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Positive sink reveal— help!

2 years ago

Hi! We are waiting for our quartz countertops to be installed next week. I asked for a positive reveal for the sink, based on things I’ve read here. The guy who did the template advised against it, saying the caulk (or whatever the stuff is) all the way around would get nasty. I figured since he isn’t the fabricator, he was just mistaken. Now the store wants to double check I really want positive and not flush. I confirmed positive. Now I’m just really nervous it won’t be done correctly if they were so hesitant to do a positive reveal in the first place. My question: what should I look/feel for on install day to be sure it has been done well and won’t be a nasty crud collector?

Featured Answer

PRO

Joseph Corlett, LLC

2 years ago

The positive reveal is always best for an undermount sink. No other makes as nice a fit between the sink flange and the stone bottom. This fit makes catching crud nearly impossible. The exposed caulk joint is the smallest possible and maintainence is nonexistent. I install sinks for a living; my customers get no choice.

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Comments (12)

PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
2 years ago
A positive reveal also makes chipping the bottom edge of the top impossible. Negative and flush do not.
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Honestly, it all boils down to where you prefer to have your "gunk" collect in the sink area. Undermounts are more popular with hard counters (granite), whereas overmounts are more practical for more fragile surfaces that chip easily and surfaces that aren't solid (formica). Because a large percentage of folks are using granite these days, you'll read a lot about undermount sinks on this forum, but it's by no means your only choice. In terms of the reveal itself, I wrote a post in this thread with photos illustrating the relative "gunkiness" of each type of sink mount: Sink Mounts & Gunk
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Is anyone unhappy with their positive sink reveal?
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I haven't used my sink yet (still under construction) but went with a very tiny positive reveal because I have soapstone. Was told by soapstone sales guy that it helps not to bang pots against the counter edge when lifting them up out of the sink (and potentially chipping the edge). I don't know yet if that is true. If you plan to use cutting boards, etc with your sink, a positive reveal provides a lip for them to sit on (but you can just rest them on the counter edge, but water/juices from produce could run onto the counters). A negative reveal reduces the available area of the sink but this could be negligible. A negative reveal allows the fabricator some wiggle room for error--literally! A positive reveal does require some fabricator skill--mine isn't perfect. I did live with a positive reveal on my original sink--for over 15 years. It was fine. I have negative reveals on my bathroom sinks and I don't like how big they are--eat up too much room. If you go with negative, specify that you want them to be as small as possible.
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So...I know there was another thread recently about sink reveals. One of those things that at the end of the day is a personal preference. Our house is 14 years old, and we have a St Cecilia granite with a positive reveal over our stainless sink. It gets cleaned regularly. After becoming a GWaholic over the past 6 months I checked the sink closely. Yep, the silicone has dark gunk. Would never have noticed it (the granite color makes it difficult to see unless you are really looking). We are redoing a kitchen in a second home. It's a more modern design, and I used a Kraus sink that has square corners. I chose to do a negative reveal because I wanted a cleaner look. (This was before I discovered the gunk on my current sink.). So now I guess I'll have to look closer to find the inevitable gunk one day!
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I think this depends on the sink, too. Ours has installation instructions that specify a negative reveal. Out of curiosity, I pulled the specs for the stainless version of the same sink (ours is fireclay, both standard undermount) and in stainless they specify a positive reveal. They're literally the same size sink, though the stainless has accessories that need the lip. Not sure why the fireclay has a negative reveal specified. We have a stainless sink w/ positive reveal now, and it does get gunky, for whatever that's worth. I don't know that it would be much better with zero or negative reveal, though...
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Barrheadlass
2 years ago
I have a negative reveal undermount sink and the ”ledge” is absolutely disgusting.
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
2 years ago
Barrheadlass:

Fortunately, it's not too late to drop the sink and change it.
Barrheadlass
2 years ago
Who would I hire to do that? I would love to!
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
2 years ago
You'd have to hire a stone fabricator. Your biggest problem will be convincing him that he can charge you enough to make it worthwhile. $500.00-$2,000.00.
Barrheadlass
2 years ago
I will look into it. Thanks!
thesimmonsfamily
last year
Did you have to find a certain type of sink in order for them to do a positive reveal?

We are renovating two bathrooms and have asked for a positive reveal on the sinks based on what I’ve read on Houzz. The place we are planning to order countertops from told us today they can’t do a positive reveal with their sinks “because they are not finished on the top”. They told me I could purchase a sink on my own and bring it to them and they would do it then.

I’m not sure what I’m looking for to make sure the sinks are compatible with a positive reveal installation.

Any sink suggestions? It would be for two different bathroom vanities. One is for a 36” wide base cabinet and one is for a 30” base cabinet that has drawers on one side.
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
last year
You need a sink with a finished flange. See if you can see pictures of the sinks online.
thesimmonsfamily
last year
Thank you for responding! (You are the very reason I knew to ask for a positive reveal, so THANK YOU!!)

The first two pictures are the sinks I was told I could choose from. I chose the 1714. The last picture is where I found the sink online. The edges do look unfinished to me, but I’m just learning what I’m looking for.

I’m really not overly particular about the shape or brand of the sink. I just want a good sink and know I want a positive reveal. Can you recommend where a “normal person” like me can purchase/order the type of sink I would need?
HU-364416139
Original Author
last year
I wrote the original post a year or so ago and have been happy with my positive reveal! I actually wish it was a little bigger… the edge is probably barely 1/8” but still better than nothing. Question— the installer put in a super narrow bead of white caulk, and most of it still looks great, but one little portion has turned black— can I just scrape out that bit and recaulk it myself? Anything I need to know?
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
last year
HU:

You can, but I'd recommend dropping your sink, cleaning the sink flange and stone bottom, re-silicon with clear, not white, and strap, not clip or block, the sink in place. The gap is much thinner when the sink is being pulled to the stone bottom with a Sink Strap or two or a Hercules Universal Sink Harness.

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