink is to hang it in place, use sink mounting brackets, support blocks, silicone and epoxy. If done correctly you should be able to tap dance in your sink without any problem (not that I recommend it).

Where to buy a good sink, finding a deal.

I hope I do not anger the plethora of bargain shoppers out there, but probably the worst place to buy your sink is from eBay! Why is this? Do I have some grudge against the online marketplace giant?

No, for the most part I love eBay. I recommend against getting your sink there for the following reasons:

·         Sinks from eBay may boast a low price, but there are hidden prices.

·         Sinks from eBay usually have no model number (or at least one that can be found on the internet) and no web site or customer support. Fabricators care about this, believe me.

The best solution:  Find a sink with a recognized brand such as Kohler, Blanco, Moen, or American Standard. These companies have consistent geometry, functioning web sites and a fair price. To me it doesn’t make sense to spend $4,000 or more on a new countertop and then try to save 40 bucks by shopping on eBay.

The big box stores like Home Depot and Lowes will have prices that will be competitive, let’s leave the pricing of those items to the pros. If you are determined to find a good deal on a sink there are a number of ways to do it without sacrificing quality.

Many fabricators will run sales where they actually give away a free sink when you get your countertops done. This is often times worth waiting for since a decent sink can account for about 10% of your countertop bill.

Finding a deal like this ahead of time can be a big help. Usually you can lock in the free sink deal while the event is going on, even if you plan on getting your countertop done months later.

LG makes an engineered stone as well as a solid surface product, Hi-macs. I believe LG even gives away a sink all year round when you use their product (The sink has to be  one of theirs and you have to spend a certain amount to qualify).

What about those composite sinks?

Composite sinks are often called “Granite Sinks.” These sinks are made by a range of producers and usually come with a warranty (10 or 25 years). The warranty covers stains in the sink and physical malfunctions (like a crack).

Composite sinks are made from quartz, resins and glues, coloring, and often some sort of polymer which I do not know the name of. They are worth mentioning since they provide more color matching options (often coming in white, off-white, black, gray or several other colors) which can help tie together the color scheme of your kitchen (matching with appliances, cabinets, flooring etc).