Glossary

Glossary: Stainless Steel Kitchen Sink Terms in Plain English

Sink listings are full of words nobody explains. Here they are in plain English, sorted alphabetically. Where a guide goes deeper, we link to it.

by the editorial teamupdated November 3, 20262 min read

The terms below are sorted alphabetically. For how they affect what you buy, start with what size sink fits, or find a specific answer under questions and answers.

Apron front: A sink whose front panel is exposed and takes the place of the top of the cabinet front. It usually means the same thing as a farmhouse sink.
Bottom grid: A metal rack that sits on the floor of the bowl to keep pans off the steel. Also called a rinse grid.
Drop-in: A sink set into the counter from above, with its rim resting on top. Also called top mount or overmount.
Dual mount: A sink built so it can be installed either from above or below the counter, such as the Kohler Task.
Fireclay: Clay fired at high heat to make a thick, glazed sink. Signature Hardware says above 2,000 degrees F.
Gauge: A number for steel thickness. The lower the number, the thicker the steel. Ruvati lists 16 gauge at 0.063 inches and 18 gauge at 0.047 inches.
Low divide: A wall between two bowls that stops below the rim, so that long pans can lie across both.
Minimum cabinet: The narrowest base cabinet a maker says its sink fits. It's the number to find on any spec sheet, and it wins over any rule of thumb.
Retrofit farmhouse sink: An apron sink with a shorter front, made to fit an existing cabinet with less rework. Signature Hardware says the apron is trimmed about 3 inches from the bottom.
Reveal: How much of the sink edge shows below the counter on an undermount or apron sink. KRAUS describes positive, flush and negative reveals in its farmhouse manual.
Sink base: The base cabinet under a sink. Its width sets the largest sink you can fit.
Sound pads: Rubber-like pads and undercoating on the outside of the bowl, used to cut noise and condensation. Makers list them separately from gauge.
T-304: A grade of stainless steel. Ruvati lists its sinks as T-304 with 18/10 chromium and nickel content.
Undermount: A sink fixed under the counter so no rim shows on top. It needs a solid counter, because the cut edge of the counter stays exposed.
Workstation sink: A sink with a ledge inside the bowl that holds a cutting board, colander or rack over the water.

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