Fed up with sink decision

16 years ago

I've got to admire all the TKO's out there who are either building from scratch or remodeling their whole kitchens. I was ONLY looking to upgrade to granite countertops, and of course, get a new sink, faucet and cabinet hardware. Small job, right?

Well I picked out the granite and declined the offer of a free stainless steel sink. Why? Because I have a SS in my current home which I bought from the previous owner 15 years ago. It is ugly and dull and never shined. We are in a rural area with hard well water and we noticed that she left the water softner completely empty (for how long who knows?) I used soft scrub on it but never paid attention to the Bon Ami or Barkeepers Friend which I have noticed in posts now that I am becoming TKO. All these years I have used soft scrub, half-heartedly, and continued to hate this sink.

Fast forward: I became enamored with a low divide, white colored granite composite sink that let the two bowls perform as one large bowl. I thought I found it! No more ugly stainless steel! No more scratchy white or iron rusted sink from years past! This would be much more modern and clean to go with my light colored granite. Then I was notified that this sink was back-ordered til the middle of May. And I'm getting itchy! I can't wait that long. So I shopped the big box store last night and only saw a handful of undermounts. I don't want the small double bowls, heck I can get that for free. I am a one-sink kitchen so my sink has to do it all. Preferably I'll get one large, one small bowl. Since I have no black in my kitchen I wont be doing the blanco silgranite which I admire but looking for a white option. I'd prefer shiny but don't think that exists unless you get porcelin over cast iron which I hate. Am I crazy? Should I just throw in the towel and give up and point at one of the four sinks my fabricator is offering? Could I learn to love stainless now that we maintain our water softener? I can't move on to the faucet decision until I jump this hurdle!

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Comments (11)

pbrisjar
16 years ago
Blanco comes in black, gray/silver, white and biscuit. They're also adding a few new colors soon. They have several one large / one small bowl combo's too. Many of their drop-ins are also undermounts.

Here's just one:

http://www.qualitybath.com/product~name~Blanco+511%2D641~ID~40327.htm
neesie
Original Author
16 years ago
I just chatted on-line with someone from a sink website and they told me the problem with white is that they do stain if you're not good about rinsing the sink out. She basically killed the deal. Is it possible to NOT get a sink in the new countertop???? All the SS options I look at remind me of the one I have now. I am getting a headache. Thanks for responding.
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Thank you all, it's so nice to have you to understand and be reassuring! I really appreciate the support! When I reread my OP I see it doesn't really express what I'm feeling, and it sounds petty. I really am overwhelmed with it all. I have to take it one step at a time. Today's step is deciding which boards to cut into which pieces for the face frames. It'll take longer than one day for me to figure out, because --- I don't know why, I'm just slow. I really think hormones are playing a role. I'm 52 and some days I just can't think clearly. I'm sure some of you have experienced that! Rhome, thanks for the hug and kind words! You picked right up on my tendency to see things in terms of details, and not the big picture. I have to remember it's the forest, not the trees! Kelleg, boxer, and cotehele, somehow there's comfort in knowing other people have done the same thing. Thanks for telling me about your "perfect" island and Shaw's sink that will not end up in your kitchen, cotehele. There are probably a lot of us who bought, then rejected, perfectly good things because somehow they just weren't right. Imagine the garage sale we could have if we put all our stuff together! Bmorepanic, I love ideas like that. I might try the panel approach, tho the problem is that the doors are curved on the hinge side. I visualize the edges showing on the side of the panels. I'll have to give it more thought. Malhgold, it's funny you asked that about the SS sink. Other than the commercial look, my issue with the sink involved the placement of the DW. The sink has an integral drainboard on both sides, each 15" long. The whole length of the sink has an integral counter, i.e., it's not an undermount or topmount. So the DW (which could be installed on either side) would have had 15" of the SS counter on top of it, and the other 9" of it would be covered by the marble counter. In other words, the DW wouldn't all be under one counter material. It's hard to explain, I hope that makes sense! That bothered me for some reason, it looked wrong. I never installed it, so I can't say whether I liked working with it or not. I will eventually try CL, I'm just procrastinating on that too! Thank you all again. Hope you have a nice weekend!
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Buehl
16 years ago
I don't know the history, but let's think this through...

First off, when is templating for your granite?

I'm assuming you looked all over online for the sink you want and that it's backordered everywhere that you could find it.

Did you check w/your local plumping supply stores to see if any of them have the sink you want in stock (if they carry them)? You never know, they may be able to get one for you even if they don't normally carry them...and sometimes they have more "pull" than an individual would and may be able to get it sooner than you could.

