skip to main content

Prep sink: how far back from countertop edge?

15 years ago

I am putting in two undermount fireclay sinks. There is a big double main sink which fills nearly the full counter top space. It will be mounted about two or three inches back from the countertop edge. Then, three feet away, but on a different wall, there is a small prep sink. The prep sink will look a little crowded, since it will have a hot/cold filtered faucet, a soap dispenser, a regular faucet, and maybe a garbage disposal air switch all behind it. The little sink measures 15" by 15" inside.

My question is: how far back from the countertop should the prep sink be? If I match it to the other sink, there will be a huge space behind that might look strange. Should I put it one or two inches farther back? I also don't want to have to lean uncomfortably forward to use it. Any advice? I need to set the sink tomorrow morning.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

igloochic
15 years ago
Mine is the same as the main sink. I think (IMO) they look funny when placed further back...but maybe thats just me.

To avoid a bunch of stuff behind the prep sink (personally I think more than two items is too much on a small sink, but again...that's me) I used a batch feed disposal, which means that to operate it you stick the sink plug (made for it) into the drain and push down a bit, which activates the disposal. This saves you from having a switch to deal with, and saves another "thing" by the sink.
astridh
Original Author
15 years ago
I agree that it would look better to have less stuff behind a small sink, but I am willing to sacrifice that for function. It makes more sense to have the instant hot/filtered water where the prep takes place. We do plan to have a batch feed disposal on the big sink, but I am not sure that we will have enough space UNDER the prep sink to have a disposal there. The cabinet measures only 19" wide and we also need to fit the instant hot and RO filter units in there. In our area there is a code requirement of not more than one garbage disposal per kitchen. Don't ask me to explain the logic of this! We may try to sneak a second disposal in later, but the batch feed disposals are bigger than the non-batch feeds, unfortunately.
Related Discussions
prep sink placement in island - how far from edge?
Q
Comments (13)
Mrs. Smith, Thank you. This stone was just right for our tastes - simple lines enhanced by the patterns in natural materials. It is Azul do Mar, an accurate name because it looks very similar to a photo we took of the ocean off Point Lobos. Blues and greens mixed with the white of the wave tops and some little reddish brown spots like the bits of seaweed or an otter popping its head up. It is a quartzite and very similar in properties to Azul Macaubas. Both come from Brazil. Azul Macaubas usually has more white with streaks of aqua blue - more like the sky than the ocean. They are often sold as "granite" as are any other hard stones. It is very very hard - harder than granite because it is composed mainly of quartz, but the impurities give it its color. It is very low porosity - our fabricator insisted on sealing it because he seals everything, but in the tests we did on our sample before sealing, nothing stained it. We have been using it for 5 years and have not resealed. Our fabricator said it took longer on his machines because it is so hard. Nothing short of a diamond is going to scratch it. I've never had anything that is as easy to clean. A wipe with a damp towel usually does the job even if my family has allowed a spot of wine or tomato sauce to dry on. The downsides: Like most blue stones, it is more expensive - we paid about $54 a square foot for the slabs. It isn't very common - only two yards around us had it. Supposedly, it usually comes in smaller slabs but either that isn't accurate or we were extremely lucky. The first slabs we saw were 67 by 54 inches, then at Bedrosians we found ones large enough to do our island with one slab but our L would have needed 2 seams. Bedrosians checked their other stores and found 124 x 64 inch slabs which allowed us to do our L with one seam.
...See More
How far should island be from counters?
Q
Comments (7)
48" is plenty, but it depends on how much space you have on the other side of the island. In our case, the kitchen is open into the rest of the great room, so we decided to push the island out to 60" (5 feet.) This allows the 2 of us to easily cook or work in the kitchen without bumping into each other. You will need to take into account the placement of your primary work areas, as well as your cooking style/work pattern. How often do you go back and forth from the main sink? Is the island used for prep/cooking, or do you do most of that in the wall units? In our case, we use the island about 75% of the time for prep. I even put a baking center at one end, with everything from flour to mixing bowls and utensils in drawers so you don't have to walk all over the place. One thing which helped was to mock out the distance on the floor with masking tape so I could see and feel how it felt. I'm pretty tall with long legs so I appreciate the extra distance, you may not.
...See More
How should farmhouse sink meet mitered edge countertop?
Q
Comments (22)
Thanks Joseph! I see now. If they miter around the sink cut out, and drop the sink lower, it should look like it does in your picture...which looks really good. Should I ask them to keep the mitered drop to 1 inch on my 2cm quartzite, so it wont look a little too high? Does this look like 1.5" in the picture? Thanks so much for your time and help.
...See More
prep sink on counter vs island
Q
Comments (8)
I have 2 sinks back to back in my island , my husband does the prep and I do the cooking our fridge is on one side of the island and the range on the other this is what works for us. Design your kitchen for how you work. But you need to share that with your designer, how it looks is really not the 1 st item .BTW cleaning stainless is just the same as cleaning cabinets the only difference is the stainless tells you when you need to clean it., use a micro fiber cloth, hot water and wipe only in the direction of the grain, easy peasey . I even have some stainless cabinets in my kitchen it takes 5 minutes to all the stainless .I never put a sink directly opposite a cooking surface.
...See More
sombreuil_mongrel
15 years ago
I think we may have similar prep sinks. Mine is about 14" square inside, and 9.5" deep. Anyways, I put mine 3.5" from the edge of the countertop. Wouldn't have minded if it were closer, but I had cabinet trim details to fit in. 3.5" was adequate for strength in the stone c-top. It left enough room behind for the faucet. This particular sink has a lip that's a good 2", unless you notch it (and you're braver than me if you should do) you cannot get a faucet any closer than I did.

