Ideal Sink Installation Styles for Your Kitchen Countertop

The sink has always been the unsung hero of the kitchen. Everyone marvels at all the amazing dishes that come out from the oven, the stovetop, and even the microwave! But when all is said and eaten, the dirty dishes are unceremoniously piled into the sink while everyone averts their gaze from the offensive pyramid that’s quietly waiting for some poor soul to take care of it later on. It’s this stigma that often relegates kitchen sinks to the bottom of the design budget. However, if you start to accept the sink as a fact of life and that it can even play a part contributing to your kitchen design, that’s when things start to get interesting.

Let’s take a look at the different installation styles of kitchen sinks:

Overmount

This is the easiest and least expensive style to install because the sink is just dropped into a pre-cut hole on the countertop, with the rim resting on and supported by the countertop surface. It’s harder in upkeep though because moisture and crumbs will invariably make their way into the space between the rim and the countertop no matter how tight the fit is. The payoff is that it’s very easy to take out if you ever need to replace the sink in the future.

Undermount

Undermount sinks are designed to be the answer to the trapped-crumbs-and-moisture problem. These sinks are attached to the bottom of countertops with a hole cut out around the sink shape so that water and crumbs can be wiped from the counter surface directly into the sink. This is a popular style to pair with stone countertops because the counter surface won’t get interrupted by a kitchen sink suddenly popping out of it. Once the area between the sink and the counter bottom has been properly sealed, maintenance is very easy because you just have to make sure to clean the condensation build-up on the underside of the countertop lip that hangs over the sink.

Farmhouse

For a rustic feel to your kitchen, farmhouse-style sinks will give you just that. This sink has an extra deep basin with a lowered apron front that juts out from the cabinet – the countertop would be cut in an inverted U-shape to accommodate the sink. This is an excellent choice both in terms of style and function: the deep basin and low apron front makes washing large stacks of dishes much easier; at the same time, it gives your kitchen a very distinctive look in a day and age when many people are going for a more contemporary style.

Integral

The integral sink exudes modern sleekness. One of the more expensive kitchen sink installation styles, the integral sink is carved out of the same stone as your countertop so that you get a seamless flow from one to the other. Care needs to be taken though that you choose a countertop material durable enough to withstand all the water and activity that goes on in the kitchen sink. Quartz is the best option in this regard with its tough and non-porous surface; granite is a close second, but you’ll have to be diligent in wiping it down and sealing it more often.

A kitchen sink is more than “just a washbasin” because their design possibilities are just as vast as other elements in the kitchen. You just have to see past the dirty dishes.