Choosing the Right Size Sink for Your Cabinet

Choosing the Right Size Sink for Your Cabinet

The standard size sink base is 33 inches. In order for your sink to be installed you will need to have enough room for clips to be installed to hold the sink to the countertop. Although installation conditions vary from sink to sink, in general you will need to have about 1/2 inch to an inch room on the sides of the sink in order to install it correctly.

Undermount stainless steel sinks will be installed under the counter and sealed to the countertop with silicone sealant, then supported with clips to the underside of the countertop. These clips will need a small amount of space to be installed. For example, a standard sink base which is 33 inches wide can fit a 32 1/2" sink or smaller. Make sure that when you look at dimensions of a sink, you verify the overall dimensions; in other words, the dimensions from one edge of the sink rim to the other, and not just the dimension of the bowls. If you have a 33 inch sink base cabinet, anything larger than 32 1/2 inch sink will not fit without some kind of custom cabinet.

Topmount sinks will have a rim that sits on top of the countertop, which is then sealed to the counter with caulk or silicone. These sinks will have ridges underneath that then clips will be installed into to secure the sink in place. The same rules will apply to topmount sinks as undermount; you will need to have at least 1/2 inch room difference between the size of your cabinet and the overall dimensions of your sink.