The KRC Guide to Sinks

Material

Most sinks these days are durable and easy to clean. Consider the style of kitchen and then start by choosing a material. If you are tough on your kitchen sink, consider stainless steel. It has a minimalist, modern look and is easy to clean. We carry a range of Hafele stainless steel sinks in our showroom in various colours and finishes. Fireclay porcelain sinks add rustic charm and are heavy duty and durable. You will need to consider their weight and make adjustments to the cabinets below to support them (but we will do this for you). Granite Composite sinks are incredibly durable and look fantastic. While copper sinks are visually pleasing, they are prone to patination (discolouration) and are more challenging to maintain than other materials. As the only fabricator of Corian in Dubbo, we can facilitate the inclusion of a Corian integrated sink in your dream kitchen.

Installation methods

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  Top mount sinks fit into a cutout in the benchtop with the sink’s rim resting on the counter. This old school method often ends up with grime collecting at the connection point between bench and sink. There is now a range of ultra thin-rimmed laser-cut sinks that reduce this grime build up. This option gives you the look of a flush mount sink. They also provide better protection of stone benchtops compared to an under-mount sink.

• Flush mount sinks can be installed with the lip of the sink mounted into the benchtop which provides a modern aesthetic however there need to be a silicone seal to the benchtop to allow for expansion and contraction, and this needs to be maintained.
• Undermount sinks are installed under the benchtop. Generally, under-mount sinks cannot be installed in laminate benchtops.

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  Farmhouse sinks need to be placed on a solid shelf because of their weight. They are typically installed jutting out from the cabinets to avoid water damage to the cabinetry.

Just a thought – if you opt for an engineered stone or marble benchtop grooves can be carved into the stone to create drainage channels like this Super White Dolomite benchtop we installed in Coonamble earlier this year.

Number of bowls

When choosing how many bowls, we encourage you to think about your family’s needs regarding cooking and cleaning.

If your kitchen space is small, consider a single bowl sink. They are usually larger and deeper than a double bowl and are more cost-effective, but you will end up sacrificing bench space with a drying rack, and only one task can be performed at a time in the bowl.

If you like to hand wash your dishes, you can fill one bowl of a double bowl sink with hot soapy water for washing and the second bowl with cold water for rinsing. Our Instagram poll did tell us that the art of handwashing is relatively outdated, though with most people opting for a dishwasher instead. Most double sinks now also come with the option of an integrated drying rack or cutting board to add an extra workspace to your kitchen. The additional sink also allows you to reduce the risk of cross-contamination of raw meat and other meal ingredients and separates delicate glassware from your crockery and pots.

Depth

Most Australian sinks are about 200mm deep. However, you can buy deeper sinks that make soaking, washing and rinsing large pots and roasting pans a breeze. The only issue you may encounter with this option is ergonomics. We have recently had a client who increased her kitchen cabinet heights by 100mm to allow for a deeper sink. She did appreciate the advice that radius corners in her sink would enable her to keep it clean!

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to choosing the perfect sink, but our project managers can expertly guide you through the decision-making process when it comes to making sure that your kitchen works best for you and your family’s needs.