Undermount vs Topmount vs Apron Sinks
The three mounting types are not three styles of the same product. They demand different worktops, different cabinets and different installation skills.
Topmount: the fastest to fit
The sink drops into a straight aperture and the rim carries it. One person can fit it in a visit.
Tap holes go in the sink's rear ledge, which keeps a drill away from a stone slab.
The rim sits proud of the worktop, so there is a silicone line to keep clean. That is the trade.
Undermount: the cleanest detail
The bowl is fixed under the worktop, so the stone runs straight into it and crumbs sweep in.
It needs a worktop that can carry the load — engineered stone, granite or solid surface — and a cradle or clips underneath.
Tap holes have to go in the worktop or the wall, which puts the drilling risk back onto the fabricator.
Apron front: the one the cabinet has to suit
The front face of the sink replaces part of the cabinet, so it is the carcass that determines the sink, not the worktop.
It carries the farmhouse look and takes the splash that would otherwise mark a painted door.
Because it is built to the cabinet aperture, it is almost always a made-to-order item.
Choosing quickly
Laminate worktop, refurbishment work, tight budget: topmount.
Stone or solid surface, new kitchen, design-led: undermount.
Farmhouse or shaker cabinetry, and the sink is meant to be seen: apron.
Products This Guide Refers To
The volume double bowl, with the ledge and accessories buyers actually ask for
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Built to the cut-out you already have, not the other way round
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Two equal bowls behind a flat steel apron
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Questions On This Topic
Can a topmount sink be undermounted?
Not safely — the rim is designed to sit on the surface. Order the undermount version instead.
Can undermount sinks go under laminate?
It is done, but the exposed chipboard edge has to be sealed properly. Stone or solid surface is the sound choice.
Who decides tap hole position?
You do, at order stage. It is punched in production and cannot sensibly be changed on site.
Specifying A Sink And Want A Second Opinion
Send the drawing or the sample. We will tell you what will hold and what will not before you commit to it.