Casey
astridh
Original Author
15 years ago
Casey, is the 3 1/2" comfortable to work at, or would you have preferred a bit closer if you had been able to work it out? My countertop is about 25" deep because of wonky walls, so I'll have more space behind the faucets than you do.

Related Stories

KITCHEN DESIGN Standouts From the 2014 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show

By Ventana Construction LLC

Check out the latest and greatest in sinks, ovens, countertop materials and more

DECORATING GUIDES Pop Culture Watch: 12 Home Trends from the '80s Are Back

By Becky Harris

Hold on to your hat (over your humongous hair); interior design elements of the 1980s have shot forward to today, in updated fashion

KITCHEN DESIGN How to Choose the Right Depth for Your Kitchen Sink

By Jennifer Ott Design

Avoid an achy back, a sore neck and messy countertops with a sink depth that works for you

CONTRACTOR TIPS Contractor Tips: Countertop Installation from Start to Finish

By Buckminster Green LLC

From counter templates to ongoing care, a professional contractor shares what you need to know

KITCHEN DESIGN Butcher Block Makes the Cut for Holiday Kitchen Prep

Countertops and cutting boards will likely take a beating over the holidays. These butcher blocks have the chops to perform under pressure

KITCHEN DESIGN Kitchen Counters: Try an Integrated Cutting Board for Easy Food Prep

By Christine Tusher

Keep knife marks in their place and make dicing and slicing more convenient with an integrated butcher block or cutting board

BATHROOM DESIGN Out With the Old Tile: 8 Steps to Prep for Demolition

By By Any Design Ltd.

This isn't a light DIY project: You'll need heavy-duty tools and plenty of protection for your home and yourself

SELLING YOUR HOUSE Kitchen Ideas: 8 Ways to Prep for Resale

Some key updates to your kitchen will help you sell your house. Here’s what you need to know

MONTHLY HOME CHECKLISTS Your Checklist for Quick Houseguest Prep

By Laura Gaskill

Follow these steps to get your home ready in a hurry for overnight visitors

KITCHEN DESIGN Double Islands Put Pep in Kitchen Prep

By Lisa Frederick

With all that extra space for slicing and dicing, dual islands make even unsavory kitchen tasks palatable

Sponsored

Dream Baths by Kitchen Kraft

12 Reviews

Your Custom Bath Designers & Remodelers in Columbus I 10X Best Houzz

More Discussions

kitchen design feedback

6

Does anyone have Medallion cabinets in Maple Biscotti?

7

Silver colored drawer pulls and faucet

1

Need help with kitchen remodel

1

Two tier drawer in 3 stack

11