A sink surely is one of the most important items in any kitchen, even more so in commercial structures as restaurants. This goes both for functionality of the kitchen in general, as well as for the overall appearance. Since there is a myriad of available styles, models, sizes or price ranges choosing a proper one proved to be a difficult task. After all, no one wants to go through repeated installation and all the work and costs it brings due to wrong initial choice. To avoid this, here is what you should pay close attention to when choosing a kitchen sink for your restaurant.
Introductory notes
There are five major types or styles of kitchen sinks that are most frequently used. Each of them will be covered, including their major characteristics and benefits, with certain comparisons being made between different styles. Owing to various designs available, you will surely be able to find the one that suits your preferences.
Single bowl
As the name says these sinks have a single basin. They are available in various sizes and often the only possible choice for small spaces. However, that does not mean they provide less washing space than other types since often a large single basin provides more space than two small ones. This is especially convenient if you often use large pots which do not fit in the aforementioned double basin ones. Lastly, single bowl sinks are often the most affordable of all five types.
Twin bowl
Again, pretty self-explanatory name says that these sinks have two basins. Naturally, they do not have to be identical twins and often vary in size and depth. This provides more flexibility and customization which turns out to be essential for multitasking. For example, one basin may be used for food preparation while the other for washing and rinsing dishes. However, they are often unsuitable for large pots and require double piping which implies a complex installation process and increases costs.
Under mount
This type is mounted under the sink. It has no rim, meaning that the edge of the counter goes directly into the sink. This makes the cleaning easier, plus they are not prone to unwanted food and debris accumulation. However, they require a support system, especially the heavier cast iron models which may cause problems later on. Also, they do not have faucet or attachments holes so they have to be cut into countertops.
Top mount
This type of sink is designed to be put in the hole of your countertop. This makes the installation rather easy and favored by DIY enthusiasts. However, they are often hard to clean, especially the area between the countertop and the outer rim of the top mount sink called “the lip”. If you cannot decide between top and under mount ones, says a highly-rated plumber from Sydney, you could consider one of those universal sinks, suitable for both under mount and top mount installation.
Apron
This style is favored among fans of traditional design and good old times. They are also called farmhouse sinks since they are designed for washing large quantities of dishes and preparing large meals, just as it is the case with large farmhouse families. Both single and double basin ones are usually more expensive than other types of sinks and since they do not have an outer countertop edge, thus called apron, they require the countertop to be custom designed to accommodate them.
As you can see, all five types have pluses and minuses. Study all of them carefully, balance all pros and cons and only then make your final choice as you surely want your restaurant kitchen to be both functional and visually appealing.