Sinks

We can provide and install most brands of sinks and repair leaking strainers.

Sink shape and size are important, and when checking out a sink's size, pay attention to its depth, too: Bargain sinks may be six or seven inches deep, where eight inches is the standard and ten inches is preferable if you wash a lot of stockpots, pasta pots, and roasters.

Popular kitchen sink configurations include the typical single, large rectangular basin; the double-bowled sink with both sinks the same size for hand-washing and rinsing; or the double-bowled sink with one side considerably smaller, housing the garbage disposer. Three-bowl sinks are also available, in which two larger bowls flank a small, center bowl with the garbage disposer installed; this bowl is often topped with a removable cutting board.

Once you choose the shape and size of your sink based on function, your next decision lies in the wide array of available materials. You may opt for a sink in shiny stainless steel, colorful enamel on cast iron, solid surfacing, or quartz composite.

Stainless steel, a material that has been popular since the 1950s, is sleek, contemporary, and stain resistant. The thickest and most durable steel is 18 gauge; thinner, 20- and 22-gauge steel is more prone to scratches, dents, and even punctures.

Enamel-on-cast-iron sinks resemble enamel on steel but are more durable and more popular, although the weight of a cast-iron sink requires hefty counters. Enamel sinks come in a wide assortment of colors, including white, the classic favorite, and colors that make a contemporary fashion statement. All have a glasslike surface that's easy to clean, but enamel can chip, revealing black cast iron beneath.

Solid-surfacing sinks are rimless and are seamlessly fused to the adjacent solid-surfacing counter. A handsome contemporary solution that's relatively easy to clean and repair, solid surfacing offers good color selection and color that goes all the way through. Solid-surfacing sinks cost more than metal ones and require professional installation.

Quartz composite sinks, a relatively new material, feature color all the way through, good color choices, and the option of a realistic granite look. Like solid surfacing, quartz composite is both stain- and scratch-resistant. Now you need to decide if you want a under mount sink, or self rimming sink. The benefit to having a under mount sink is that you can wipe debris directly into the sink, but the down side is that if you want to change the sink, often you have to change the top. The benefit to the self rimming sink is that you can change the sink without changing the countertop, but the down side is you cannot wipe debris directly into the sink.