Last updated on April 19th, 2022 at 07:39 am
There are hundreds of options to consider when choosing a kitchen sink for your glass kitchen countertop. For the contemporary or modern kitchen, we have almost exclusively recommended one sink: the Kohler Apron Front sink. The Kohler Vault and Strive are very similar. We love them for several reasons, several of which may not immediately concern you…but could down the road. Facts: I have owned the Vault since 2013. I have recommended them to hundreds of home owners. I receive a small commission from Amazon if you purchase through the link.
Why buy a Kohler Apron Front sink?
For the contemporary kitchen, whether you are using new cabinets or remodeling old ones, the Kohler Vault and Strive under mount sinks are great choices. Foremost, they are beautiful, well-made of thick stainless steel, with a terrific brushed finish. They have clean lines which complement our contemporary glass kitchen countertops perfectly. They feature a self-trimming design which makes sink installation a breeze in a new kitchen or a remodel. Their documentation and videos are terrific as well, something sorely missing from other major brands.
In any remodel, the cabinet top rail must be cut. The Kohler apron front design overlaps these cuts with a wide flange. This is very smart and always makes for a clean installation. Many other apron-front sinks do not have this overlay flange design, and require the cabinet to be cut perfectly and then trim or caulk the cut line…nearly impossible in a remodel without chipping the wood and/or laminate.
See the video below to see this simple installation.
Apron front sinks with a Glass Kitchen Countertop
As a custom glass kitchen countertop manufacturer, our view is that the design of the Vault sink eliminates the risk of cracking and chipping of the slim countertop piece in front of under mount sinks. This is smart because if you lean on and crack this non-structurally supported piece, you will need to replace that entire section of countertop. Ouch! The Vault design removes an expensive potential failure point.
Further, glass countertops are usually LED illuminated from the rear edge. However, if you have an under mounted sink, the light will not hit the front of the sink and create an unsightly dark spot. This front countertop piece is also the place where pots, pans, etc must fly over when placing inside the sink for cleaning. This is a high traffic area much more suited to a resilient stainless steel apron front sink material vs a fragile countertop such as glass or granite.
We have observed that many countertops, in many materials, suffer damage in this area. This is due to the narrow width of the countertop, as well as the usually thin, flexible rail that is underneath the front of the cabinet. These wood rails usually are subject to wetting from water splashing and this weakens them over time. Getting rid of this risk is smart.
Kohler Apron Front Sink Vault
We like these sinks so much I installed them in my own home, and suggest that they be given your highest consideration when shopping for your glass kitchen countertop sink.
Contact: Jeff Downing (813) 784-5211 email: [email protected]
Jeff Downing
Founder, Lead Designer & Custom Glass Countertop Expert
Jeff Downing of Downing Designs, is a Tampa Florida–based design studio specializing in custom Glass Countertops, Glass Bar Tops, Glass Vanity tops and Glass Stair Treads. With decades of hands-on experience, Jeff is widely recognized for delivering textured glass surfaces integrated with LED lighting to create dazzling abstract statement pieces.
"Glass. Lights. Ambiance".