Your kitchen sink is one of the most vital elements of your kitchen – have you ever thought about how much time you spend there? Most houses that aren’t custom-built usually come with thin, shallow stainless steel sinks that are not very functional (and not so attractive, either). Today, functionality and style go hand-in-hand when choosing your kitchen sink. Changing your kitchen sink can be a quick and cost-effective upgrade that will make your time in front of the sink more fun and more functional. Even if you’re on a tight budget, there are wallet-friendly options for you. If you haven’t shopped kitchen sinks for a while, you will be amazed at the options available.

Stainless steel, granite, marble, and copper are just a few of the materials being used to make kitchen sinks these days. If you’re considering remodeling or you are just moving in, it’s important that you do your research beforehand to avoid buying a sink that may have some maintenance or aesthetic issues that can easily be overlooked. The great thing about purchasing a new sink is that doing so makes it possible to make a major upgrade without having to remodel your entire kitchen, which saves both time and money.

At John Moore Services, we want you to be fully educated on the possibilities available when changing up the look and function of your kitchen sink. We also want your kitchen to look and perform its best. Here, we give you the blueprint to find the sink that doesn’t just enhance the functionality of your kitchen, but is just as unique as you are.

Material Options for a New Kitchen Sink

Stainless Steel Kitchen Sink

Compared to others, stainless steel tends to be inexpensive, and is the most common material in modern sinks. Stainless steel sinks are super versatile, and are available in a variety of installation types like under mount or top mount.

Stainless steel tends to be a louder than other materials, although many sinks feature a spray coating or padding to help reduce the noise. It’s important to know that the heavier they are (measured by the gauge of the steel), the quieter they are, so that is definitely an option if you are willing to pay a bit extra. While overall very durable, stainless steel kitchen sinks can scratch more easily than other materials. Stainless sinks also tend to show water spots and it can be difficult to keep them looking immaculately clean at all times. If metals that are not stainless steel touch the steel for too long, contact with water can cause rust stains to appear on the steel. This can also happen if proper maintenance and cleaning is not used. However, they do offer excellent resistance to heat and other stains.

Julien makes incredible stainless steel sinks. They carry 16 gauge sinks in 5 different collections: UrbanEdge®, J7®, Classic™, Vintage and Trapezoid, all of which can suit every kind of homeowner. A particularly beautiful sink is the J7®, which has a sleek and minimalist design while offering easy cleaning and the perfect large depth and size for large pots and pans and goes for between $900 and $1,500 for a single bowl sink. Other good stainless steel options that come at a fraction of the price are made by Kohler, Blanco, and Franke (single bowl sinks start at $330!), so look into those to get the full range of style and price options at your disposal.

Cast Iron Kitchen Sink

Cast iron is one of the oldest materials used for kitchen sinks and is still very popular today. Cast iron sinks have a bright, glossy enamel finish that lasts for decades, and you can’t say that about many things these days. Since bare iron is extremely prone to rusting, cast iron sinks have a heavy porcelain enamel finish to prevent that.

The enamel finish used on cast iron sinks is extremely tough and doesn’t stain or scratch easily. Although it may look like it, the porcelain enamel finish used on cast iron sinks is not paint. In fact, it’s actually melted glass that has been fused to the bare iron. Modern enamels are incredibly hard and stand up well to the daily wear and tear on the average kitchen sink. Cast iron sinks are super easy to keep clean and are not as likely to show any water spot stains, and the porcelain enamel offers good resistance to light and fading.

There are a few things to consider before installing a cast iron sink in your kitchen. For one, it’s very heavy. One that is average-sized can easily weigh 100 lbs or more. This can make installation more difficult, especially in the case of an under mount sink that requires extra support to hold the sink in place underneath the counter.

Modern cast iron sinks are available in a wide range of styles and colors, although you can expect to pay extra if you opt for a sink that doesn’t have standard white enamel. For example, a white Kohler cast iron sink is just over $600, but about $300 dollars more for colored ones.

Concrete Kitchen Sink

Concrete sinks are stylish, really heavy, and usually custom made. A plus is that not many people have this type of kitchen sink, so if standing out if your thing, this may be a great style choice.The fact that you can get this custom made allows you to add in any design features you’d like, such as drainage boards, inlays or a unique bowl shape or size.

Now, the catch: concrete sinks will require regular sealing to avoid stains and to fend off moisture. It is definitely heavy and needs the right cabinet support. Also, it can get costly to custom make these sinks, but it is also possible to purchase pre-cast concrete sinks as a more wallet-friendly option.Concreteworks makes pre-cast and custom concrete sinks in many styles and colors, from modern to rustic. If unique is your middle name, consider adding a concrete sink to your home.

Composite Kitchen Sinks

Composite sinks are made by combining crushed granite or quartz with a resin filler. The mixture varies depending on the product and manufacturer, but is usually around 70% to 80% rock and 20% to 30% resin. This combination produces a material that has a lot of the same aesthetic qualities of real granite or quartz without some issues associated with those types of sinks, such as maintenance and resilience. Composite sinks are tough and highly resistant to stains and scratching.

Granite composite is the most durable sink on the market today. Because of the exceptionally high density of rock particles at the sink’s surface, this style offers great scratch, chip and heat resistance. These sinks can stand up to hot pans, dropped utensils and other potentially damaging accidents. Granite composite sinks offer heat resistance up to 535 degrees, which means a hot pot or pan can go from stove to sink without burning or leaving marks on the surface of the sink. If you don’t want to worry about hurting the sink surface, then this hard-working option is for you.

Quartz composite usually has a blend of 70% quartz and 30% resin filler. These types of sinks are regarded as a bit inferior to granite based sinks in terms of resilience, but they still can resist everyday cuts, scuffs and dents and can easily stand up to kitchen cleaning materials and liquids.

Blanco makes a line of beautiful sinks called SILGRANIT®,which are made of 80% rock-hard granite and range as low as $239 for their Diamond series or as high as $826 for a multi-level sink or one with add-ons. These sinks resist scratches, stains and heat, are easy to clean, ultra-durable, and hold 7 patents for its advanced technology. Did we also mention that they come in eight trendy colors?

Fireclay Kitchen Sinks

Fireclay sinks are created by molding ceramic clay into the shape of the sink and letting it dry at a very high temperature for more than 24 hours. Once the clay is completely dry, porcelain enamel is applied and the sink is placed in a tunnel oven at an extremely high temperature for about 20 hours.

This process fuses the enamel to the clay and increasing the strength of both at the same time. It is because of this process that fireclay sinks are usually known as being more durable than even cast iron. However, fireclay isn’t indestructible and the enamel has the possibility of chipping due to the impact of a dropped pot or glass. Rohl’s Allia four-hole fireclay sink (ready for adding faucets and other add-ons for only $708!) is a drop-in that could go in most any existing countertop. Rohl’s fireclay sinks are crafted with environmentally friendly materials and are completely lead-free and recyclable.

Remember to always do your homework before making any expensive purchases to avoid unwanted and unexpected problems, and check this space tomorrow for a post about kitchen sink configurations. A professional at John Moore would be more than happy to help you with any installment questions or concerns, as well as be ready with the most experienced and qualified technicians to get your kitchen sink up and running. So give us a call! Today, style and functionality are one. Leave boring behind and find what fits you!