Undermount vs. Farmhouse Sink: What Are the Key Differences?
Many people randomly buy an expensive sink without any research. But getting the wrong one can be tedious.
Something similar happens when someone orders an undermount sink, thinking it is a farmhouse sink. They are not the same.
Here, we will point out why they aren’t. Besides, we will show you the basic difference between Undermount vs. Farmhouse Sink.
We will also tell you about their material types, designs, sizes, and prices. Furthermore, we will add a simple explanation after every point for more insight.
In the end, we will answer some commonly asked questions for better understanding.
Undermount vs. Farmhouse Sink
Both of these sinks are very successful. However, there are times when one dominates the other. Check this section to know which one you will need.
Real-life usage
Generally, the surrounding rim of the farmhouse sink is clearly visible, and the rim stays on the countertop. It can hold a lot of water because of its large deep bowl. If it’s a double bowl sink, then you could use one bowl for washing and keep water in the other.
People also use the farmhouse sink for laundry cleaning as it has enough space. There is also enough room to bathe your baby.
Talking about the Undermount sink, it’s situated underneath your worktop level. So no lip or rim is visible on the countertop. As a result, it is great for cleaning the dirty counter.
The dirt can easily be swiped and dropped in the sink. Undermount sinks will also give you more counter space since they don’t take up a lot of space.
Look and style
Farmhouse sinks fall under the drop-in sink style. You can also relate these sinks to the apron front sink. Compared to the apron front sink, the farmhouse sink has a less exposed front. In contrast, apron front sinks have a slightly more exposed front.
But it’s not true for all the farmhouse sinks. However, farmhouse sinks are clear examples of classic-style sinks. Because one of the signature features of a classic sink is the lip or rim is completely visible. which brings a superior look.
In terms of materials, glossy stainless steel seems extremely modern. And it’s usually going well with all sorts of modern kitchen styles.
On the other hand, an undermount sink is quite new in the industry. But their style and design are quite appealing. Quartz- and stone-based Undermount sinks seem stunning. It becomes super glossy when the sunshine falls on it.
It also looks very shiny if your kitchen has good lighting settings. After all, the zero-reveal style is always preferable for most users.
Installation difficulty
It’s not too difficult to install a farmhouse sink. They’re designed to fit in any normal kitchen. So, you do not have to modify everything. A little customization is required for full installation, but there’s nothing serious. If you are confident, then you can do the whole process by yourself.
Frankly, farmhouse sinks are way easier to install compared to other related kitchen sinks.
On the other hand, installing an Undermount sink is a professional’s job. There are many steps of installation. So here, the difficulty level is a bit harder than others. In addition, you have to spend at least $230 on the installation charges.
But anybody can give it a try by following the instructions; it’s not impossible.
Size and Space
The bowl of the farmhouse sink is quite deep. But the entire sink has a normal size. Lengthwise it can go 20 inches to 60 inches. And height can be, on average, 9 to 10 inches. Mostly small size sinks are 20 to 30 inches. Mediums are 30 to 50 inches, and the large is 50 to 60 inches in length.
Undermount sinks start from 16 inches, and they can go up to 36 inches in length. Height-wise, it’s not very different from farmhouse sinks.
Bathroom sinks are quite small in size, whereas the kitchen sinks are larger. A very common Undermount sink size is 36”/18”. This is the most popular size, and people want this sink in their kitchen.
Which one stains quickly?
This depends on sink materials. Frankly, if it’s made up of fancy porcelain, marble, or stone then there is a problem. It’s because these materials get scratched, stained, or dirt very quickly.
On the other hand, stainless steel or normal steel get stained slowly compared to others.
As we have seen, undermount uses stainless steel or that sort of material. Hence, they do not get stained quickly. But as farmhouses mostly use fancy materials like porcelain or different kinds of stones, they get stained pretty easily.
However, you can easily get rid of all the stains and dirt by following proper cleaning procedures.
Material Options
The farmhouse sink has a wide range of materials. Other than regular stainless steel and cast iron. They have some fancy materials like fireclay, granite composite, copper stone, and porcelain.
On the Undermount sink side, you could also see some great materials. Cast iron with a porcelain finish, composite granite, ceramic, wood, and stone are just a few examples.
Cast iron and composite granite bring an elegant look to the basin. They are very fancy and can fit with every kind of style. However, ceramic, stone, and wood offer sturdiness with a decent appearance.
Is it easy to clean?
