I went the reveal that the factory sink template would provide, which I believe is something like 1/8". A few reasons:
1) it's so easy to prepare your plywood cutout and then the countertop cutout with a known template, why make it hard on yourself or the installer?
2) with zero reveal, you allow zero tolerance on countertop cutout preparation. In other words, if you are shooting for zero reveal all around, any very tiny offset will become obvious and it is not so if you allow a small reveal to begin with for some allowance in play. I know that consumer entitlement is quite prevalent these days on this forum -- if I pay for your work, you need to deliver what I demand -- but I don't think like that. If I don't make too demanding a request, I save a lot of headache for myself and the contractor further down the road.
3) Despite the positive reveal, it is so insignificant that I don't even notice it's there until you asked. There is no problem in keeping it clean. Don't see a point in requesting zero reveal.
4) Factory template/recommendation comes from mass feedback and manufacture research based on the most common usage of the product, so it is unlikely that an individual consumer's instinct for something different ends up being a better judgement unless there is some special conditions to consider. I go with the conventional wisdom.

Very well said, Mudroom!

I have exactly what Mud does for the same reasons, especially the one about how difficult it might be to get the zero reveal PRECISE and that would bother me if that's what was spec'd. Love my sinks and my reveals.

Might as well include a pic while I'm at it.

My cleanup sink reveal is a bit less. Different fabricators.

Cathy - when the template guy asked which reveal - I said "huh" - So, I went to GW and posted and found people were very opinionated one way or the other and very little middle ground.

I went for the negative reveal - but wish I had done positive - it just makes the sink seem a bit smaller. DH liked the negative and he had very few things he made comments about so I didn't want to shoot him down....

If you search GW - there is a great discussion and one person had a picture and pointed out the grunge factor - they all have potential grunge but in reality - I wipe mine down when I drain the sink and nothing is growing that I can see.....

Here is a link when I asked the question
http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0414122722861.html

Another thread
http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0701230626695.html

And my all time favorite - where the gunk lives....
http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0920592124293.html

I see that you have posts for both positive and negative reveal so I thought I would post regarding the third option. My Silgranit sink is completely flush. Zero reveal all the way around. I don't actually recall asking for any particular reveal and I don't remember what the fabricator said about the reveal. All I recall is that he said he would get the specs on line. Everything about my countertops from measuring in my home to all the cuts and cutouts was done by computer assisted equipment. Everything was an absolute perfect fit. The seams by my cooktop are almost invisible and there were no gaps along the walls at all anywhere. I do not see or feel any deviation in the cutout for the sink.
I like the way my sink installation looks but I really don't think it would matter if it had a negative or positive reveal. My sons sink has appositive reveal. My daughter's has a negative reveal. Even though there has been lots of discussion on this forum about what is better, I don't think one way is necessarily superior to another.
Here is a shot of a section of my sink to show the flush reveal.

Our Siligranit sinks are flush with the quartz. When the fabricator came to measure to template the counters, he asked what kind of reveal we wanted. I was undecided but after talking with him about the different choices, I chose the sink to be flush with the counters-I guess that's a zero reveal. I felt it would be easier to keep clean-I haven't been disappointed with the decision.

Badgergal and chikgeek--did they use templates for your countertops or the computerized templating? I read the linked posts and some folks said it's not possible to have no reveal due to slant of sink and imperfections in cutting the countertop. I would guess you could get precision with the computer but not with standard templates.

I seem to be leaning toward no reveal or a slight positive. I'm less worried about gunk than the possibility of catching a plate or glass on the negative reveal and breaking it--I can see me doing that!

Thanks for the advise and links everyone! Sometimes it's so hard to search this forum, I'm trying to improve my search techniques.

I know nothing about a sink reveal -- but I've picked out an undermount Silgranit sink, ha! Educate me, please!

Southernum - I am linking a very old thread; in it Buehl sums up everything about sink reveals - scroll to Buehl's Oct. 21 post.

Here is a link that might be useful: Thread called Stone Information and Advice

Cathy- my fabricator used computerized templating for my countertops. I had the sink at my house but he said he didn't need the template provided just needed the model #. The fabricators installed the sink after the countertop was in place. It is installed with the clips provided by Blanco. As I said before, everything was a perfect fit.

I am a negative (or even zero) reveal girl! You are probably going to laugh but a positive reveal looks like a mistake to me! It looks like the cut the opening of the counter too big! I do appreciate their function when using sink accessories but I am in the "don't cook" category so I certainly don't have any sink accessories.

hags - no laughs cause that is what my DH said - as you see above, we have a negative reveal but I think I like the positive reveal better.

