A kitchen sink is so much more than just a sink. Your choice of sink design, dimension, and the material will determine the final finish of your kitchen. It will decide if your modern, minimal theme is complete, or if your farmhouse/country kitchen theme has received its masterpiece.
How to pick a top-mount sink from an array of kitchen sinks?
Choosing a sink is not as easy as it sounds since it often boils down to more than just the price. You should double-check if your sink comes with the mounting hardware necessary for its installation. The packaging should include a cutting template and the maintenance guide for the sink. Irrespective of the installation style, your sink should come with a complete set of mounting clips and screws. Some manufacturers also include accessories like the strainer, cutting board, and drainage racks for their workstation and farmhouse sinks.
- Wider rims
When looking at a sink, you should be able to tell if it is a top mount variant or an under-mount one. The drop-in or top-mount sinks typically have wider rims on each side, and the one closest to the wall and faucet is the widest. The edges of a drop-in sink slant towards the bowl to prevent the accumulation of water near the countertop. However, it is indeed difficult to tell a self-rimming sink apart from an undermount sink by taking one look at each at the store. Refer to the serial number of the product and the manufacturer’s description to find out which sink is of an undermount variety and which one is top-mountable.
- Pre-cut faucet holes
Most top-mount sinks come with pre-made holes for your faucet. Typically, the widest rim has one to three holes for the faucets. Two tap/faucet mounting holes are standard – one for hot water supply and the other for cold water supply. You can opt for a removable spout to make cleaning and washing much easier. Adding an aerator and a spout not only increases the reach of the water flow but also reduces the water necessary for your daily chores. Many modern drop-in sinks come with an additional hole. You can later set up an RO water purification system or a hot water dispenser connected to a water filter. At the moment, you can add a matching soap dispenser, towel holder, or even a vase to cover the unused hole on the sink ledge.
What material is ideal for a top-mount kitchen sink?
It doesn’t matter if you pick a sink in stainless steel or fireclay, as long as you are sure about getting a top-mount variant. Fireclay is a trustworthy material that is as popular as stainless steel and as common as porcelain in the world of kitchen sink installation. Fireclay and stainless steel are two of the sturdiest kitchen sink materials that offer fuss-free installation.
You can find a fireclay kitchen sink with top mount installation in glossy white, matte black, brown, beige, and other color options. The advancement of design technology has brought us a wide array of color options for all types of sinks. Choosing a matte finish in a color that complements your cabinetry or matches the accent on your walls can catapult your kitchen aesthetics right beside the featured kitchens in interior design magazines.
How many bowls should your top mount kitchen sink have?
The bowl size you pick will depend upon the extent of use your kitchen sink sees per day. A larger family typically requires a larger sink bowl. If you have an ardent love for cleanliness and hygiene, you might even want to invest in a top-mount drainboard sink, self-rimming workstation sink, or a drop-in double bowl sink. These types of sinks allow the user to separate the clean and dirty dishes, while the freshly washed dishes can drain completely. These sinks also facilitate the complete segregation of cooked and uncooked food during prepping.
Most homeowners swear by workstation sinks and multiple-bowl sinks because they allow proper separation of frozen meat and veggies, dirty dishes, and waste designated for disposal. These sinks do cost a couple of bucks extra, but they ensure better hygiene than the large single-bowl sinks we typically see in city apartments and houses. Besides, increasing the number of bowls is possible even when you wish to keep the size of the sink the same.
Which size of sink should you choose for your kitchen?
Choosing the correct size of the sink is critical for getting the desired look in your kitchen. Finding the right size of the sink can be a bit tricky if you are looking to replace an undermount or farmhouse sink with a top-mount variant. If you are simply replacing an old top-mount sink with a new one, you can use the dimensions of the older sink (check the manual of the existing sink) to purchase a new top-mount variant.
Replacing a sink is easier since the countertop is already in place, complete with the sink-sized cutout. Aside from a few adjustments, including changing the level of water inlets at the bottom of the sink to accommodate a larger sink, or flattening out the sides of the cutout for a flush fit, you don’t have much work.
Installing a new sink will require you to prep the countertop from scratch. You will need to mark where you want to mount the sink, use a rotary cutter for the cutout, and double-check to see if the sink fits. Do not forget to consider the dimensions of the under-sink cabinet before choosing the sink size.
You might find it useful to talk to a professional contractor, take help from a friend with some experience in the matter or watch a few “how-to” videos on the subject on YouTube. Although it seems like a straightforward task, you need to leave room for unforeseen hurdles that do crop up during a sink installation process. It is wise to have the contact details of a contractor and a plumber handy if you are going to install a kitchen sink for the first time.
