Undermount Kitchen Sinks: Seamless Integration for Modern Kitchens
This past week, we took a look at the kitchen shown in the picture below. The sink in this kitchen is a stainless steel drop-in style sink. That doesn’t mean the sink literally gets dropped in place, it just means that it gets installed by sliding downwards through the hole. It happens to have two compartments which in some cases can make washing separating dishes easier. In many cases, particularly with more contemporary type countertops and sink configurations, the undermount sink might be preferred, but the drop-in style, which is more traditional, also can get the job done or work enough. This type of stainless steel sink, shown in the picture below is made from relatively thin sheet metal, in most cases sheet metal type sinks like this are generally about 16 gauge which is relatively thick and relatively durable, but not nearly as thick as other types of sinks made from porcelain or composite type materials.
This type of drop-in sink is traditionally very common, it’s also sometimes referred to as a self rimming sink. By comparison, an alternative type of kitchen sink is an undermount kitchen sink. One of the downsides of a self rimming kitchen sink is that generally, when using a kitchen countertop things like food debris and crumbs may end up on top of the countertop and in the case of a self-rimming sink you can’t just easily sweep or push those elements with a sponge or with your hand into the sink from the countertop because the self rimming perimeter of the sink creates a bit of a curb. It’s essentially a rim that sits higher than the surface of the countertop itself. The curbless, rimless nature of an undermount sink may be preferred for many reasons, including easier countertop cleanup.
A picture of an undermount kitchen sink follows below for reference. As the name implies, and undermount sink mounts from the underside of the countertop. That aspect may sound simple and obvious, but there are some implicit details of this configuration that are possibly considered preferred or better than a drop-in type sink edge.
Undermount sinks are attached to the underside of a countertop using a combination of adhesive (typically silicone) and metal mounting brackets or clips. The sink is positioned below the cutout in the countertop, and the adhesive creates a seal to prevent leakage or escape of liquids from the sink to the cabinet area below.
Mounting brackets are fastened to the underside of the countertop, either with screws or specialized fasteners, to hold the sink in place in place. The weight of the sink, especially when full, is supported by the brackets, technically, the adhesive installed around the perimeter of the underside of the kitchen countertop cut out can also help to support, to some degree, but the majority of the weight is supported by the undermounting hardware. In most cases this hardware will be made with stainless steel to avoid oxidation and rust over time, the hardware itself is outside of the wet area of the sink because it’s inside the cabinet space around the outside perimeter of where the sink mounts to the underside of the countertop. Nonetheless, because there is a wet space on the other side of the sink and mostly because with the temperature differentials of cold water, there’s a possibility of condensation on the outside of the sink. For this reason, we recommend using stainless steel hardware for mounting kitchen sinks.
If you look closely at the pictures, shown as examples of the different sinks in the kitchens presented in this blog article, each of them happens to have a gooseneck type of faucet. The gooseneck type of faucet is preferred in many cases because it brings the discharge point of the water higher up which allows more space and clearance for washing and maneuvering dishes. In this coming week’s blog article, we are going to look at some of the different options and the varieties of types of kitchen sink faucets. Just like kitchen sinks themselves, within these specific areas of faucets, there are many different options to choose from. In the process of designing and building a customized kitchen that fits your design style and particular characteristics of convenience, you get to select from within these options, and all of these elements should come together to create the kitchen you really want.
Dupont Kitchen & Bath Can Help
As dedicated and local DC metropolitan kitchen and bath builders and installers, we pride ourselves on turning your visions into reality. Your kitchen can reflect your unique style and be designed with personalized aesthetics. It can be a process from creative designs to the realization of your dream space. Specializing in kitchen and bath construction, we bring expertise and skills to every project. If you’re contemplating a renovation, upgrade, or modernization in the local market, we’re happy to be your team. Consult with us, and we can start together on a path to redefine and elevate your DC living experience.
You can visit our company website at https://dupontkitchenbathdc.com/
Here at our website you will find a simple and convenient web form that you can fill to contact us quickly.
