UNDERMOUNT VS. OVERMOUNT: A COMPREHENSIVE COMPARISON OF KITCHEN SINKS
If you are looking to rebuild your kitchen countertop, you will have to make a decision that what sink type you will use. You can either go for undermount kitchen sink or can choose an overmount fit. Each of these two fittings is installed in a different manner and both of them have their own merits and demerits.
In this post, we have enlisted all their advantages and disadvantages and we will provide you with details that which one of these types you should consider for your kitchen. There are different types available on the market but two most common of them are undermount and overmount one.
First, let’s have a look at the overmount design!
OVERMOUNT KITCHEN SINK
The overmount type is the conventional model and it has edges that are present right on the countertop. Therefore, its weight is totally supported by that countertop as well. This is the common type of a kitchen sink that is regularly found around a number of houses.
There are some positives and negatives associated with this traditional model as well. We have highlighted each one of them as follows
Merits
If we talk about the size then an overmount design is not limited by any means but the limitation comes due to the wall of the cabinet in which it gets installed. If there is a case that your countertop is made of soft materials which might include marble then this type of sink will help a lot in protecting the edges. Another one of the advantages of the overmount model is that it is a cheaper and a far easier option to install as compared to the other type of kitchen sink.
Cleaning is among the advantages because all areas of the sink are clearly visible and you can access them easily too. You can easily do the cleaning on your own and prevent any development of gunk in these small areas. Furthermore, the overmount or drop-in designs are very easy to install as well. They are so easy that the homeowner can easily give it a try and complete the entire installation process after some time without any issues. If the cut-out is already present within your counter, then you can complete the entire installation process within an hour.
Apart from that another merit of this drop-in or overmount sink is that you don’t have to break the balance to get them installed in your kitchen. The installation and labor costs are not much either. So overall it turns out to be a high value-based decision.
Apart from that, the overmount sinks provide you with a number of options when it comes to the parts and other countertops materials excluding the laminate. But the lamination isn’t the issue here. If there are no fasteners to hold it in place then the MDF is not going to hold it for too long.
DEMERITS
Despite all the benefits, the overmount fitting also has its demerits. These models can be used with a variety of high-end materials like marble and granite. These materials cover the edge of the sink. With the overmount design there are a good number of chances that food pieces can get swept and stuck within the edges. Due to the stuck food materials, there are chances that these edges will grow mildew as well as bacteria. These entities can be very unhealthy for you as well as your family.
UNDERMOUNT KITCHEN SINK
The undermount models are new models as compared to the other one and this is the increasingly becoming more popular with the passage of time. More and more people are turning towards undermounts with natural stones. Instead of being positioned right on the top of the counter this basin is placed right under the counter. A powerful adhesive is required to keep it in position firmly.
MERITS
One of the most useful benefits of an undermount kitchen sink is that it keeps the natural beauty of the counter intact from the edges. This elegant design looks very graceful and modern. Another advantage of this design is that cleaning becomes very easy as there are no edges where the food particles can get stuck. You can easily sweep the spills right into the sink without any obstructions like the sink’s edges.
The good thing is that you also get a lot of space on your counter to perform a variety of tasks. And this sink provides you with a broad space to work with. Due to their high price, the undermounts also offer a tremendous resale value as well. The resale value of your property is not going to rise but the major changes that you have to add to the kitchen are going to add to that value.
DEMERITS
Undermounts require plenty of care from time and time again particularly in the initial; stage of installation. As the undermount kitchen sink doesn’t have any edges, you must stay actively cautious at all time not to fill your sink to the full. If you do this, water will spill out on the countertop. This can cause a few problems with the adhesives because in most cases they are not waterproof. If this adhesive gets in contact with water, it will loosen up and ultimately your sink will fall apart.
Due to the reason that how these sinks are kept in place. They need to be installed to take care of any future issues. Therefore, you will need to do a lot of work getting done during the installation process. For this reason, you will need to hire a highly skilled and trained professional. Such an individual will be able to understand how these types of sinks work and what are their purposes.
The installation of these undermounts is slightly expensive. In addition to that, the cleaning is not that easy either. The reason behind that is not all the areas of working are visible to the users. Hence, they are not easily accessible either. As different areas are not clearly visible you will find cleaning very difficult.
SO WHICH ONE OF THEM IS THE BEST?
The winner out of the comparison of the undermount kitchen sink or the overmount design is the one that can meet all your needs. It is more of a personal decision than anything else. If you think your kitchen is perfect with an overmount kitchen then you can go for this type. On the other hand, if you want to choose an undermount option, then go with this model.
Both of them are very practical in terms of use and they both have their own positives and negatives. If you want to go for the aesthetics then undermount is your option. You should also prefer this if you like the more modern-styled kitchen. However, if you prefer the traditional look over the aesthetics then you should consider the overmount sink.
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