Soapstone: drainboard, built in sink???
Comments (7)
angie_diy
11 years agoI am not sure what you are asking about, exactly. Do you mean soapstone counters and sink?
I don't have that, but this is what I do have, namely, soapstone counters with runnels and an undermount stainless steel sink. I love it!
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Comments (13)Hi all! Yes, I'm another person with one of the old original drainboard sinks. I'm happy to add my limited knowledge to the discussion. For the old vintage sinks, some can accommodate a disposal, some cannot -- it depends on the size of the drain hole. Lots only have an 1 1/2" drain, so there's no way to fit a disposal. Ours has a bigger hole (I think ours is 4", I don't remember off hand) so we added a disposal to ours when we did our kitchen. The ability to put a full sized dishwasher underneath probably depends on whether the sink has a front apron or not. The older ones like mine and marylu's wouldn't take a conventional dishwasher because there is not enough height below the apron. The later drainboard sinks from the 40s and 50s do not have a front apron, so you might possibly be able to make a regular dishwasher fit. I think the dishwasher would be wider than the drainboard though, so it might look awkward. My dishwasher is to the right of my sink. If you decide to go the route of an old sink, I'd recommend that you take your time and find one in good enough original condition that you don't need to refinish it. I looked into having mine spruced up and talked to a couple of local re-glazers. They don't really recommend the surface re-glazing for kitchen sinks because of all the abuse they are put through with heavy pots and pans being knocked around...much more abuse than a bathroom sink or tub. There is one company in the midwest (I could track down info in my old project notes if you need me to) that actually sandblasts sinks down to the cast iron and bakes on a new finish. I spent some time talking about the whole process with the owner of the company and he warned me that even that new finish he uses would be thinner and not have the same thick, creamy flow of the old original finishes. My finish isn't perfect, but was passable enough that I kept what I already had. In addition to ebay and craig's list, there are tons of architectural salvage places that deal with vintage plumbing. Here's mine:...See Moresoapstone runners vs recessed drainboard
Comments (4)We use our runnels all the time. We only hand wash pots and pans, so we don't use a dish drainer. We just set the pots and pans upside down directly on the runnels, and they dry beautifully. I believe a drainboard is more useful if you use a dish drainer, but perhaps someone who has one will chime in. Runnels work with a dish drainer, too, but that's just not how we use ours. If you do decide to get one or the other, be sure your fabricator knows what he's doing. I remember someone posting about having runnels that didn't drain properly. It was because they had not been cut at an appropriate slope into the sink. My fabricator (Florida Joshua) had a template he used to make sure my runnels were perfect, and they are....See MoreDrainboard carved into granite/soapstone?
Comments (11)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....See MoreDIY soapstone drainboard, phew!
Comments (17)Thanks for all the great compliments guys! I had a big BBQ last night and a bunch of people stood there just rubbing my counters, it was great! That soapstone dust was a beast, luckily i did most of the cutting outside, i looked like i had been rolled in a bowl of flour when i was done. I've been so happy with the kitchen so far (though it's probably only about 75% done) The one before it was nearly useless, and while nice-enough looking, only had about 3 feet of counter. I've used the same floorspace to quadruple that plus add way more storage, a bigger stove and a bigger sink. elizpiz- the sink was a $400 16ga ebay sink. no name on it whatsoever, but it's been fantastic....See Moregwynnie8
11 years agojscout
11 years agonanjeanne
11 years agoWe just did our kitchen and we have soapstone counters and a soapstone undermount sink.
We like having the runnels. Like jscout, I put washed fruit and vegetables on it if I'm just washing a few carrots or something. We also don't put everything in the dishwasher, s it comes in really handy - when we have a drink and use one of our glasses that we prefer hand washing - we use the runnels to drain. Also, since we don't run our dishwasher every night, when I'm cooking, if I'm using a spatula or small food processor that I might need again, it's easy to wash and put on runnels to drain. Ours work well. Sure some water doesn't run to the sink - but much does. And it's easy to clean. I hate big drainboards that are hard to store. I don't like them sitting out and they are difficult to clean.
Our kitchen has a vintage look to it - so the runnels fit right in. We love them.
oldhousegal
11 years agoI love my runnels! And, if I had to do this again, I would not hesitate to get runnels again with my soapstone.
I have them over the dishwasher, and use them for veggies and fruits to drain, when sprouting grains, and for larger items that don't fit in the dishwasher. I've discovered that I'm more likely to put items away quicker if they are sitting on the runnels. When people see the kitchen, they think it's a cool idea- many have never heard of them, as I hadn't before GW!
I also have a stone sink, although mine has marble sides with a soapstone bottom. It's a custom look, that I love. I recently dropped a glass into the sink, and it broke. That is the first item I've broken anything in this sink. I love everything about the soapstone in my sink, and it was gently sloped to aid in draining. With the total kitchen remodel, my sink and runnels are my favorite things.
nap101