Farmhouse sinks are generally made of fireclay, porcelain, granite, etc. Among all other materials, fireclay is something that does not get rust or stain as it has no metal. This is very easy to clean. Most importantly, it does not take too much time to get rid of dirt and dust.
The same goes for granite and porcelain. You just have to use vinegar and baking soda; the dust will be gone in 5 minutes. If you buy any of that materials sink, then no more worries. You can clean that very easily.
On the other hand, regular undermount sink materials like steel and iron are quite tough to clean. It’s because the rust is extremely stubborn, and nobody has an entire day to clean up.
Quick tip! Always try to make sure the steel is stainless; otherwise, you may have to suffer.
Water spots
This is a big issue for both farmhouse and Undermount sinks. Especially when the sink material is steel, water drops can be seen more clearly. But when you are using fancy materials like granite, copper, or porcelain, it does not get noticed that quickly.
You can choose any type of sink you want but avoid steel because it requires extra effort to get rid of the freaky water spot. Two things you can follow to get rid of water drop issues of your faucet.
Firstly, you can use a sink protector. Because sink protectors do not let any water drop stay in your sink, secondly, clean the sink after every work. Because if you do not clean after every single work, the water drop will dry and create a bad spot.
Cutting Boards and Drying Rack
Cutting boards or breadboards are available for both farmhouse and Undermount sinks. The cutting boards are specially designed to fit over the basin. They are easily opened and closed from the basin.
Farmhouses mainly use oak wood for their main cutting wood materials. In contrast, Undermount cutting boards use cherry and walnut wood. However, farmhouse cutting board availability is higher. But Undermount cutting boards are not very easy to find.
Similarly, you can also find a dish rack for both sinks. The racks are quite similar for both sinks. They are metal-built and have so many plate holders. They are perfectly designed, so they can easily fit inside the sink.
Garbage Disposal
There are a lot of brands that produce high-tech garbage disposal specifically for sinks. Garbage disposals are universal. Therefore, finding the perfect garbage disposal won’t be difficult. These disposals come with a motor, grinder, and noise insulation technology.
Garbage disposal always goes under sinks, and it is directly connected to them. The sink has always had a specific space for garbage disposal. Installing garbage disposal tools into a sink is quite easy. Moreover, the procedure is similar for all sinks. So it won’t be a headache.
Horsepower, size, and other features create the difference. So, get your preferable one considering these points—certain brands design garbage disposals specifically for certain sink types. You could also try those if you don’t want any trouble.
Price
Pricewise, Farmhouse is one step ahead of Undermount sinks. Regular low-budget farmhouse sinks start from $200 to $220. Prices can be different depending on the sink’s design, materials, and size. If you want a standard sink for your house, then you have to spend at least $1000.
Anyway, to get the most expensive one from a farmhouse, you have to spend more or less $2000.
In contrast, Undermount sinks can be purchased for only $75. They have a lot of budget-friendly options under thousand dollars. Their most selling product falls under the $200 to $500 price range. For the expensive one, you have to pay more than $2000.
Are farmhouse sinks deeper than Undermount?
Technically yes, farmhouses sink deeper than Undermount sinks.
Depth doesn’t depend on the height and weight of the sink. There is a lot of farmhouse sink which are small-sized but the sinks are quite deeper.
The 7-inch depth sink is the starting point for farmhouse sinks. However, you might be able to locate sinks with a 10-inch depth.
On the other hand, Undermount sinks do not come with much bigger sinks. So most of the product does not even cross 7 or 8-inch depth sizes. So yes, farmhouses sink deeper than Undermount sinks.
Is the farmhouse sink going out of style?
There is no way that farmhouse sinks are going out of style. There are plenty of aspects that will keep farmhouse sinks standard and stylish even in 2022.
The first point is their versatility. Yes, farmhouses try to bring some great modern function, which will be more accessible for their users. For instance, their tool attachment spaces are increasing to install even more tools.
The second thing is their design. They keep changing their sink design with other brands to stay updated with the current style.
Final Verdict
We hope now you got the point about why they seem close but different in reality. People think the change is mainly in style. But if you take a close look, you could see differences in every aspect.
Materials, attachments, tools, size, color, system, functions every single point are unique in their way.
You just can’t randomly pick one and start using it for yourself. You have to choose them by your preferences. The thing you will get inside the farmhouse that might be missing in the Undermount sink. The same happens for other sinks.
So before purchasing one, get to know the basic difference between Undermount vs. Farmhouse Sink.