What "big box stores" did you check? Did you check EXPO Design Center or The Great Indoors stores? They're higher end stores and will have more options in granite sinks than HD or Lowes. Also, did you ask anyone about them at the big box stores? Like a plumbing supply store, they may be able to special order it and get if for you faster than you could.

IF you "throw in the towel" and agree to go with:

Stainless Steel: What are your options in "free" sinks? I know when we were shopping around for KDs most of the Kitchen design places had the "free sink" offer but we didn't like their choices and had decided to pay for the sink we wanted...but still SS. Yes, you also decided that you would pay for the sink you want, but you cannot find it in the material you want soon enough. But, you also want a specific configuration. If none of the "free sinks" is in that configuration and you're willing to go w/SS, I would still not go with the free sink. Rather, I would look at your other options online to see if you can at least find one w/your desired configuration and w/a high quality SS & gauge. One option is Ticor (from Galaxy Tool Supply), but they do not offer a "smart divide" type sink that I think you're looking for (low profile sink divider so you can use it as either a one-bowl or two-bowl sink). Others may.

Cast Iron: Check out Kohler's Smart Divide sinks. Kohler has a couple that are undermount and have large/small bowls.

Here is a link that might be useful: Kohler smart divide sinks
berryberry
16 years ago
I realize you seem anxious to proceed but backordered til the middle of may is what - 30 days or less away? thats not really long to wait for something you will have for quite a while
Buehl
16 years ago
BerryBerry...the issue may be that she needs the sink for templating now and cannot wait until mid-May (that's why I asked her in my post about her template schedule). If that isn't an issue, then I agree w/you...it's only a month away AND most places that backorder, in my experience, actually deliver earlier than they originally told you.
cheri127
16 years ago
Nessie, there are TKO's on this site (myself included) who need a year just for a layout. If you can, wait the month for the sink you want. You won't regret it.
cincyj
16 years ago
Sunday night I ordered a Blanco from Quality Bath; got it yesterday (Wednesday). They're about to shut down for Passover, but that sink was packaged perfectly and looks great (no cracks like you hear people talk about). Obviously it isn't installed yet, so I can't speak about staining or anything, but everybody on here speaks to highly about blanco that I took the plunge.
jtalb
16 years ago
We bought our Blanco from a smaller, local plumbing store. I called ahead & they brought it to the location that is closer to my house and it cost less than at HD! The sink was a special order at HD & would have taken 4-6 weeks to arrive.

Try calling around, you'll be surprised what you can find.
rosie
16 years ago
Agreeing, middle of May is just around the corner. Just getting the guys to show up to put in any sink would take at least half that. Of course you can wait if necessary.
fern76
16 years ago
I got swanstone low divide sink in granito, which is a light beige, I love it and it was here in three days! This was the website I used: pandico@usa.com. The sink was cheaper and there were no difficulties once it arrived, no cracks or chips... Good luck!

Fern76
neesie
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks for all the responses. After posting I had a leisurely evening and just went to bed! I needed a little down time from this 'what to do - what to do' mindset.

As far as templating, I should know but I don't. What I know is that the installer has been to my house to get proper measurements instead of the cartoon I handed in earlier for the estimate. They told me that once I physically had the sink I was to drop it off and they'd schedule me for an install. At this time installs are typically 3 - 4 weeks out. If anyone sees an old post by me on this forum I usually mention that my granite is going to be installed in 3-4 weeks, ha ha!

fern, I didn't think the granito was an option for me. I was only able to see a dime size image on the computer and it didn't look beige at all! Besides, any color is on back order right now.

buehl, thanks for your many words of wisdom. I am definitely not feeling the free sinks. After spending thousands on granite I feel that I want a nice sink to go with it. This will be the first sink I have ever picked! Thanks for the link to the Smart Divide; I must tell you I actually followed that link from a post over a month ago which is what gave me the bug for that style of sink. I LOVE the looks of the Smart Divide but am not a fan of cast iron.

We don't have EXPO Design or Great Indoors where I live (Minnesota). I may try some plumbing supply stores. I don't think they're open over the weekend but have one night a week that they're open late. After re-reading the blanco silgranit thread it has me thinking that a blanco is another option.

Jtalb, thanks for your words of encouragement! I'm glad you and Cincyj got what you wanted. Cheri127, you sound like my husband! He said when it comes to something you use everyday get the one you want! Now it's time to dust myself off and get back on the computer and shop and compare a little bit more. Who cares that I'm at work, tee hee!

Here is a link that might be useful: popular blanco thread

Fed up with sink decision

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Fed up with sink decision

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neesie
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