Drop In Sinks

The installation of drop in sinks is fairly quick and easy way to spruce up a kitchen. It doesn’t require any special tools beyond what most home improvement minded homeowners will have in the garage anyway and sinks in just about every possible size you could need are available right off the shelf at your local home improvement retailer.

They are called drop in sinks because that is the basic premise of installation. The sink literally drops into a hole that is cut into the countertop and rests on a lip that overlaps the countertop surface. The need for additional support is determined by what kind of drop in sink that you have, as some are quite a bit heavier than others. Most commonly used with laminate countertops, the drop in sink is a classic style that is very functional and is generally the most affordable of all the possible kitchen sink configurations.

Three Types to Choose From

The most popular material for drop in sinks is stainless steel. The stainless steel sinks are extremely versatile because they are lightweight. This makes them easy to work with during installation and makes it a one man job. Some of the other styles are so heavy that they require two or more people to get the sink into place.

Concerning support, you don’t need any extra. The stainless steel drop in sink will be fastened to the countertop using special clips that are applied from the bottom side. Easy to clean and with classic styling, the stainless steel drop in will probably remain the industry standard in drop in sinks for years to come.

Acrylics

A new style of drop in sinks hit the market a few years ago. These acrylic sinks feature the lightweight benefits of the stainless sink, but look like granite. Usually available in an off white or a black, these sinks give the homeowner a chance to feature the sink as the focal piece of the kitchen. While these sinks look very nice, it is not yet known how well they hold up over long periods.

Cast Iron

The third style of drop in sink is a veritable monster. Cast iron sinks are built like battle ships. They will withstand a lot of abuse, are easy to clean and feature distinctive styling that looks great in an era kitchen. The biggest drawback to cast iron is its weight. It will take at least two people to set the sink into place as they are very heavy. Additionally, you will have to build a cradle underneath the sink to help support the weight. The countertop will crack over time if you don’t do this.

One last feature of drop in sinks is the ability that consumers have to choose configurations. You can get a double bowl, a single bowl, shallow bowl, deep bowl and a plethora of other combinations of those. If the home improvement store doesn’t have the configuration that you are looking for on the shelf, ask to see a catalogue. The chances are pretty good that they can order whatever you want.