Drainboard carved into granite/soapstone?

16 years ago

I would love to hear about any pros/cons on doing this and the extra cost you paid.

I would think you would do this on a single bowl sink only because if you had a double you could use the rack on second sink as your drainboard.

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Granite City Services

2 years ago

I am a fabricator. The "runnels" approach is relatively easy and low risk for the fabricator. A recessed drainboard, depending on the stone, can require real talent from the fabricator to bring the ground out recessed area back to a factory surface polish. We have a recessed drainboard in my showroom on Black Absolute just to show off our capability. The average consumer doesn't know enough to be impressed but when we have stone industry people in the showroom they often comment they are impressed. If you are considering a recessed drainboard make sure you know what finish the fabricator plans to give you on the recessed area.

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Comments (11)

zelmar
16 years ago
We have drainboards on both sides of our single bowl main sink. I love it and wish we had done the same thing at our prep sink. I tend to be messy with water and the drainboards keep the water from puddling on the counter and dripping over the edge down the face of the cabinet and onto the floor. It's convenient for placing a colander on the counter to drain instead of in the sink--leaving the sink available for other tasks. After this experience, I would do this at any sink in the kitchen, even a double sink. The counter is still usable for any other task since the slope is gentle--I often forget the slope is there until I need it.

We put in our schist counters 3 years ago. The counters were fabricated at the very small quarry and each drainboard cost around $100 or $150.

{{!gwi}}
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jeanar
16 years ago
Glad you asked this, since we're considering it as well. Our cost is $500 extra for carving it into soapstone.
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I had custom sloped runnels cut into my soapstone. Love it. And I would definitely do it again. Our original kitchen had a stainless drainboard that sloped into the sink and we tried to keep that for the remodeled kitchen but it didn't work out. Pros - anything wet can sit there to drain into the sink. Thawing food, hand washed dishes, pans etc. We use a cutting board there when preparing or carving meat so the cleanup is easy. Cons - can't think of any cons. Mine stays clean and I use it as a counter top when it's not being used for draining. Here is a link that might be useful: my sloped drainboard with runnels
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We have runnels on one side and a drainboard (slopes down toward the sink) on the other. We use our runnels for draining produce or setting the colander. The drainboard always has the dishrack in it (and the dishrack always has stuff in it). This is how we'd envisioned using both the runnels and the drainboard and for us they're perfect. Our kiddos are still in sippy cups / snacktraps, etc., and those things are always still wet when coming out of the dishwasher, so they go straight onto the dishrack. Being that the kiddos are little I'm also a short order cook (or so it feels), so there's always something being drained on the runnels (or so it feels). The drainboard is, of course, super easy to wipe clean, and we love not having puddling water under the dishrack! The runnels are, of course, not as easy to clean but we're more of a live-and-let-live family, so I don't obsess about it. Weeeell ... we have marble slab countertops, and maybe a month ago I decided to poultice the runnels. Holy cow did they look sparkly white! So I immediately sealed them and then we were back to our slovenly ways. Whatever, life's too short to futz with all that. I'd rather eat a snow cone while pushing children in a swing. runnels: drainboard: It was two+ years ago and I do not recall exactly how much they cost. I do remember the drainboard was more than the runnels, but maybe for both they were like $700. ??? I remember the runnels were going to be a few hundred dollars (total), but the drainboard pushed it over. Ouch. The first fabricator with whom I wanted to work was going to charge $2,000 for the runnels alone because he'd have to purchase the bit to use to cut them and I (and I alone) was going to pay for it. The fabricator we used is a bigger outfit so they already had the bit. Truthfully, I don't really want to remember how much everything cost -- fuzzy memories can be a good thing!
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Hi ebean, We don't have soapstone (our counters are schist) but we do have drainboards on both sides of our main sink and I really really love it. I like handwashing items--and we keep a small metal dish drainer on one side of the sink. The other side is available for other tasks---I'm pretty messy with water and I really like having water I get on the counter directed back to the sink rather than down the front of our cabinets. The integrated drain boards work perfectly and they aren't so steep that they cause a problem for using the counter normally. I often forget they're there until I realize water isn't dripping off the counter. I wish I had put them in on both sides of our prep sink too. The drainboards are easy to keep clean. Unfortunately they're a bit difficult to see in photos since they are fairly subtle. Hope this helps.
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I feel very fortunate that we were able to get a local stone--it's a schist from Ashfield Stone. It came out of the ground not far from us in W. Mass. I've been very pleased with our counter for 5+ years.
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fern76
16 years ago
I also asked about having drain lines put onto one side of the granite next to our double sink, and was quoted ~$500. The fabricator was not thrilled with the prospect and I was top of my budget anyway. I find that the shallow side of my swanstone smart divide sink works really well as a drainer...good luck!

Fern76
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florida_joshua
16 years ago
Zelmar, that's cheap, really cheap.

We run about 600, for the drain board and 350 for runnels. But we may drop our full recess price to make it more attractive (no one ever asks for it). I think it may be because we donÂt have an example of it in our "kind of" showroom.

Runnels:
1: have a certain look
2: Doesn't take up workable counter space if you have a small kitchen.
3: Are reasonably priced.
4: Make sure you see an example of runnels done before you buy them
5: Function great for setting colanders and such on them.

Full Recess:
1: If you don't like the runnels 'look' full recess drain board automatically looks impressive anyone that tells you differently is lying. . lol
2: Cost is a bit more
3: Functions very well
4: Can take up useable space if you have a small kitchen.

If you can't decide, go with the full recess with the runnels. . . . Get the best of both worlds.
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ebrathedebra
16 years ago
Can anyone please post pics of full recess, runnels and\or one with both? I think I've seen runnels (not sure) but I haven't seen the others.

Thanks!
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rmkitchen
16 years ago
We have both: runnels on one side (only three and petite -- they're for draining produce) and a drainboard (which holds our dishrack) on the other. So far, we love them!

I'm not sure about the cost because our fabricator gave us one price for the whole kit and kaboodle. Sorry about not being helpful.

runnels

dishdrain
florida_joshua
16 years ago
Runnels

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

Combo

{{!gwi}}

Most of our pictures are works in progress, but you can get a good idea. If you want more just ask. . .
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staticfritz
16 years ago
DIY drainboard

{{!gwi}}
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terrypy
16 years ago
While your counters/sink are very highend compared to my suggestion...we've done something similar in our ranch apartment (we live here while the house is being built) by buying an Ikea stainless sink that has the drainboard built in. I love it!
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Peterke
2 years ago
How deep is the recessed drainboard?
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Drainboard carved into granite/soapstone?

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Comments (11)

zelmar

jeanar

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