Artificial stone sink in the kitchen: how to choose

Any kitchen should meet its purpose, that is, be comfortable, beautiful and functional. To create a comfortable interior, not every user is willing to spend a lot of financial resources on the purchase of equipment and furniture. A sink made of natural stone will cost the property owner a significant amount of money. The way out of this situation will be a sink made of artificial stone in the kitchen. In the article we will get acquainted with the nuances of choice, as well as the pros and cons of using such a product.

Material Features

The material in question contains several components:

• A crumb of marble, particles of quartz or granite.
• Polymer binder.
• Pigment dye of the desired color. Its presence in the composition allows you to give the sink shades of natural stone.

In this composition there are granules of real stone, which gives reason to talk about the naturalness of the products. Acrylic washing is considered completely artificial, because it contains aluminum hydroxide, acrylic resins, as well as polymethyl mer acrylate. The strength of the entire structure depends on the proportion of the last element in the base composition. Some users write reviews that the bottom of acrylic sinks falls off after several years of operation. This suggests that the manufacturer added a minimal amount of the most expensive component of polymethyl mer acrylate to the composition.

To protect against external aggressive environment, a stone sink in the kitchen is covered with a special protective solution called gelcoat. This substance blocks the pores in which dirt, moisture and unpleasant odors can accumulate. On the surface of some shell models, special antibacterial drugs are applied. This layer protects the product from pathogens throughout the entire operational period.

Advantages and disadvantages

Before buying a stone sink for the kitchen, you need to familiarize yourself with its strengths and weaknesses. Let's start from the advantages of the material:

• Good resistance to aggressive environments. The surface of the products withstands contact with chemical solutions, but is afraid of abrasive substances (this does not apply to all models).
• Sufficient moisture resistance indicators. Thanks to the protective layer, the material does not absorb water in the pores.
• Water from the tap when it hits the stone does not create the noise inherent in stainless steel products.
• No stains from crude liquid are formed on the sink.
• The material can withstand temperatures in the range of 180-280 degrees.
• No unpleasant odors.
• A huge number of color models.
• Possibility of manufacturing sinks according to specified overall dimensions.
• Long period of operation.
• The possibility of repairing with minor surface damage.

The main disadvantages of a sink in a kitchen made of artificial stone are the high price, as well as a significant mass of products. The price of analogs from stainless steel is much lower. The minuses also include the instability of some models to sharp jumps in temperature, the possibility of cracks on the surface of monolithic products, which are combined with the tabletop.

Crashed models are considered a more promising option than combined designs, so many users prefer the first products. If there is a need to combine the countertops with the sink, then they must be made from the same materials, but the details must be independent. In the presence of chips and cracks in one part, there is no need to replace the second.

How to choose a sink

For the sink to last as long as possible, you need to learn how to choose and operate it correctly. In this case, the area of ​​the kitchen room, the number of dishes that will be washed, are taken into account. Another important criterion is the cost of the model.

What makes an artificial stone

The strength of the sink, its stability and other technical characteristics will depend on the composition of the material. The best proportions of stone chips and polymer binders are 80:20. Maximum strength is observed in shells made of crushed granite. On the surface of such products no traces remain after exposure to abrasives. Quartz models have properties similar to granite details. At the same time, marble sinks are rather capricious, they are afraid of scratches, with small mechanical impacts, chips are formed on the surface.

Shape and size

The sizes of sinks for kitchen made of artificial stone can be different. A large sink is a convenience, functionality and luxury, but such a product is suitable for spacious rooms. When installing the sink in a small kitchen, it is recommended to select narrow shallow products of a round or square shape. To save space in a small room, you can install a corner sink.

The main parameters of the products does not matter if they are installed in a spacious kitchen. In most models, the bowl is made in the shape of a circle; a rectangle and an oval are considered other popular options. Some materials for the corner parts of the room are made in the form of a trapezoid. In spacious rooms, you can install sinks with wings, here you can put dishes for drying. If two bowls are used, then in a small container you can put various products for defrosting or vegetables for washing.

If a special machine is provided for washing dishes, then the sink is used only for rinsing cutlery, cups and bowls. When washing dishes manually, if there are 3 or more residents, choose a wide and deep sink. In such a capacity, a sufficient number of cutlery will fit.

Number of bowls

Large sinks can be divided into two or three bowls. The choice of such a model is justified only when the hostess cooks a lot. In this case, one bowl will be used for folding dishes, another for preparing and cleaning products, another for defrosting. Such options are relevant for restaurants and cafes, as well as apartments, where many residents live.

