Kitchen FAQs: Selecting Your Sink Material
Anyone who has built or renovated a kitchen knows what it can feel like to make so many decisions in a very short amount of time. Educating yourself about your options beforehand can help cut down on some of that stress. Here, we take a look at sinks — specifically the choices you have when it comes to materials.
Cost, functionality and aesthetics should all weigh in when you select your sink material. For instance, you can get a well-priced stainless steel sink, but be aware of how easily it can scratch and show water marks. White fireclay or cast iron sinks are beautiful, but may require some elbow grease to stay bright and white. Integral quartz sinks are becoming increasingly popular, but they can be expensive and aren’t necessarily bulletproof.
Not sure what’s right for your kitchen? Read on to learn more about these popular material options for today’s kitchen sinks.
Stainless Steel
By far the most popular material for kitchen sinks, stainless steel sinks are heat and stain resistant and are available in a variety of types, styles and sizes. I recommend going for a brushed or satin finish rather than a mirror finish — water marks and scratches will be less noticeable. Also, look for sinks that have sound-absorbing pads on the bottom. Consumer Reports recently tested stainless steel sinks and found that these pads, rather than sound-absorbing spray or a thicker gauge of steel, performed best in reducing the noise commonly associated with stainless steel sinks.
Prices for stainless steel sinks run the gamut, but you can get a decent quality stainless steel sink for not a lot of money, making it my pick for those on a tight budget.
Cost: $100 to $800 is typical, but prices can go higher depending on gauge, size and mounting type.
Composite Granite
Composite granite sinks are my go-to sink, both for my clients and my own kitchen. They are good-looking, durable and don’t show water marks or scratches the way stainless steel sinks do. They come in a variety of neutral hues, but I prefer the darker grays, browns and black because they camouflage food filth the best. This is my own sink pictured here, and I must confess, I don’t clean it nearly as often as I probably should because it never looks dirty. Although these sinks are durable, they can crack if mishandled — I’ve heard stories of sinks being damaged during shipping. Always inspect your composite sink thoroughly before installation to make sure it suffered no trauma during transit.
Cost: $300 to $600
Fireclay
Manufactured from clay fired at an extremely high temperature, fireclay sinks are highly resistant to scratches, staining and chipping. Cleanup is easy — just dish soap on a sponge, or use a mild abrasive cleanser for tougher marks. These are the sinks I recommend for anyone who wants a white kitchen sink.
Cost: $400 to $1,000
Continue…
Cost, functionality and aesthetics should all weigh in when you select your sink material. For instance, you can get a well-priced stainless steel sink, but be aware of how easily it can scratch and show water marks. White fireclay or cast iron sinks are beautiful, but may require some elbow grease to stay bright and white. Integral quartz sinks are becoming increasingly popular, but they can be expensive and aren’t necessarily bulletproof.
Not sure what’s right for your kitchen? Read on to learn more about these popular material options for today’s kitchen sinks.
Stainless Steel
By far the most popular material for kitchen sinks, stainless steel sinks are heat and stain resistant and are available in a variety of types, styles and sizes. I recommend going for a brushed or satin finish rather than a mirror finish — water marks and scratches will be less noticeable. Also, look for sinks that have sound-absorbing pads on the bottom. Consumer Reports recently tested stainless steel sinks and found that these pads, rather than sound-absorbing spray or a thicker gauge of steel, performed best in reducing the noise commonly associated with stainless steel sinks.
Prices for stainless steel sinks run the gamut, but you can get a decent quality stainless steel sink for not a lot of money, making it my pick for those on a tight budget.
Cost: $100 to $800 is typical, but prices can go higher depending on gauge, size and mounting type.
Composite Granite
Composite granite sinks are my go-to sink, both for my clients and my own kitchen. They are good-looking, durable and don’t show water marks or scratches the way stainless steel sinks do. They come in a variety of neutral hues, but I prefer the darker grays, browns and black because they camouflage food filth the best. This is my own sink pictured here, and I must confess, I don’t clean it nearly as often as I probably should because it never looks dirty. Although these sinks are durable, they can crack if mishandled — I’ve heard stories of sinks being damaged during shipping. Always inspect your composite sink thoroughly before installation to make sure it suffered no trauma during transit.
Cost: $300 to $600
Fireclay
Manufactured from clay fired at an extremely high temperature, fireclay sinks are highly resistant to scratches, staining and chipping. Cleanup is easy — just dish soap on a sponge, or use a mild abrasive cleanser for tougher marks. These are the sinks I recommend for anyone who wants a white kitchen sink.
Cost: $400 to $1,000
Continue…
