Did you notice any difference in resale value or is it just a style thing?
Funny you mention resale—when we sold our last place, the realtor barely glanced at the sink. She was more interested in the pantry size and lighting. I do love the look of undermounts, but after wrestling with a leaky seal on my brother’s, I’m not convinced it’s worth the headache. Ever tried to recaulk one with a garbage disposal still attached? Not my favorite Saturday. Curious if anyone’s actually had a buyer comment on sink style, or is it just us obsessing over details?
Honestly, I’ve seen buyers get way more excited about a big island or a walk-in pantry than the sink itself. That said, I do think undermounts look cleaner, but yeah, if the seal goes, it’s a pain—especially with a disposal hanging off it. If you’re worried about leaks, I always recommend a two-step caulking process: first, run a bead of silicone before setting the sink, then another after it’s clamped. Makes a huge difference in long-term maintenance. Has anyone tried farmhouse sinks and run into similar issues, or is it just undermounts that are tricky?
Title: Just put in a new kitchen sink and wondering if anyone else struggled this much
Has anyone tried farmhouse sinks and run into similar issues, or is it just undermounts that are tricky?
We went with a farmhouse sink in our build, and honestly, installation was a bit less stressful than I expected. The main thing was making sure the cabinet base was reinforced enough to hold the weight—those things are heavy. Haven’t had any leak issues so far, but we did use a waterproof membrane around the cutout just in case. The exposed front means less chance of water sneaking under the counter, which I guess is a plus compared to undermounts. Still, I’m always checking for drips out of habit... old house paranoia, maybe.
The main thing was making sure the cabinet base was reinforced enough to hold the weight—those things are heavy.
That’s spot on. I’ve seen a few installs where folks skipped reinforcing, and the cabinet started sagging within a year. I usually add a plywood support under the sink, then run a bead of silicone around the cutout for extra insurance. Farmhouse sinks do make leaks less of a headache compared to undermounts, but I still recommend checking the caulk lines every now and then. Learned that one the hard way after a slow drip warped a client’s cabinet door... not fun.
Honestly, I’ve seen a lot of people underestimate just how much weight those farmhouse sinks add. Reinforcing with plywood is smart, but I’d go a step further—sometimes I’ll double up the support if the cabinet’s older. It’s just not worth risking a sag down the line. And yeah, leaks… they’ll find any weakness. Regular checks save a lot of headaches and money.
