After choosing a BLANCO sink and matching countertop – there is still one more decision to be made when it comes time to fabricate and install the sink and counter into a kitchen. The sink reveal is a little-known element of the installation process – but an important one for the homeowner to be aware of.
According to Eric Gundersen, product manager for BLANCO, fabricators worry most about the overall size of the sink – trying to keep as much countertop material in the front and back of the sink as possible. These areas are where the surface is weakest/thinnest and could break when installing the counter. But the reveal has implications for long-term maintenance and ease of care.
A reveal refers to the amount of sink you see “revealed” under the counter and only applies to the undermount sink installation. There are three options:
- Zero Reveal: Defined as a flush mount – where the countertop surface is flush with the inside of the sink and you do not see any reveal showing. This is harder for a fabricator to accomplish since it has to be an exact cut to the edge of a sink.
- Positive Reveal: The countertop edge sits back from the edge of the sink, exposing a small portion of the sink rim. This is easier for the fabricator as they have a small amount of leeway in the cut.
- Negative Reveal: The countertop extends over the top edge of the sink on all sides.
BLANCO’s templates are designed to deliver a 1/8 in. positive reveal. BLANCO believes the positive reveal is best of the three options.
“There are several reasons for this recommendation,” states Gundersen. “Zero and positive reveals are easier to keep clean. A negative reveal hides the edge of the sink and creates a damp, dark place for dirt to hide. Because the 1/8 in. positive reveal is easier to fabricate – and aesthetically pleasing – we design our templates to this standard.”
Fabricators and homeowners should always discuss the type of reveal they are comfortable with before proceeding to cut the countertop. Fabricators are in the best position to make a recommendation to the homeowner, who may not even be aware there are options, and to check a manufacturer’s templates to see what reveal was engineered in.
