Find Your Perfect Sized Outdoor Kitchen Sink Station
Adding an outdoor kitchen sink station can take your outdoor living space to the next level. With a dedicated sink area, you'll have a convenient spot for everything from washing veggies fresh from the garden to cleaning hands before meals. But before installing your outdoor sink, it's key to put thought into finding one properly sized for your needs.
From the optimal basin depth to allowable counter space, minor dimensional details make a big difference in daily use. Planning dimensions ahead of installation prevents frustrations down the road.
Choosing the Right Dimensions
Unlike indoor sinks seeing lighter duty, outdoor sink stations often handle larger messes. Their size directly impacts functionality for various tasks. Consider where you'll use your outdoor sink most--washing pets, preparing food, or purely utility cleaning--to choose adequate roominess.
Depth and Width
Standard outdoor sink basins range from 8 to 16 inches wide and 5 to 12 inches deep. If you'll mainly use your sink for quick hand rinsing, a shallow width and depth suffice. Deep basins become essential for submerging bulky items like whole pineapple tops to remove prickly skin or scrubbing caked debris off gardening tools.
- Aim for at least a 10-inch width if washing larger pots or platters.
- For a dedicated potting sink, allow an ample 12 to 16 inches across.
Don't forget to measure your existing outdoor kitchen layout or station when choosing dimensions. Cutouts for drop-in sink installation have precise measurements that the basin you buy or build must match.
Cubic Capacity
While basin width and length impact the item sizes you can fit, depth plays an outsized role in overall sink capacity. Standard cubic capacity volumes range from 500 cubic inches for basic models up to 1200+ cubic inches for deep utility sinks.
To comfortably wash hefty watering cans, consider at least an 800 cubic inch single basin sink. For comparison, that equals basin dimensions of 16" wide x 20" front-to-back x 12" deep. If you'll frequently have piles of produce to rinse from the garden, go bigger for a dual-basin option starting around 1000 cubic inches.
Allowing Enough Work Space
Don't neglect the countertop work area bordering your planned outdoor sink. Even compact sinks require clear zones on each side for accessing faucet handles comfortably without banging knuckles on backsplashes.
Leave at least 6 to 12 inches of countertop beside the sink basin edge. This enables opening cabinet doors or drawers underneath too. Ensure adequate undermount clearance for plumbing connections to prevent cramped repairs down the road.
Key Features to Include
Beyond fitting dimensions, the right features tailor your outdoor sink station to its intended use. Carefully weigh specialty fixtures and accessories during planning to build exactly what your outdoor living needs.
Drainage and Plumbing
For outdoor sink plumbing exposed to freezing winters or scorching summers, specialized components withstand the elements. Seek faucets and fittings rated for outdoor use, with insulation protecting internal water lines.
Just as crucial as durable fixtures? Ensuring water flows away cleanly after use. Outdoor sink drain kits include self-draining P-traps for keeping bugs out when not in use. Check your outdoor site allows at least 1/8 inch per foot of drainage slope for the trap.
Sink Materials
While indoor sinks often use porcelain, ceramic, or enameled steel, outdoor models need brawny, weather-tough builds. The most durable and stain-resistant outdoor sink materials include:
- Stainless Steel: Affordable, hygienic, and easy to clean option perfect for utility usage
- Marble: Elegant natural stone bringing upscale style outside yet needs sealing
- Soapstone: Known for flexing with seasons; not stainless but develops patina
Choose materials suiting your outdoor kitchen aesthetic--whether sleek entertaining setting or potting shed grit.
Protective Accessories
Leaving any metal or stone sink basin exposed to weather inevitably speeds deterioration. While outdoor-rated sinks resist UV rays and freeze/thaw cycles, adding a protective sink cover prevents most premature damage when not in use.
Custom-sized acrylic or stainless steel covers form an impenetrable seal securing your sink's finish. Lift-off designs blend seamlessly when closed. Or opt for hinged covers flipping back fully for ergonomic access washing up.
Installation and Placement
Your dreamed-up outdoor sink station may look stunning on paper, but real-world site constraints add further size considerations. Installation location and drainage realities prevent unpleasant (or unsafe) surprises.
Standalone, Portable Stations
Relocatable outdoor sink carts offer versatile positioning wherever needed, then stowing out of sight. Self-contained models perch atop built-in casters for rolling smoothly across stone patios or deck boards without scratching surfaces.
If going the standalone route, check cart and basin heights suit you ergonomically. Standard 36-inch height suits most. Ensure included leveling feet reliably stabilize once parked in place.
Integrating with Existing Cabinetry
To seamlessly incorporate an outdoor sink abutting existing cabinetry or countertops, perfect alignment proves paramount. Carefully measure the precise sink cutout width and length so the basin drops flush.
If you have cabinet doors underneath, make sure the sink position allows full door swings for storage access. A well-planned site survey prevents unexpected spatial constraints blocking functionality.
Ensuring Proper Drainage
Perhaps most disastrous yet overlooked? Assessing drainage and slope surrounding any outdoor sink before permanently installing. Otherwise, you risk water pooling beneath, eventually penetrating substructures.
Always position outdoor sinks near established drainage paths. Use bubble levels when mounting to confirm adequate pitch directing water away from the station. Where drainage remains questionable, divert flows safely away with French drains or soak wells.
Customizing with DIY Options
If no manufactured outdoor sink model suits your exact wants, fashion one matching your ultimate vision through DIY creativity. Cast molded concrete basins or upcycle salvaged sinks and tubs into one-of-a-kind stations.
Casting Concrete Basins
Crafting hypertough concrete sink bowls allows fully personalized depths, shapes, and detailing. While masonry skills prove helpful, anyone can tackle DIY concrete sink molds following online tutorials using melamine forms.
Choose vibrant pigments in your concrete mix for visual pops of color. Press tiles, rocks, or seashells into the damp concrete to imprint decorative textures across the bottom. Apply sealants once fully cured for water resistance.
Repurposing Vintage Finds
Turn forgotten vintage sinks or clawfoot bathtubs into environmentally friendly one-off outdoor stations. Porcelain, enameled steel, and cast iron antique finds get new life with creativity.
Thoroughly clean used sinks to remove old grime before installing outside. Patch any chips or cracks in enamel coatings to prevent further deterioration. Finally, apply fresh sealant to waterproof the vintage basin's surface.
Let your imagination run wild designing the perfect outdoor sink around salvaged finds! A Victorian wash basin paired with a rustic wood stand makes a charming potting table. Or mount an ornate feetless tub atop a stone plinth for an organic garden focal point.
Finding and installing your dream outdoor kitchen sink station relies heavily on taking measurements early. Carefully consider how each dimensional detail--from basin capacity to work zones--will realistically function once built. If opting for off-the-shelf models, browse options by precise sizes meeting your identified ideal capacity and clearances. Or go fully custom through masonry and use creative salvaging skills to construct the perfect outdoor sink from scratch.
No matter which materials and design details you choose, keep practicality at the core of sizing. Dimensional planning ensures your outdoor kitchen sink station smoothly tackles everything from pooling pineapple tops to scrubbing muddy boots for years of enjoyable backyard living ahead.