The kitchen sink is definitely the most used item in the kitchen, other than the stove.
In additional to being useful, they can add drama and style to any kitchen design. Also
since a quality sink will last 30 years or more, an important consideration of your
remodel should be selecting a kitchen sink.
With kitchen faucets you will find that there are hundreds of options available.
Today there are so many styles based on functionality, color and material.
You may want a traditional standard kitchen faucet or you might want to consider a kitchen faucet that features
a high sink clearance offering good spout heights for filling up pots, tall vases and pitchers, as well as extended reach,
thereby creating easier access to the sink.
Starting at the Sink
The newest trend in kitchen sink design is the ‘commercial’ or ‘industrial’ look that can help make food preparation and
cooking faster and easier. Kitchen sinks come in many configurations, including single-bowl, double-bowl, and even triple-bowl.
Extra deep kitchen sinks are also available for the handling of large pots and a lot of dishes.
When making the decision on a new kitchen sink, durability and strength are important areas to consider
depending on how you plan to use it, what your kitchen priorities are, and where the sink will be located.
Sinks can be broken down into the following categories:
Stainless Steel
Popular choice for many homeowners. This material can go very well in a modern kitchen with clean lines.
Stainless steel has the advantage of being easy to clean. Some disadvantages of this material is the fact that it can be easily
dented and it can be noisy.
See Moen, Elkay and Swanstone for more information on our Product Page.
Nickel, and Copper
Kitchen sinks can be made in other metals besides stainless steel. Metals sinks can be beautiful, but also more expensive.
Nickel is the hardest of the two metals. At the current time copper is considered very popular.
Copper requires no maintenance if it is a pure copper sink.
Porcelain enamel on cast iron
This material is another popular choice for kitchen sinks because of its durability and it large range of quality, style, and colors.
Porcelain enamel kitchen sinks usually last about 25 to 30 years or more. The surface of these type of kitchen sink is composed
of ground glass melted and applied to the hot cast iron. This type of kitchen sink type is available for under mount, self-rimming,
and tile-in installations. Because glass can easily break against this type of material it is necessary to use a sink mat.
Faucets
There are a number of faucet styles based on functionality, color and material. The single-hole faucets have only one main lever,
making them easy to use. Widespread faucets have a center spout and a hot and cold valve on either side, which are mounted separately.
The finish options vary from oil-rubbed bronze to stainless steel. There are as many faucet choices as there are sinks to match them.
Some people prefer faucets with high sink clearance to help when filling pots (pot filler faucets), or for ease of access to the sink.
Others may want a standard faucet or a pull-out faucet for ease of use.
The most affordable finish for a faucet is a chrome finish, and the chrome-finish has the benefit of a long warranty on scratches.
However, you can also get colorful enamel coatings. These mean you can get more variety and match your faucet to your taste,
however these are more susceptible to scratches and chipping. There are other options as well such as stainless steel.
Decide the type of style and finish you like best, and get the highest quality faucet you can (that fits in your budget) made of this material.
Also, find a finish that fits your style. For example, look at brushed chrome, oil-rubbed bronze and satin nickel for a rustic appeal.
The brushed finish and satin finish cleverly hides scratches.
Choosing a Faucet
Before you choose a new kitchen faucet, take a look at your present kitchen and consider how you use it.
As you cook, clean, and live in your kitchen, consider why, and how often, you head for the sink.
What do you like about your current faucet? And what faucet features are missing?
Spout Types
Faucet spouts come in three basic types, with the key difference being whether or not they include a spray feature.
Handheld sprays, which come in a variety of styles, let you move the water flow to where you need it.
Pullout or pull-down spray faucet
Pullout sprays offer the functionality of a side spray with the streamlined look of one-piece faucet.
Pull-down spray faucets let you adjust the water flow, choosing between an aerated stream and a spray.
Some offer a second, more powerful spray setting for intense cleaning. Inspired by professional kitchens,
these faucet types provide mobility and ease of cleaning, as well as versatility.
Faucet with side spray
A side spray is a handheld sprayer attached to a hose, mounted to the right or left of the faucet spout
(you can choose the side based on your needs). Pull the side spray out from its base and squeeze its handle,
and it overrides the faucet spout water flow.
Faucet without side spray
If the aesthetics of a sprayer don't suit your kitchen (for example, if you are creating a period look),
or you don't anticipate needing one, you can often get the faucet spout you like without the side spray.
You still have a wide variety of faucet types to choose among.
Spout Height
Kitchen faucet spouts come in a variety of styles and heights.
Although your choices might be limited by the installation requirements of your sink,
in most cases you can decide how much height and length you want on your faucet.
High arch
A high-arch spout provides plenty of room between the bottom of the sink and the spout for washing large pots or oversized dishes.
High-arch faucets generally start at 6 inches, but are more commonly from 8 to 10 inches high.
Standard
A standard faucet spout is generally from 3 to 5 inches high.
Spout reach
Another key factor to consider is the size of your sink and how many basins you have.
The faucet should direct water to the center of the sink. A small faucet can get lost on a large sink,
and a too-large faucet will overpower (or overflow) a small sink.
If you have a double sink, choose a swivel faucet spout that can reach both basins.
Consider as well the reach of the spray - is it long enough to reach the far corners of your sink basin, or all of your sink basins?
