Are Farmhouse Sinks Worth It?

The sink is the most used area of the kitchen. Therefore, you should have a reliable and long-lasting design for the sink. Everyone tries their best to get one of the popular choices while furnishing their kitchen, and there are different sink types you can get, including a single bowl, top-mounted, apron type, or double bowl. A farmhouse sink is one of the latest trends in kitchen designing. 

What is a farmhouse sink?

Unlike the traditional kitchen sinks, a farmhouse sink is larger and has a single deeper basin. Most sinks have two sections, but a farmhouse sink doesn’t follow that trend. This huge-size basin has become a top choice as you can wash the items by moving closer to the sink.

Older farmhouse sinks were made from cast iron or clay, but these modern days, they are available in porcelain and stainless-steel variants too.

Durability

Farmhouse sinks that are made of fire clay or stainless steel have a smooth surface and are non-porous. They are resistant to heat, wear, and tear. They do not splinter or crack over time. Fireclay sinks are an excellent choice owing to their seamless surface and durability. However, a large sink basin requires proper handling. If you mistakenly drop some dishes into a farmhouse sink, they might break easily. But of course, a little caution fixes this issue.

Ease of installation

Installing a farmhouse sink is somewhat complicated. You need to adjust the countertops to accommodate your farmhouse sink in between them. Due to their big sizes, you might have to cut your counters to position the larger and deeper basin. 

Under ideal conditions, you should install your farmhouse sink before designing the counters, if not along with them. Farmhouse sinks come with a lot of weight and need support from either below or from behind. If you left them as they are, then they might move from their place because of the weight. In any case, you should be ready to do some touch-ups to the previous configuration if you decide to go with a farmhouse sink later. 

The practicality

While you do want to make your kitchen look beautiful and in synchronization, you also have to make sure that you do not compromise the practicality and functionality of the kitchen. A farmhouse sink may be large and hard to accommodate, but it serves some great functionality as you can easily wash larger kitchen utensils in there. 

These farmhouse sinks provide a great place to soak the dishes, and it is much easier to fill a larger pot with water if you do not have a separate filler. The large basin of a farmhouse sink can make the process of food preparation as easy as a breeze.

Designs and styles

Farmhouse sinks come in several finishes and materials. Although, most people prefer the sleet aesthetic of these farmhouse sinks. Depending upon the place of accommodation, you can make a farmhouse sink the main focal point of your kitchen. 

There are a lot of designs available for these sinks ranging from hammered metal sinks to smooth white ones. However, fireclay sinks are quite famous because of their durability and ease of use. They are resistant to environmental changes as well. If you’re thinking of installing a fireclay sink in your kitchen, we recommend that you read this extensive review of the Fireclay Farmhouse sink so you’ll be able to determine if it’s the right fit.

The ergonomics

Like most, you might know that farmhouse sinks do not have a countertop portion upon which you can bend over. The other kitchen sinks usually have a countertop, and people tend to lay down their arms on these countertops and develop a bad posture. This can be avoided by using a farmhouse sink.

However, due to their larger sizes and deeper basins, you can break the dishes, and glasses tend to chip if you are not careful enough. But this can be prevented by just being mindful when you are washing the ceramics.

How much do they cost?

All these advantages of a farmhouse sink hardly account for the retail prices of they come in. They usually cost as much as double the amount of regular kitchen sinks. Still, they can go for as low as $300 to upwards of $2000. In the end, it all comes to your taste and your budget for remodeling your kitchen. 

The capacity of the sink area

As explained earlier, farmhouse sinks are quite large and deep which means that the counters under them have to be small. If you are designing a small and compact kitchen, less storage space might not be for you. If not, then the pros of farmhouse sinks really outweigh the cons.

Maintenance

The farmhouse sinks do not need any maintenance for themselves, but they do not have any countertops. This means that water could easily overflow from the external edge and can damage the counters down below. So, you might need to dry up the external edge repeatedly to avoid such situations.

Easy cleaning

The farmhouse sinks are easy to clean as they only have one large basin and can be easily wiped by using a wet washcloth, use a cleaning solution at your discretion after a little rubbing take a dry washcloth and dry your sink to avoid water spots.

Better investment

Farmhouse sinks may seem expansive as compared to common kitchen sinks but rest assured, they always prove to be a better investment in the long run. They are extremely durable and less prone to wear. They maintain their quality over time, and you get your payments worth out of them.

A kitchen needs to be a place of comfort, and seeing a clean, shiny sink can do the trick. The selection of a kitchen sink is not an easy task, especially if you have to match it with the kitchen design. If you are looking for a sink that will be with you through thick and thin, you are right to choose a farmhouse sink.