Ours was laser templated and I remember he said it had to have one or the other but could not do a flush - it might have to do with the style sink that I have (Silgranit cascade)

Hi Cathy. My experience was similar to badgergal's. The fabricator came to the house with computerized surveying equipment that wirelessly transmitted measurements to workshop. They already knew the model numbers of the sinks we purchased from the plumbing supply company. When the fabricators came the following week to install everything, they brought the sinks and faucets with them. The sinks and countertops align perfectly. I have to say it was a fascinating and fairly effortless process.

AKChicago, thanks so much for the link! It sounds like I need to go read up on sink reveals! :)

We just templated for our new soapstone counters a few days ago. We are using a Silranite Precis super single sink. I was all set to go with Silgranite's recommended 1/8" reveal. My fabricator, (who I've known, used and trusted for over 20 years) asked "why would you want to look at the caulk joint, and that little lip, when it can be hidden under the rim of the soapstone?" he also mentioned gunk and water sitting in the little groove, and ease of cleaning. So I decided to go with a 1/8" negative reveal, mostly for aesthetics. I really don't think there is a wrong or right here, just a looks preference. I do think the sink will look more integrated with the Soapstone, which is what I was trying to achieve with the Anthracite color ...to look like a soapstone sink.

I think the most revealing parameter is the skill of the fabricator. I have the non-computerized template positive reveal from the company and it's fine; gunk's not too bad -- but as ctyc said, in this day and age it might not really be necessary to have anything but a perfect line if you wish.

However I know my fabricators - pretty subpar -- wouldn't have been able to do this. And the problem with mine is not so much the gunk as that the stone I have is of uneven thickness and they seamed it right in the middle of the sink, and it does not come together evenly in terms of height. I don't want to think about this too much, it might upset me and I've moved on. But there's a lot of colorized putty involved, the color wears away, and the putty does too with time and scrubbing. It's not ideal, that's for sure. OTOH, I've seen grosser things in kitchens.

So ... I think the subjective question of appearance isn't anywhere near as important to nail down as getting a good fabricator. I found that remarkably difficult to achieve and did not hire well. I would definitely do that differently , but I wouldn't really spend much time worrying about the reveal. I like the positve in looks well-enough; the zero looks great too. I imagine the negative can look cool as well though the point about incrementally diminishing the size of the sink is a good one. The point of these sinks is they're *big* - you might not want to undermine your purpose if this is your motivation in its acquisition.

Again - I urge you take all this mental energy and apply it toward getting the right fabricator! The rest is just not one of those biggie-decisions, in my books at least.

BTW - my silgranite sink is 1.5 years old I think and I absolutely love, love, love it. It's a cascade and I'm not really in love with that incarnation but the silgranite part is absolutely wonderful.

Ditto to everything breezygirl says...
I like the 1/8" positive reveal. No worry about goo under the countertop rim. I like the way the slight positive reveal looks too.

For those of you with black Silgranit sinks, is there any problem with cleaning or spoting on these?
Thanks,
Diane

Powermuffin(Diane)--I'm getting the black (anthricite). If you search for silgranit you will get a number of threads and people discuss the cleaning. It seems that if you clean it with magic eraser, that seems to be the best. I would think with hard water you might have more of an issue. I'm not worried, since everything I've read about them here says they are easy to clean and always look great!! Good luck. I will let you know when mine is installed.

I think I've decided on a 1/8" positive reveal. My friend has a slight negative reveal with her stainless sink, and guess what I noticed (but didn't dare mention)-- gunk under the lip! I have been checking out her kitchen since it is the same layout as mine. Also, someone on a thread mentioned the potential of catching a plate or wine glass on the negative reveal edge, and I could see myself or one of my teens doing that.

My fabricator said that because of the curve of the sink you couldn't get a 0 reveal (even thought Badgergal has it!!!) so I guess it comes down to the individual fabricator.

I think I have a good one (just not as good as Badgergal--I have fabricator envy). I guess we'll see. My cabinets have arrived, so the reno should start soon!

Diane: nope. No problems here (west LA - the region and water hardness probably matters).

Zero reveal - it made the most sense. But of course there is still a space between the countertop and the top of the sink, where gunk could accumulate. We just don't let it.

Well, thanks to Breezy's photo of her beautiful wood top and positive reveal, I went against my fabricators suggestion and back to my original choice of a positive reveal. Slab went down yesterday, and couldn't be happier with the look of the sink and counter! ...now they just need to make Silgranite with custom veins to match ;) edit- please excuse the 27 year old filtered water tap, Grohe doesn't make one to compliment this faucet, ...new one ordered from Newport Brass that looks reasonably close...

This post was edited by ctycdm on Wed, Feb 13, 13 at 22:02

Wow, Ctycdm!! That's just gorgeous! I have vein envy. :) I can't wait to see the room that goes around that piece of deliciousness.