So, you’ve made a few key decisions—about how your sink is mounted, how many bowls you need, and what sink depth might work best for you.
This last step in choosing a kitchen sink is the easy one, since it’s less about aesthetics and more about determining the right fit for your cabinets or countertops. If you’re simply replacing a sink, you’ll want to choose one that fits your existing cutout. There’s no need to make this harder than it has to be.
However, if you’re starting from scratch, you’re only limited by the size and placement of your cabinets. Typically, cabinet manufacturers offer special sink base cabinets that are 27, 30, 33, 36, 39 and 42 inches wide. Or, if you’re going custom, you can choose your sink first and pass on the dimensions to the fabricator. Needless to say, your sink will need to fit within the width of the finished base unit. Don’t worry, though. You’ll find scores of sink options to fit cabinets from 21 inches to six feet wide.
And because countertops tend to be 24 inches from front to back, most sinks are in the 18- to 22-inch range.
Of course, keep in mind that even if you have a large cabinet to put it in, a giant, multi-bowl sink may overpower a compact kitchen. A good rule of thumb—if your kitchen is 150 square feet or smaller, a 24-inch-wide sink will be a nice fit. If you’ve got an expansive kitchen, well, get an expansive sink to go with it. Better yet? Get two and save a few steps when you’re working.
