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How To Choose A Farmhouse Sink
I’ve been pinning farmhouse (or apron) sinks onto my Kitchen Pinterest board for years now. It was something I knew I wanted to splurge on in our new home, and thankfully my husband agreed with me. Our mentality was if we were going to put the time into a kitchen remodel, then let’s do it right the first time and be done with it. Since we were able to cut costs in various parts of the kitchen, we decided to splurge on the farmhouse sink. I didn’t realize all that went into choosing a farmhouse sink, so I’ve decided to put together this post in case you’re planning on installing one too. So here’s my advice on how to choose a farmhouse sink, and some tips we learned along the way.
1. Decide if you want a single or double bowl. Our previous home had a single bowl sink, and now that I think about it, so has every home I lived in. It wasn’t until we moved here that I got a feel for what used a double bowl sink is like. And I hated it. The old owners had a double bowl and after the first night of cooking Pat and I realized how annoying it is. We couldn’t even soak a pan in the sink! It was entirely too small for anything, and we immediately decided we needed a single bowl.
2. Decide if you want an above or under mount. Typical farmhouse sinks are under mount. Our precious sink was an under mount and I was used to simply wiping up counter messes right into the sink. The old owners of this house had an above mount, so we again decided it was an annoyance and we didn’t want that with the new sink. These seem like minor details, but you want your kitchen to be conducive to your lifestyle and preferences if you can afford it. So we went with the under mount.
3. Choose the right size. It took me a bit to figure out the appropriate size we needed to fit our cabinet space. We also needed to hire a cabinet maker to adjust the cabinets for us, and I’m so happy we did because for the price of the farmhouse sink, I wasn’t about to half-ass anything. But that’s also something to keep in mind about sink size – the depth of the sink will determine the cabinet size underneath. The deeper the sink, the less cabinet space. We had the cabinets reframed and our sink was installed and in position prior to the countertop installation, which is important if you’re having custom countertops made.
4. Choose a finish. We chose fireclay because I wanted the standard farmhouse sink style. But farmhouse sinks actually come in a variety of colors including stainless steel and copper. There are also a variety of details to choose from. I wanted very little detailing, but didn’t want a plain front, so we went with a slight edge. I really, really love the look of it.
5. Shop around. We purchased our sink from WayFair and paid around $600 for it. But some sinks are upwards of $1000! There are a variety of sites to choose from, so take your time looking and make sure you’re getting the best deal you can on the sink you want. But also know that it is a statement piece in your kitchen, so it is a splurge item (otherwise you would just buy a standard sink!).
Some pros and cons:
Pros: I absolutely LOVE my sink. It’s gorgeous, ridiculously large, and has held up beautifully the past few months. It can fit an insane amount of dishes, and while I don’t cook like some people, my mom tells me it’s amazing while cooking. It’s the statement of our kitchen, and I’ve yet to regret investing in it.
Cons: Because it’s so large, food can get caught up in the sides of the sink; therefore having a pull down faucet is necessary. Not a big deal because I love those too (again, we had one in our previous home and now we are too used to having it. Pull down faucets are a necessity for us), but something to keep in mind. We went with this one from Signature Hardware because I loved the look of it. That’s seriously it. There’s no other con.
Overall, I am so thrilled we went with this fireclay farmhouse sink. It’s my favorite part of our kitchen! Hopefully, this helped you with how to choose a farmhouse sink if you’re in the market for one as well. Stay tuned for more house updates!
We just got one too! We redid our kitchen years ago and the sink already needed replaced. We couldn’t find anything we liked but we settled on a farmhouse and it’s a Godsend! IDK how we did anything before this!
Can you link to your faucet again? The article seems to have dropped the link 🙂
Hi Annie! Sorry about that! Here’s the link http://www.signaturehardware.com/garter-single-hole-pull-down-kitchen-faucet-with-spring-spout.html
Thank you!
Have you had any issues with metal scraping the finish on your sink?
Nothing a little brillo didn’t remove! 🙂
Bar Keepers Friends also works wonders.
Thank you for your blog Lauren. I found it super helpful. Your blog page is so pretty!
Thank you so much!
Hi Lauren,
Do you find that this sink is prone to staining? Do you feel that the 30″ is large enough or would you recommend going larger if space permits? I’m remodeling my kitchen and trying to choose a sink is overwhelming. Thank you!!
Hi! I have not found it prone to staining! I feel like the 30″ is large enough, but I feel like there’s nothing wrong with going bigger if you have the space!! 🙂
I love the ridge on the front of the sink, who is the manufacturer of your sink?
It’s from WayFair, I linked to it in the post!
How deep is the sink? I do dishes at my friends house with her farm house sink and I notice it sometimes hurts my back since I am hunching over so much, especially doing the pots and pans at the bottom. Any thoughts on this?
It’s fairly deep, but I’m not hunching over!
I am 5’ 8” tall with a back issue
if I have to lean over to do dishes…are you tall, and have no issues with this sink? How tall?
My husband is 5’9″ and has no issues. 🙂
Hi Lauren! Thank you for this blog. We’re currently remodeling half of our home, including the kitchen. We agreed on going with a white farmhouse sink. I would like to know if you’re happy with the finish of yours?
Thank you,
Maria
It’s fireclay!
Is fireclay anything like ceramic? Do u not break dishes more easily?
Its stronger! No breakage.
Found your article on farmhouse sinks very informative. But one question. Where is your disposer installed?
We have a farmhouse sink with holes for a wall mounted faucet, 8in center. We are having trouble finding a suitable wall mounted faucet with a shorter swing radius. Most are 12 in swings which brings it too close to the front. Any suggestions!? Thank You
What finish did you chose!? White or biscuit?!
White!
Where do you leave dishes to dry? Right now I have a double sink. Need to know if I need a long countertop in order to place wet dishes. Thanks
We have a drying mat we pull out when we hand wash dishes!
Hi Lauren, I just came across your article anout farmhouse sinks. I need to get one real soon and have been going back and forth about fireclay or cast iron. Since writing your article in 2016 have you had any issues with your sink? Thank you.
We haven’t! I love our sink! 🙂
Thank you! ????
I’ve been going back and forth between the same. Do you know the difference as far as durability goes between the 2?
Thank you for this great advice! I am re-doing my kitchen and this just solidifies my decision to get this type of sink. Cheers!
I have had my farmhouse sink for over 20 years. It looks and works great. Mine is a single bowl. I do not see the point in getting a farmhouse sink that is divided. I keep a $1 plastic dishpan under the sink and use that when washing just a few dishes.
Hi Lauren I am getting a fireclay farmhouse sink do I need to get the metal grate to protect the bottom? Don’t love the grate!
Hi Lauren,
I’m wondering how the sink is holding up scratch and stain wise. I am buying one but have been having a very difficult time choosing.
Thank you so much for the information! My husband and I are also remodeling our kitchen and want the farmhouse sink. I am so glad you shared your experience and the pros vs cons. This helps alot!
This is a great article because I’ve been shopping for a farmhouse sink too. We bought one last week and it’s not installed yet because we’re waiting on the new countertops. We purchased a white fireclay single bowl and it will be over mount. Great minds think alike because I bought the same faucet. 😊
Great advice and points made! We are making note of farmhouse/apron sinks we like. One thing I’ve learned in research is that the interior corners of the sink are easier to clean if the corners are rounded. So, that’s something we will definitely be doing. Thank you for the information you’ve shared!!