Meeting your Butler in Belfast !

Ey up my faithful blogworms, been really busy as you would expect in the run upto Xmas but I'm got time to sneak in another visit to Milestone HQ News.

I thought this week I'd try to debunk a couple of old myths and ones that keep popping up with disappointing regularity, so here goes.

I still get asked if we can fit ordinary laminate worktops around a Belfast sink, the answer is generally "No, don't be silly, they'll be ruined in a very short space of time, BUT there is hope as I will show below !!

 A traditional Belfast sink normally needs granite, quartz, hardwood or Coffee Cup worktops around it as you need to cut around the shape of the sink, shown in the pic below. 

Once you cut into the worktop to make the shape you expose the middle of the material so it stands to reason that solid surface tops of some sort are really the only material you can use, as the name suggests, they're solid all the way through and not affected by the cutting.

If you were to try and use normal laminate worktops, you cut through the laminate straight into the chipboard core. This exposes the wood particles and as soon as they get wet, the worktop is ruined !! You could say "well, just edge the cuts with the edging tape" but that doesn't protect the underneath where the worktop overhangs the sink edge.

 The edging tape doesn't seal the cut well enough to protect it from being soaked while you're using the sink, kiss of death for your worktops !!

So, it's a no-no really and no-one with any sense would even think about attempting it.

HOWEVER, with careful sink choice, there is a way of achieving the principle with no risk to the worktops. We've just carried out one such job this week.

This choice is a Butler sink and "Yes", people get these mixed up, technically a Belfast sink and a Butler sink are two different things, not as many people think, two different names for the same thing, so that's myth No.1 sorted out. 

Whilst the Belfast sink, in some peoples eyes, looks more traditional ........

The Butler sink takes the place of a piece of worktop, going all the way to the back wall, so it saves on worktop material and cost.

It has the tap mounted in it.

It's bigger, so easier to wash larger items ie: large baking tins & pans, small children & dogs, in it but still sits on a 600mm base unit.

It can successfully be used with laminate worktops and be sealed properly, so "bye-bye" myth No.2 !
but there's no reason that granite or any of the other solid surface materials can't be also used.

And it's higher, so if you don't like bending or are prone to back ache, this could be just the sink for you. 

So, now you know the difference and the "whys & wherefores", the Butler sink does have an important part to play in kitchen projects if this is the look you're after but your budget won't stretch to granite etc.

Well, there you go !, Milestone looking after your health and your wallet and still providing good looking kit !

Live long and prosper. Jules