Ceramic sinks for the kitchen: what are and how to choose them?

Each room in an apartment or house has areas that are used most often. In the kitchen, such a place is the stove, work area and sink. It is the presence of a quality sink that makes it convenient to use the room, spending a minimum of time washing dishes and caring for the product itself. In view of the variety of materials from which washing can be made, it is worth paying attention to one of the most solid and beautiful - ceramic products.

Each product that is designed to serve a person has its positive and negative sides, which determines the choice of the desired option. The fewer minuses, the greater will be the credibility of any product. A ceramic sink for the kitchen also has a number of factors that you need to pay close attention to before buying this product. It should be noted several advantages.

• Health safety human, due to the manufacture of environmentally friendly raw materials. When installing such a sink, you can use any chemical and detergents that do not change the characteristics of the product. The ingress of hot water and boiling water also does not have a negative effect. Ceramics has no smell, which means it will not cause discomfort even to the most demanding owner.
• Easy care at the sink. Modern products have a grease and dirt-repellent layer, which simplifies cleaning the sink several times. There is no need to buy a strong means, for cleaning there will be enough soap or detergent for dishes.
• Duration of use. A ceramic sink does not change its appearance and, with proper care, looks beautiful and stylish for many years.
• Such sinks have a variety of colors. They can be made in different shapes and designs, which allows you to fit the sink into any interior.
• Ease of use and comfort. When water gets on the surface of the sink there is no noise, so nothing will interfere with night sleep or daytime rest, even if the kitchen is located behind the wall.

Undoubtedly, ceramic sinks have a lot of advantages, so you should think about buying just such a product, but you should immediately learn about the disadvantages of such sinks. The minuses include the following:

• the cost of such kitchen utensils will be significantly higher than any alternative options;
• the weight of a ceramic sink is several times more than a metal sink, which is not always good;
• a ceramic kitchen sink can break if you strike it hard and hard, for example, with a frying pan.

The presence of a sink in the kitchen is an invariable component, but the choice of a specific option remains only with the owner of the room. Due to the popularity of beautiful and safe products, ceramic sinks have long gained popularity and confidently hold it. To choose such a sink, you need to understand their species diversity. The main difference is the material used for the production. Let us consider in more detail the most popular solutions.

• Faience - refers not to the highest quality and most reliable product due to the large percentage of clay that is contained in the material. The combination of white rocks of clay, sand and chalk gives a porous structure, which is necessarily covered with glaze.

• China - the most acceptable and durable washing option, which is obtained by combining kaolin clay, quartz, twine, sand and so on. The resulting products are characterized by increased strength, absolute surface smoothness and a glassy structure. The porosity of porcelain is very low, so the quality of the shells from this material is very high.

• Porcelain Tiles - A popular material for ceramic sinks. You can use natural or composite options. Granite chips are added to the ceramic mass, which makes it possible to several times improve the characteristics of the finished product. Externally, porcelain stoneware sinks look like stone, and for greater aesthetics, they can be opened with enamel with any shade. This washing option is considered the most robust and practical.

• There is another material from which ceramic sinks are created - this majolica. These samples are single and are made to order. The material has high water absorption, but at the same time a smooth and even surface. To decorate the kitchen, such bowls are often painted with colored glaze.

Ceramic sink can be not only from different materials, but also have such specific differences as:

• product form;
• color variety;
• installation type: laid on, mortise or integrated.

If shape and color are important, but not essential factors, the type of installation plays a fundamental role in choosing a sink. Consider the main types in more detail.

• Overhead sink It is installed on specially selected kitchen furniture, the niche in which must coincide with the dimensions of the sink.Installing such a product is not difficult, but it is better to work in pairs so as not to damage the sink during installation.

• Mortise sinks They look more aesthetically pleasing and beautiful, as they are a continuation of the countertops. To install such a sink, it is necessary to cut a hole that closely follows the contour of the new element. With the help of a jigsaw you can cope with the preparation of the place, after which you can not do without leveling the surface and treating the edges with a sealant that will prevent water from getting under the sink and ruining the countertop.

• Integrated sink differs in that the sink has no sides that would hold it on the surface, which means that the sink falls below the level of the countertop, creating a single whole with it.

