Even though some people have been in business for a long time, they still do not know all that the market offers.
In this article, I’ve explained some of the things buyers neglect when buying a stainless steel sink.
Let’s get right to it!
1. Some Manufacturers Replace 304 Grade With 201 Stainless Steel
201 and 304 are prevalent types of stainless steel that are used to make sinks in the market. These two types are different from each other in properties.
The surface of 201 steel is a little dull, whereas the surface of the 304 steel is very bright and smooth. The difference in properties is due to the percentage of nickel in the sink’s material.
304 stainless steel has around 8-10% nickel content. On the other hand, 201 stainless steel only has approximately 2% nickel content. This nickel content makes 304 excellent in corrosion resistance and alkali resistance. It also adds to the flexibility and the toughness of the sink.
It isn’t easy to distinguish between both the steel types with the naked eye. 304 is more pricey than 201, and some manufacturers may replace the sinks to save some money.
2. Decreasing Material Usage
In my previous article has revealed a non-load-bearing welding method to produce a handmade stainless steel sink.
Some manufacturers tell you that the thickness of the steel is 4mm. This is only the thickness of the sink’s panel. They use inferior second-grade material in the bowl, and it is not easy to find that out.
3. Different Steel Cutting Methods: Cross-Cutting Method VS Scattered Cutting Method
Our factory has always adopted the ‘cross-shaped’ cutting method. As shown in the picture aboved, after the cutting is complete, the four steel plates are bent upwards, and only four vertical seams need to be welded to complete the sink’s body.
This cutting method produces four pieces of scrap for each piece of steel, but it can also minimize the welding parts, as shown in the picture below.
The cross-cutting method is used because they are all cut from the same piece of positive material. Therefore, the entire sink, basin surface, basin body, and basin bottom are integrated, and the thickness is also the same.
The sinks made by the scattered cutting method can be fake. For example, the sink rim can use very thick material while the basin material, in reality, could be used as thin steel material. Moreover, there are many more welding parts. The more welding places, the worse it is.
As shown in the picture below, the welding methods of the two processes are in comparison.
The handmade stainless steel sinks made by the scattered cutting method are sprayed with an anti-condensation coating on the back. Inexperienced customers usually cannot see the difference from the surface.
As long as you don’t scrape off a slight coating on the back of the welding part, you wouldn’t be able to see the welding traces.
4. Paint With A Thick Anti-Condensation Coating
The above manufacturers use thin materials in the sink bowl. To make up for this, they paint a thick anti-condensation coating to increase the whole sink’s weight.
The anti-condensation coating on the back does not follow the rule ‘the thicker, the better.’ If the layer is too thick, oil collection and leakage will occur.
Generally, the best coating thickness is around 0.6 to 0.8 mm. You can test it with your nails as well. If you press it, it will not leave scratches on the surface.
5. Using Toxic Sound Reducing Pad
The Sound Reducing Pad material has two types: EVA and another one is rubber.
EVA material (polystyrene) is a pollution-free, environmentally friendly material within the standard.
The rubber synthetic materials need to pass various environmental certifications and functional certifications.
Some manufacturers use thick rubber pads to increase the overall weight of the sink. Those rubbers are from the used tires, which is not passed the environmental test. It will get a foul smell from the sink bottom after using this type of pad material.
6. The Position And The Shape Of The Drainer
The primary function of the drain hole is to drain water.
One of the things you need to check is the shape of the drain hole. Most of the sinks on the market are round drain holes, and some irregular drain holes also account for a part. Another shape that is commonly found in the square-shaped drain.
Regarding the drain hole shape, I recommend that you buy a sink with a round drainage hole.
It is easy to find a replacement for this shape, and it’s better for water drainage.
The recommended position is the front-position. The most suitable distance from the drainer center to the sink edge is around 100mm.
You can go for other options for position: the central-position, the back-position, and irregularly shaped.
7. Pay attention to the sink radius
You can be the difference between the drawn sink and the hand-made sink by the sink radius.
The shape of the drawn sink is usually oval. The sink has round edges with a larger radius corner area. This larger area cuts out the drawn sink’s size if compared to the hand-made sink, which has welded out corners.
The radius of the drawn sink is relatively larger and looks smoother. The radius of the hand-made sink is relatively small, and the common ones are R10 and R15.
Conclusion
Some manufacturers use immoral acts to reduce the costs of their sinks and increase the price.
As a customer, you need to be aware of how a manufacturer can take advantage of you.
Be wary of these things.
I hope this article was of help.
Good luck!
