When designing the house, the Kitchen is one of the spaces requiring the most attention as it is one of the most work-oriented spaces. It is essential to focus on the little details while designing the kitchen, like the kitchen Sink. Despite being the most often used space, it is not appropriately considered. It leads to poorly designed kitchen sinks and taps, which negatively affect the functioning of the entire room. 

Choosing the proper kind of sink which is perfect for you and the space is very important as it is something that cannot be changed in a moment. Let’s first go over the basic stuff that people usually forget. 

Things to keep in mind while setting up your kitchen sink 

A kitchen sink cannot be set up without noticing these factors.

Edges of your kitchen sink

It is something that everyone should keep in mind, even if you are going for high-end marble or granite kitchen sinks. Keep in mind the edges of your kitchen sink, as dirt and food get stuck in it. It ruins the look and even the mood. Going for a sink with rounded edges makes it easy to clean as food does not get stuck in it.

The material you choose and its effects

When selecting a sink, everyone opts for stainless steel. It is strong, nearly unbreakable hence it is durable. If tap water is particularly hard, you can start detecting stains. The use of the sink is unaffected by this, though.

A ceramic sink is a good option if you are going for a vintage-styled kitchen or a farmhouse one. But remember that stone and granite are not as strong as steel and break quite easily. These are beautiful choices, but they are expensive and hard to maintain. Hence keep in mind the things that can affect the material you choose for your kitchen sinks.

Taps 

Taps seem like the easiest decision to take style-wise. But they can affect the functionality of the space in the long run. The placing of the tap and its design can affect the use of the kitchen space.

For example, a mixer tap gives space but makes it difficult to clean the far corners of your sink. An extended spray or shower arm can remove this issue and even make filling large pots easier. On the other installing a ball tap will make cleaning the sink easier, but it is very close to the sink- basically, less gap between the mouth of the tap and the sink.

Sink strainer 

While setting up your kitchen sink, keep in mind the sink strainer. Everyone hates it when tiny bits of food get caught in the sink, and that’s exactly why you need a sink strainer. It is a strainer that can be placed in your sink. It helps collect all the tiny pieces of food which can easily be thrown out later. You can buy one from any local store or any e-commerce site. 

Let’s now learn about the different types of kitchen sinks 

Choosing a perfect kitchen sink within your budget, matches your preferences, and is perfect for your kitchen space is difficult. So here is a guide about the different kinds of kitchen sinks and their pros and cons to make things easier.

Top-mount, drop-in, or self-rimming sink

The top-mount or drop-in is the most common kitchen sink. It is installed in a previously cut hole provided by the sink manufacturer on the work surface. The entire weight of the sink is on the working surface. Silicone is used to seal the sink’s edges to the work surface. It creates a border or a rim, which is why they are also called rimmed or self-rimming sinks.

Pros –

• They are easy to install. People who love doing things on their own can easily do it with some guidance.
• They work with all types of working tops or surfaces.
• It can be replaced easily without disturbing any other parts of the kitchen. 
• It is a cheaper option and hence very common.

Cons –

You cannot sweep water or leftover food from the working top into the sink due to the sink’s edges/rim.

• Many people do not like the sink’s rims or edges. It is an extra part that people need to clean, and many people do not like the look of it.

Under-mount sink

Top-mount sinks are one thing, and under-mount sinks are another. Undermount sinks are installed on the bottom of the working surface with special clips which makes it perfect for use with solid surfaces and granite.

Pros –

• Cleaning the working surface and the sink gets easier as under-mount sinks do not have an edge that rests on the working surface. 
• Since they don’t have edges, it gives this smooth look, making them attractive.
• Under-mount sinks are of higher quality than top-mount.

Cons –

• In this, the leftover food and dirt do not build on the top. But it gets collected under the worktop where the sink and the working top meet.

• Since an under-mount sink is higher quality, it is more expensive than a top-mount and is not easy to install.

• There is a size limitation in an under-mount sink.

Double basin/bowl sink

The dual basin kitchen sinks are the most popular design. It provides washing on one side and rinsing or drying on the other. Double basin sinks are customizable. They cover all the sink functions like washing, rinsing, and emptying. You can hardly go wrong with a good double basin sink.

Pros—

• Double basin sinks are highly flexible, multi-purpose and very useful for houses with no dishwasher.

Cons –

• Due to the double basin feature, either side can be small, making it difficult to fit large utensils like large pots, baking pans, or many small utensils.
• Apart from the space issues, currently, single-basin sinks are trending, and hence double-basins are disliked by the homeowners.

Let’s now learn about how to install a kitchen sink

If you are one of the” do it yourself” people, remember that connecting the sink’s drain, the part between the sink’s tailpiece and the waste line, is the hardest part. It is advised to draw a map that guides you and helps you buy parts you need, not the whole kit. Hence maps make the work easier and save money. 

Step 1 

Find a sink that will fit the opening already there. Purchasing a sink that fits inside the opening in the worktop is the. Increasing the hole size is hard to keep in mind the measurements while buying the sink.

If replacing a cast-iron sink, ensure you have enough strength to manage the weight. The worktop should be strong enough for the extra weight.

Step 2

Clear the sink cabinet, then enter inside while holding a flashlight. Find the clips that hold the sink’s edge and base to the worktop. Disconnect the supply and drain plumbing after removing them.

Step 3 

Push up on the old sink from underneath while your helper supports it from above. If there was a previous cement seal around the edge, you might need to go around it with a sharp blade. Test-fit the new sink after removing the old one.

Step 4 

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for installing the faucet. Before installing, clean the sink. Always install the new faucet before installing the new sink as it’s easier and mounting nuts is easier. Also, install all other side parts during this step, such as the sprayer and detergent dispenser mounts.

Step 5

Apply a cement band before installing the faucet and sprayer bases. To keep the connection watertight, they require cement.

Step 6 

The worktop around the sinkhole should be clean and free of any dust. Then, run a caulk around the hole. It should be half-inch away from the opening. Run a bead of caulk between the counter and the sink once more when the sink is in place. To hold the sink in place, apply the clips at this time.

Step 7 

Install the drain and tailpipe. Place the basket strainer into the sink’s drain hole after applying a bead of caulk to the rim. With a sink, the wrench tool screws the nut onto the threaded portion of the drain beneath the sink, pushes the gasket over it, and then tightens it.

Step 8 

Ensure that the angle of the tailpiece’s gasket is facing up when you push it into the sink drain. Screw the tailpiece nut onto the threaded end of the sink drain pipe. 

Schedule 40 PVC pipe should be cut such that the tailpiece aligns with the drain pipe. Attach the tailpiece and the pipe. Connect the drain pipe and the tailpiece of the p trap. After this, lock up the pliers to tighten each nut.

Step 9 

 it’s time to attach the supply hoses to the supply lines. Using a curved tool, reattach the supply lines from the faucet to the valves underneath the sink.

Step 10

Please turn on the water and let it run for a while. Check for leaks at all connections, particularly those that are near the tubing, the drain, and the tap.

Conclusion

Choosing a kitchen sink setup is difficult. You visit the stores and observe several designs and models installed on counters. The logical way is to look at some photographs online until your mind understands all the choices. Then you may start to develop your idea and perception of it. This article will help you get hold of some unique and quirky ideas.

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