Each kitchen has its own footage and furniture, selected according to specific wishes and conditions, therefore, the sink should organically fit into this ensemble. To choose the most suitable sink, it is worth deciding on its shape and size. Form can be influenced by factors such as:

• the size of the kitchen - if the room is very small, you can unload it with a corner sink consisting of one or two bowls; the front sink will be preferable in a spacious room;
• furniture set - for products with a long countertop having a hole for the sink, it is worth buying a mortise model; in the case of a specialized washbasin, an overhead sink is the best option;
• features of the arrangement of furniture - the presence of hanging cabinets regulates the size of the sink; the dimensions of the sink should not exceed the hinged structure;
• the presence of a dishwasher - if there is such an assistant, then you can get by with a small sink or sink with two small bowls; in the absence of a dishwasher, the best solution would be to install a deep and volumetric sink in the kitchen.

An important solution is the selection of the sink in shape due to the wide variety of modern products. The most popular and convenient now are the following:

• square - have the largest dimensions and allow you to fully load the bowl during use; for ease of care, the internal corners are usually rounded;
• rectangular - The best option for washing in the kitchen, where a narrow countertop is installed;
• round - An original and non-standard solution in interior design, but in practice less convenient than any other option; the capacity of such products will be an order of magnitude smaller;
• angular - A good option for a small kitchen, where you can achieve the expansion of space by creating an additional working area in the corner; the shape of the sink is usually trapezoidal or similar to a segment, there may be one or two bowls;
• non-standard - custom made sinks, which should emphasize the interior design, becoming a real highlight; in this case, it is important to combine creativity and functionality in equal proportions, since the second quality is dominant.

The sizes of ceramic sinks can also be completely different. They depend on both the form and the manufacturer. The Longran Bradford company produces sinks with a body dimension of 23x47 cm, while the bowl itself has dimensions of 16.5x40.5 cm and a depth of 11 cm. Florentina produces products with dimensions of 61x51x20 cm. The Russian production of Lava produces sinks with dimensions of 65x50 cm and a bowl depth of 20 cm The Granula brand produces sinks with large and small bowls, as well as with the left-side wing, whose dimensions are 90x50x18 cm.

To make the appearance of the kitchen look more original, in addition to the standard color of the sink, other colors are used. The familiar white shell has been consumed by everyone for a long time, many deliberately choose any other color.The selection of colors can be dictated by the desire to hide this element in the kitchen, picking it up in the same color scheme as the countertop or kitchen unit. In some cases, there is a desire to highlight the sink, for which non-standard shades are selected. The most popular are the following colors:

• black
• beige;
• red;
• plum;
• green.

Especially original look sinks with paintings or with ornaments, which are carefully selected for the general style of the room, while reflecting the inner world of the owners. The use of white sinks will be appropriate in a classic interior. In addition, retro, country and high-tech will look more colorful with a white sink. If the kitchen is made in an avant-garde style, then it is worth buying a streamlined sink. For the original design of a room with ethnic motifs, the best choice would be precisely products with paintings and ornaments.

To purchase a sink was correct, you must be guided by the following rules:

• it is important to determine for yourself the shape and size of the future product, based on the dimensions of the kitchen and furniture;
• the color scheme should either match the design of the kitchen, or stand out against its background;
• you must choose the type of sink: invoice or mortise, depending on the furniture in the room;
• Having estimated the number of household and dishes, it is worth choosing a product with one or two bowls;
• in the case of a minimum amount of free space in the kitchen, it is better to pay attention to the corner sinks.

Once the basic parameters are determined, it is important to make a purchase that will last a long time and give comfort from use. To purchase a quality sink in a store, you need to ask for quality certificates for products, which will give a certain confidence and guarantee of the manufacturer.

To check the quality personally, it will be enough to knock on the sink with an ordinary pencil. If the sound is dull, it means that the product is of poor quality and has a large number of voids, which will lead to the accumulation of moisture and the destruction of the sink. If the sound is clear, then the sink is of high quality. The economy version will be less quality, but more affordable, and luxury - expensive, but with high performance.

When choosing a sink, it is also necessary to take into account the hinged furniture, which will regulate the height of the mixer, the higher it is, the more inconvenience it will create. The presence of adjacent elements can also interfere with the comfortable use of a sink with a high faucet.

The ceramic sink has a smooth and even surface, and many products are additionally protected with a layer against dirt and grease, so care for them will not be difficult. After each use, rinse the sink and wipe it with a washcloth. If a sink is not kept clean for a long time, dirt will begin to accumulate on it, which will be more difficult to handle. The most effective methods for controlling pollution in a ceramic sink are as follows:

• the use of a liquid or creamy detergent, which moistens the stained area, and then is effectively removed with a washcloth;
• if limescale has appeared on the sink, then ordinary vinegar will help to cope with it, to which it is necessary to moisten the rag and rub the problem area;
• in the case of chronic and difficult to remove stains, the best remedy is chlorine bleach, which cleans and disinfects the surface.

See how to install a ceramic sink for the kitchen in the next video.