Why is Porcelain the Best Material for Your Kitchen Sink
Porcelain is the latest trend in kitchen materials, adorning walls, backsplashes, countertops, and islands. However, there’s one place where porcelain has performed well for many years: the kitchen sink. Since the early 1900s, porcelain sinks have added style and practicality to kitchens of all types. Porcelain sinks remain popular for kitchens due to their durability, non-porous surface, design versatility, easy-to-clean nature, and heat and cold resistance. If you’re looking for a kitchen sink, you have several options: porcelain, stainless steel, cast iron, stone, enamel, concrete, and more. This article will explore why porcelain is the best material for kitchen sinks, including its pros and cons, and why this classic sink material endures today.
Features & Advantages of Porcelain Kitchen Sinks
The kitchen sink is essential to any kitchen design; we wash our hands, dishes, utensils, produce, fruits, and other items here. This plumbing fixture is the key to keeping a clean, hygienic, and tidy kitchen. We can’t prepare food properly or clean up after the preparation without it. A kitchen sink needs to be durable, easy to clean, hygienic, scratch and stain resistant, and withstand fluctuating temperatures. It also helps if it’s attractive and quiet.
Now, let’s look at how porcelain sinks stack up to the daily demands of a busy family kitchen.
Features & Advantages of Porcelain Kitchen Sinks
Porcelain kitchen sinks are durable
Porcelain is a ceramic material that’s harder and more durable than other ceramics, including earthenware or stoneware. Like ceramic, porcelain consists of clays, minerals, and other ingredients that are pressed and fired at high temperatures. The difference is that porcelain uses more refined clays and materials and is heated at higher temperatures, making it an extremely durable, dense ceramic that can resist chipping, scratching, and staining.
While porcelain is incredibly durable, it can chip or stain under certain conditions. If you drop a heavy item in your porcelain sink, such as a cast iron pan, it may chip and require resurfacing. Certain foods like coffee, tea, and tomato sauces may stain the finish if they sit for long periods, so wipe away any food or liquid residues and rinse your sink thoroughly. Water with high-iron content may also build up and create a brown or reddish rust-like stain. This type of stain is easy to remove with do-it-yourself cleaners; you can find many solutions online, many of which use household items such as laundry powders, vinegar, lemon, or baking soda.
Porcelain kitchen sinks are easy to clean
Porcelain kitchen sinks are easy to clean
Porcelain sinks are easy to clean using water and dish detergent, and regular cleaning will keep them looking good and performing well. You will want to avoid using abrasive cleaners and scouring powders that can dull or remove any finish and harsh scrubbers like steel wool. Porcelain sinks that are well cared for can last many decades. They’ll also look good and resist things like water spots and fingerprints which are everyday annoyances with stainless steel.
Porcelain kitchen sinks are heat and cold resistant
Anyone who has ever prepared a meal or worked in a kitchen for a long time knows that the sink is often the designated spot for soiled pots and pans, including some right off the stove. The good news is if you place a hot pan directly in a porcelain sink, you won’t have to worry about any thermal damage.
Remember, porcelain is a high-fire ceramic cured at extremely high temperatures, around 1,230-plus degrees Celsius or 2,300-plus degrees Fahrenheit. The highest cooking temperatures don’t come close to this range, so you won’t have to worry about heat resistance. The same process that makes porcelain heat-resistant makes it a dense and compact material, meaning it won’t expand or contract with temperature fluctuations that may cause other materials to crack.
Porcelain is also UV-resistant, which means repeated exposure to lots of sunlight, won’t fade or alter its appearance. This UV resistance is excellent news if you plan to place your kitchen sink directly under or in front of a window. After all, who doesn’t like a nice view when cleaning up or washing dishes?
Porcelain kitchen sink design is versatile
Porcelain kitchen sink design is versatile
There are many different types of kitchen sinks, and porcelain is an excellent choice for many of them. Porcelain is ideal for farmhouse sinks, drop-ins, top mounts, and vessel styles. Undermount porcelain sinks can be trickier to install due to the weight of the porcelain, so be sure to consult with your sink supplier and installer about your design.
Porcelain can be molded into numerous shapes and comes in numerous colors. While white sinks are classic, you can choose from an assortment of porcelain colors and styles, including ones with subtle patterning or ones resembling marble or other natural stone. Porcelain makes adding a pop of color or pattern to your kitchen design easy. You can find a porcelain sink to complement any fixtures, backsplashes, countertops, cabinets, and other design elements you choose.
Porcelain is quieter
Why is porcelain tile a tough scratch-resistant material?
Kitchens can be noisy places; if you’ve ever had to turn up the volume on the television while someone was cleaning up in the kitchen, you know how distracting and noisy kitchen clean-up and food prep can be. Some sink materials, such as stainless steel, can be particularly noisy. High-quality porcelain is thick, dense, and better at absorbing vibrations and muffling sounds. Kitchens are loud enough without adding to the racket of rushing water, clinging pans, and other kitchen sounds.
Cons of porcelain kitchen sink
Porcelain kitchen sinks are heavy
As we mentioned, some sink installations and configurations, including under-mount sinks, can be challenging with porcelain. Porcelain is extremely heavy, so no matter what configuration you use, you must be careful not to drop the sink during installation.
The density and heaviness of porcelain also mean you should be cautious when washing dishes and glassware. These household items can slip from soapy hands and break or shatter more easily in a porcelain sink.
Porcelain kitchen sinks are more expensive
Porcelain sinks may cost more to purchase and install, but they’re a sound investment. Porcelain makes a statement that can improve the appearance and value of your home, and with proper care, it’ll last an incredibly long time. It’s not uncommon to see porcelain sinks that are 20-25 years old. And remember those porcelain sinks from the 1900s, the ones that sparked the farmhouse trend? Many of those sinks are still standing and still in use.
Cons of porcelain kitchen sink
Contact us
If you’re shopping for a kitchen sink or other kitchen materials, including durable surfaces for countertops, backsplashes, and islands, LX Hausys can help. LX Hauys offers TERACANTOporcelain countertops and wall materials, VIATERAquartz, and HIMACSsolid surface materials.
We’d be happy to help you understand the pros and cons of specific kitchen materials and how they affect your home’s design, functionality, and value. To connect directly with one of our experts, complete a brief contact form, and one of our knowledgeable professionals will email you promptly.