Colour

Most sink models in the kitchen are dull, but there are products with a surface that simulates a metal. The color of the kitchen sink should be as close as possible to natural stone. The assortment of such products contains 8-12 shades, but some manufacturers reduce the palette to 4-6 colors.

 The most popular shades are:

• anthocyanin, chocolate color;
• white and beige shades;
• grey colour.

When purchasing a sanitary appliance, make sure that the color of the product matches the overall interior of the room.

Cost

The price of shells is in the range of 3-8 thousand rubles. It all depends on the composition and overall dimensions. Foreign models have a wide price range from 5 to 100 thousand. The most expensive are large, complex shells consisting of several bowls.

The best option for an apartment will be a product worth 12-20 thousand rubles. Models cheaper than the specified price range are present in unscrupulous manufacturers. Such firms save on binders that provide strength characteristics of the product. If mistreated, cracks and chips occur on the surface of the material. In addition, ugly stains may form on poor-quality sinks. They form when the surface comes in contact with hot objects.

Accessories

To extend the period of operation of the sink, it is necessary to purchase special accessories that will protect the stone from mechanical damage. Such protection is especially needed for cheap models with reduced technical characteristics.

To prevent cracks and chips in the sink set the basket. Such a part will prevent the destruction of the surface from an accidentally dropped object. The basket can be used to wash fruits and vegetables. To prevent the appearance of age spots allow special stands for hot dishes.

Manufacturer

 The most popular brands of kitchen sinks are:

• The German manufacturer Blanco, which supplies the market with silgranite models.
• The Schock company (Germany) makes cristalite sinks.
• The Franke company (Germany) uses fragranite as the main raw material.
• The French manufacturer Benthor Corporation uses Novoquartz or Kermat to make shells.

All these raw materials (tegranite, crystallite, silgranite and fragranite) are not much different from each other. The composition of the main components in the products remains unchanged, 80% falls on stone chips, the remaining 20% ​​on binders.

The main difference between the products of various foreign companies is considered to be its own patented production technology. Distinctive features are present in materials such as Novoquartz and Kermat. The composition of the raw materials here includes binders, acrylic, rubber, as well as fiberglass. It must be understood that a quality sink will have an appropriate cost, so when selecting sinks give preference to well-known manufacturers who were able to collect positive reviews consumers.

Installation Nuances

The installation of artificial stone sinks should be carried out by specially trained personnel. This is due to the fact that the products must be installed in a countertop made of the same material, and this causes certain difficulties. Unlike a regular user, experts will do the job so that the gap between the work surface and the sink remains masked. With self-assembly, this is unlikely to be achieved.

Installing a stone sink in a regular countertop can be done independently, but the master must follow the instructions. At the initial stage of work, it is necessary to cut a hole for the dimensions of the sink. Standard overhead sinks are 60 * 60 centimeters in size. In this case, the user must draw the outline of the model on cardboard and transfer it to the countertop. In the wooden kitchen board, 4 holes are made along the contour, then a piece of material is cut out with a jigsaw. So that the extra part of the countertop does not damage the floor, during the work it is necessary to fix the position of the part with screws.

At the next stage of work, the edge is cleaned with sandpaper and treated with sealant. For the same purpose, you can use sealing tape, which can be bought at a specialized store. Next, the sink is carefully lifted and installed in the countertop, special bolts are used to fix it, fixing the product in the lower part.

After mounting the sink, proceed to install the mixer. This sanitary fixture is mounted on the sink. Then it is connected to the pipeline for hot and cold water. The sink drain is connected to the siphon, and also remove the protruding sealant at the joints.

The nuances of care

Numerous consumer reviews that have already installed a stone sink in their kitchens indicate that such a product does not need special care, but still you need to know some nuances. The surface of the material can suffer from various mechanical forces, for example, the falling of a heavy object causes chips and cracks. Such defects are difficult to repair, in some cases it is necessary to change the sink.

It is undesirable to install hot objects on stone products. A kettle with water heated to 80 degrees can cause stains. Clean the surface with soft sponges without abrasive substances, because such particles can lead to scratches on the product. A solution of concentrated acid and bleach are considered detrimental to stone. Do not break the tightness of the joints during operation, this will cause mold to form at the joints and may lead to damage to the wooden tabletop.