Sink materials, pros and cons
breezygirl
14 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (24)
breezygirl
14 years agoRelated Discussions
Copper sink pros and cons
Comments (0)I'm looking at possibly using copper sinks instead of stainless. What are the pros and cons of sinks made with this material, and are there any special care issue/cleaning requirements of these sinks? Many thanks!...See MoreSink selection - help ASAP please
Comments (3)As Pinch_me already said, you need to provide more information, and narrow down in your own mind what you are looking for. Divide the question into two camps: aesthetic (fireclay apron front is an ENTIRELY different look than a Silgranit or stainless undermount), and sink-material pros and cons. I also think it is imperative that you not make this decision "this afternoon" as you said. Sink selection is fairly permanent. Your counters will be cut around the sink. Don't rush into the choice just because your "cabinet builder is coming in this afternoon". You should, however, discuss with him the sink base cabinet size immediately. The size of your cabinet base will be key to your choice of sink. We don't know the size of your kitchen; if it is quite large, then I would say go for a 36" cabinet base. If it is smaller, you need to decide whether you want to forego either countertop or appliance size in favor of sink size, or visa versa. We have the Silgranit Blancoprecis Super Single. Here's our decision path in case it might help you. (1) We originally were going to have a stainless sink, which is what we had before. But we decided we were tired of the water spots and dinginess of stainless sink. I am in love with our Silgranit sink which shows nothing. (2) Silgranit doesn't scratch or stain or chip. We have no worries with our cast iron pans or rough careless teenagers. (3) Silgranit is heat resistant to 536 degrees so no worries about burn marks if we set down a hot pan. (4) We like the offset drain (which you can get in some fireclay apron front sinks too). (5) Our cabinet base fit the Blancoprecis size; at 30" (interior), it is roomy enough. (6) We are "single-bowl people", so bowl choice was not a decision for us. (7) Our kitchen is transitional, i.e. neither traditional nor contemporary, so we like the undermount rectangular style. (8) The price was in our budget. (9) Finally, we chose the "anthracite" color, which is black (there are 4 other colors), because it looked really sharp with our granite, and it won't show anything. I love the look of fireclay apron front sinks. But it wouldn't fit in the parameters for our kitchen. You need to decide what YOU want and like. I wouldn't make this decision without thinking it through at length, rather than hastily....See MoreHelp With Basic Bathroom Flooring Question -Pros and Cons of Materials
Comments (7)I wanted a feminine but not cloyingly "girly" look. I think you have hit the mark in the beige-y tiles -- and any number of colors would work as accents with this tile, so you'll be able to change your look over the years. I would not frame these tiles with the copper hexes -- I think the frames would be somewhat jarring and would ruin the soft, almost watercolor-y look of these tiles. I think I'd do the majority of the shower with the large tile in the lower right ... the flower-looking tile as an accent band ... and put the copper hexes (which I do like -- just not as a frame) on the shower floor. The small tiles will give you greater grip on the shower floor, which is important since you say you value aging-in-place. Yes, they'll require some scrubbing occasionally, but you're not talking about a big area -- and safety matters. Are these marble? I would not go with marble in the shower -- not matter how lovely -- it's not an easy-to-maintain material. Yes to porcelain every time. It's essentially "forever", moderately priced, and so many choices. Yes, labor will cost more than you expect. You can minimize this a bit by going with large sized tiles on the shower walls ... and by using a simple layout (simple square layout rather than herringbone, for example). Yes, labor should be about the same regardless of whether you use marble or porcelain. Excellent advice above about putting in grab bars now. Let the tile installer do it now ... let him PLAN the tiles around the idea of grab bars ... rather than having someone come in later /in future years and plop the bars in the middle of your lovely tile. Excellent advice, too, about taking photographs while the walls are open. Maybe you'll never need to know what lies behind your walls, but it'll take little effort to take the pictures, and it could be very useful someday. While you're planning this shower, go with a larger storage niche than you think you need ... and think about NOT using your expensive accent tile in the back of the niche ... you're going to cover it up with shampoo bottles. I'm not clear on this: Are you talking about tile for just the shower floor ... or the bathroom floor PLUS the shower floor? I've decided to use same wood-tone LVP literally everywhere in my whole house ... except the two showers. I have tile floors in my bathroom now, and I do not love that they're cold underfoot. Also, tile is harder on the joints as you age -- I like the linoleum in my kitchen better than the tile in my bathroom. Perhaps this is a mismatch of qualities /materials, but -- as you said above -- I'm building to please myself. Last thought: Do it right. Tile lasts a long, long time -- you'll likely never re-do this. So don't skimp....See MorePros and cons of different materials
Comments (3)A properly constructed brick patio is much less maintenance than a wood deck. There are a lot of choices for products. It sounds like a patio fits your house, so that's what I would go with....See Moresevrm
14 years agobireland
14 years agocruisedirector
14 years agofarmhouse_cook
14 years agopalimpsest
14 years agomitri89
14 years agosally123
14 years agobreezygirl
14 years agoarleneb
14 years agodavidro1
14 years agorenayy
14 years agoFori
14 years agokmohr
14 years agodanielle84
14 years agoportland_renovation
14 years agosc_kathyc
14 years agobrickeyee
14 years agokmohr
14 years agopalimpsest
14 years agopharaoh
14 years agoBuehl
13 years agoTeri
8 years ago
Related Stories
REMODELING GUIDESGravel Driveways: Crunching the Pros and Cons
If you want to play rough with your driveway, put away the pavers and choose the rocky road
Full StoryKITCHEN LAYOUTSThe Pros and Cons of 3 Popular Kitchen Layouts
U-shaped, L-shaped or galley? Find out which is best for you and why
Full StoryBATHROOM DESIGNBathroom Surfaces: Ceramic Tile Pros and Cons
Learn the facts on this popular material for bathroom walls and floors, including costs and maintenance needs, before you commit
Full StoryREMODELING GUIDESConcrete Driveways: Poring Over the Pros and Cons
Concrete adds smooth polish to driveways and a sleek look to home exteriors, but here are the points to ponder before you re-surface
Full StoryKITCHEN CABINETSKitchen Confidential: The Pros and Cons of Double Stacked Cabinets
Does it make sense for you to double up on cabinets? Find out here
Full StoryFEEL-GOOD HOMEThe Pros and Cons of Making Your Bed Every Day
Houzz readers around the world share their preferences, while sleep and housekeeping experts weigh in with advice
Full StoryREMODELING GUIDESFrom the Pros: 8 Reasons Kitchen Renovations Go Over Budget
We asked kitchen designers to tell us the most common budget-busters they see
Full StoryBATHROOM DESIGNBathroom Countertops 101: The Top Surface Materials
Explore the pros and cons of 7 popular bathroom countertop materials
Full StoryKITCHEN DESIGNKitchen Countertops 101: Choosing a Surface Material
Explore the pros and cons of 11 kitchen countertop materials. The options may surprise you
Full StoryDECKSDecking Materials Beyond Basic Lumber
Learn about softwoods, tropical hardwoods, composites and more for decks, including pros, cons and costs
Full Story
Fori