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Design Dilemma Building a Home Kitchens

Help! fireclay or cast iron!

22 days ago

I love the look of a farmhouse sink but there are so many conflicting reviews! Any recommendations????? We are building our dream home and I don’t want to screw this up!

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PRO

Debbi Washburn

22 days ago

Some of the farmhouse sinks can be a nightmare to install ( fireclay ) because the dimensions can be off and the slight curves of the sink make a nice challenge for the installer to cut the sink cabinet. The Kohler whitehaven is easy! That is the way I would go.

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Comments (11)

PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
22 days ago
I'm not a fireclay fan. If you chip it, you're dead. You can't go wrong with a Kohler Whitehaven or an Elkay Quartz Luxe.
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
22 days ago
last modified: 22 days ago
IMO either one cannot stand up to a chip . These went out of favor fro areason why go back to the stuff that did not function the first time around . We had an enammelled cast iron sink in our cabin the thing looked like crap after my Mom dropper a hot fry pan and chopped it I still think stainless is the forever choice for sinks and farmhouse style is a personal choice ( I hate them) but in a forever home get a forever sink .
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Hi About, I have the Herbeau fireclay apron front sink. Most apron front sinks are fireclay. Kohler makes an enameled cast iron apron front, and there's one at Ikea, too. Fireclay sinks are beautiful, but they're much more fragile than cast iron, which is practically bulletproof. As far as the garbage disposal, you'll need to make sure you get the right flange (sometimes a fireclay sink requires an extra-deep flange). This is because the fireclay sinks can be thicker than other sinks. Importantly, when the plumber tightens the flange, he needs to be careful not to tighten it too much, or the fireclay sink could crack. You might ask the plumber to do some extra sealing with some silicone, since the flange will not be super tight. Fireclay sinks are typically a little irregular, so installation can be a challenge. Breakage during install is also a risk. They're also prone to crazing from thermal shock (it can happen if you dump boiling water in the sink). Also, heavy pots and pans can make scuff marks that can be hard to remove, although I've found that a pumice stone works. All in all, I'd get cast iron if I had it to do over again. My fireclay sink has had no problems, but I don't like having to bw so careful all of the time.
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I have the Rohl Allia you posted above. Before that, I had a Rohl Allia double bowl in my previous home. I have had the current sink for over 6years. No crazing at all. There is one chip from dropping a drill in it but you can barely see the chip and it has never bothered me. I have a sink grid that I purchased about three years ago. I can do with or without a grid. I love the location of the drain in this sink and agree with others that a drain in the center is not always preferred. I also have a Waterstone faucet. I posted in the thread linked about. Although the faucet is made in the US, it is made of parts from all over the world. I had a Grohe Ladylux before and loved it. I also like my Waterstone faucet but would not pay more than the Grohe for it. Good luck!
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porkchop_mxk3 z5b_MI
22 days ago
I have a Whitehaus fireclay apron-front and love it. Get the stainless grid on the bottom if you get a fireclay to protect the bottom of the sink from scratches.
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dan1888
22 days ago
Get two grids, switch when dirty and wash them in your dishwasher.
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
22 days ago
"Some of the farmhouse sinks can be a nightmare to install ( fireclay ) because the dimensions can be off and the slight curves of the sink make a nice challenge for the installer to cut the sink cabinet. The Kohler whitehaven is easy! That is the way I would go."

That's because of the nature of their installation. Some fireclay sinks must be precisely scribed and delicately caulked to look good. That takes a skilled carpenter. The Whitehavens are self-facing, meaning the apron covers the cutout. Any apprentice can hack out the cut and it will be covered; no caulk necessary.
martinca_gw sunset zone 24
20 days ago
We have a Kalista farmhouse . It’s about ten years old. I selected fireclay because I mistakenly assumed they were impervious to chips. Mine does have one or two very small chips and never seems to look sparkling clean. I didnt want the look of stainless and feared it might be noisy. Im unsure what sink material I’d choose today. The installment seemed to go smoothly.
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PRO
The Kitchen Place
18 days ago
another vote for Kohler Whitehaven.
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PRO
Minardi
18 days ago
None of the above. No farmhouse sink.
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Kyla McSweeney
13 days ago
we have this one and love it. https://www.build.com/product/summary/1662721?uid=4211123&jmtest=gg-gbav2_3930289&inv2=1&source=gg-gba-pla_3930289%21c1707673110%21a69500367354%21dc%21ng&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwzrzABhD8ARIsANlSWNN7-G_lm6UJLmpxnpzcQcEW4npwcm-8vXAzy4t93pdfzYDTQKAL244aAs5wEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
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PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
13 days ago
"None of the above. No farmhouse sink."

Yes, because a style that's been around for several hundred years is suddenly out of fashion. Right.
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