However, there are some key differences between the two types of sinks. Apron sinks are generally smaller than farmhouse sinks. They are available in various materials, including stainless steel, copper, and porcelain. Apron sinks are available in different styles, including single-bowl and double-bowl options.
Apron sinks are deep cut, like farmhouse sinks. The only difference is, an apron sink's front is exposed. That's why they're also called "apron front" sinks. Modern kitchens use apron sinks as highlight pieces, and for good reason.
One of the drawbacks of choosing a farmhouse sink is the installation process. Depending on how your kitchen is set up, you may have to alter the size and design of your countertops before the farmhouse sink installation. Farmhouse sinks are much deeper and wider than classic kitchen sinks.
In short, apron sinks and farmhouse sinks both describe a large, deep kitchen sink style prevalent in many modern kitchens. The sinks are similar for the most part though they have a few slight differences. A farmhouse sink may be an apron sink, but an apron sink doesn't necessarily have to be a farmhouse sink.
Easily Wash Large Pots and Pans
Sometimes you find yourself with large sheet pans, stock pots and multiple pots and pans that need to soak and be scrubbed. Having two smaller basins makes this task a bit tricky as you have to tip and rotate them. A single large basin sink makes this task so much easier!
Kitchen Design
Rectangular sinks with sharper edges contribute to a minimalist or modern kitchen design. Rounded edges are better for traditional kitchens. If your kitchen has a trendy style, opt for D-shaped sinks, which offer more space than similarly sized rectangular sinks.
Yes, absolutely. A garbage disposal can be installed to any farmhouse sink be it a single bowl or a double bowl. In most cases, you can use the stainless steel drain attachments that come with the garbage disposal unit.
Step 6: Add Support to Cabinets
Because farmhouse sinks are pretty heavy, you'll need to add support to the inside of the cabinet to be able to hold the weight. You can do this by adding two two-by-four pieces of wood to the sides horizontally.
To make space for the extra-large sink, you'll need an 'apron-skirt' cabinet design. A farmhouse sink can't fit into the usual drop-in sink space and extends over the top quarter of the lower cabinet. This requires a full re-design of the cabinet and countertop where your farmhouse sink is installed.
With an apron sink, there is no front counter to lean over. Instead, you can stand directly in front of the sink, and work without bending over. In fact, this design originally arose to meet the needs of farm women, who clocked long hours in the kitchen tending to their family's cooking and laundering needs.
2. Farmhouse sinks (+26 percent) Porcelain, apron-front sinks are a splurge kitchen choice for sure—but apparently they pay you back big-time in the long run.
A porcelain farmhouse sink is a highly coveted kitchen feature—and for good reason. Farmhouse sinks are beautiful, spacious, and timeless, plus they add a distinctive look to any kitchen they're placed in.
Fireclay Sinks
These sinks are extremely popular these days and understandably so. Fireclay is made when clay and glaze are fused together at extremely high temperatures. This creates a highly durable material that is hard and resistant to chips and cracks.
A good place to start when looking for the right size is with the most popular sizes for farmhouse sinks, small, medium, and large. Or the most common, either a 30″ or 33″ single bowl.
Kohler makes farmhouse sinks with smaller aprons to keep the same aesthetic in a more manageable size for some cabinets. In most new homes the kitchen sink is approximately 30 inches in length, which is a standard size for a farmhouse sink. The other standard sizes are 24, 33, and 36 inches.
“Apron sink,” “farm sink,” “apron-front sink,” and “farmhouse sink” are all appropriate designations.
A typical 33 x 22-inch sink will fill a 36-inch base cabinet. If you're replacing a sink, make sure it fits the existing cutout. If the cabinet allows, you may be able to install a larger sink by expanding the cutout. A farmhouse sink may require a special cabinet size.
Unlike regular “drop-in” sinks, which are lowered into a countertop cavity, farmhouse sinks are installed beneath the counter and rest on top of a base cabinet. They, therefore, require a special cabinet configuration, but it's entirely possible to convert an existing drop-in setup to accommodate a farmhouse sink.
Your existing cabinets should be strong enough that they can easily bear the weight and size and can comfortably accommodate the new sink. However, if you follow the right steps and instructions, you can easily install a farmhouse sink in your existing cabinets without even some professional assistance.
The primary benefit of a grid for new farmhouse sinks is to protect the brand new finish. Fresh copper and even hardened fireclay scratch more easily than you might realize. The metal bottom of pots, the metal tines of forks, and even the scrape of ceramic plate edges might cause a small flaw in the finish.
The most common countertop overhang is 1.5″. We wanted our sink to go about 1/2″ past the countertop, so we positioned our sink so that it would go 2″ past the cabinet face frame/front of the cabinet.
Placing hot pots or pans directly into the sink could cause damage to the sink. and nicks in the sink from daily use. Avoid pouring boiling water into sink. Run cold water if hot liquids are poured into sink.
Stack the plates on one side, pans on the other and keep the glasses away from them so that they do not break. You are unlikely to find a farmhouse sink that comes with a drying space because farmhouse sinks are single bowl units. So you can either set your utensils on a dry counter, or use a dish rack instead.
Many farmhouse kitchen sinks are a yard wide, and some are as wide as two normal sinks. While all of this space allows versatility in functionality, it promotes more water wastage, especially if you fill up the sink to anywhere near capacity.