I previously had a positive reveal (sink edge projecting slightly beyond countertop edge) and currently have a flush mount.
I find the flush mount easier to clean- no little edge to wipe off. I also prefer its simple clean line look. My kitchen is transitional/contemporary with Shaker style cabinets and eased edge countertops.
I have had my current set up for 2-1/2 years and so far no chipped edges.
Here is my sink:

@badgergal - thanks for your input! My gut says that flush is the way to go in terms of maintenance, I have slight reservations about whether it will be easier to chip (especially as my hubby does all the handwashing - have nightmares about cast iron pots and the big wok!) but in reality the difference is hopefully not that great.

My sink template had multiple cut-outs and my fabricator recommended flush mount.

Oldryder, do you think there would be any benefit to going with a slightly larger radius on the easing, for 5/4 material, like 7/16" or 1/2"?

Would demi-bullnose look to weird?

neitsdelf:

The larger the radius, the less the chance of chipping. A demi-bullnose would not look weird.

Thanks, that's what I was hoping, since I'm going to do a soapstone and I was primarily worried about chipping.

I suppose I could start with one radius and if I don't like it, increase it (be a bit hard to go the other way, though)!

What do the installation instructions specify regarding reveal, or do they?

My sink (Franke Orca) has instructions which specify âÂÂnoâ reveal or overhang -- neutral I guess. Does my fabricator like it...well, it's not what he would prefer. It is easier I assume to cut a hole smaller than and set the sink under it.

I had the Franke Orca is my previous home with a slightly positive reveal. I don't remember what the installation instructions for the sink said, but generally I think they're irrelevant.

I have a slight negative reveal. At times, I wish I had done the slight positive reveal. They couldn't do a flush for some reason and it was the one item my DH voiced his opinion.
In the grand scheme of things - there is gunk somewhere - there was a great post showing this a couple years ago.

Thanks for this discussion string. I am having an Elkay stainless steel undermount sink installed and requested a flush mount from the Cambria fabricator. He said the Elkay template either offers a 1/2 inch reveal or a 1/16 inch counter overhang, so the 1/16 inch counter overhang would be considered the flush mount. Anyone else encounter this? I just want to make sure the Cambria won't be more prone to chipping.

Also, if you are considering the use any sink grids, baskets, cutting boards, etc. just double check that whatever reveal you choose doesn't negatively (no pun intended) impact your ability to use those accessories successfully.

Badgergal, I was searching up sink reveals when I came across your post with the picture of your sink. Your soap dispenser looks similar to the one I am interested in....a Mountain Plumbing unit. Do you recall the brand name? Would you also comment on the placement of the dopa dispenser and air switch? Pros and Cons? Thanks!

Abbabug, the soap is indeed a Mountain Plumbing unit. The dispenser itself works fine. I like the way the placement of the air switch and dispenser look at the corners of the sink but I do find that it is difficult to put large pots/pans under the soap dispenser spout to squirt a little soap into pan. I think the difficulty is a combination of being to far into the corner of the sink so the pan touches the left edge of the sink/countertop and that the dispenser spout length is a bit too short. The spout measures 3" but only about an inch or so of it overhangs the sink. It doesn't seem like it could have been mounted in any closer to the sink. Sometimes I think about replacing the dispenser with on that has a longer reach but I guess it doesn't bother me all that much or maybe it's just that I am too cheap to spend the money because I have been dealing with soap dispenser for almost 4 years.

I really didn't research soap dispensers and just went with the one the plumber supplied. I do think there are better options out there. If you do a google search with the terms soap dispenser and gardenweb you should be able to ressurect some old GW threads that discuss/critique various brands of soap dispensers.

Good luck finding a soap dispenser.

Thanks for your input badgergal. I like the look of placing these in the two corners but will certainly take your comments regarding the soap dispenser into consideration when that time comes along. Sometimes it is difficult to visualize the problems until one encounters in. The location of the air switch seems ok but i will see about having my soap dispenser away from the corner.

As to the reach of the dispenser, I wanted a dispenser with a low profile and a fairly good reach. The best I could find is the Mountain Plumbing unit. Its solid construction also sold me. I am hoping the Never MT will work well with it.

I went with a slight positive reveal for my Porcher stainless farmhouse sink, against the advice of the KD and the (first, failed) countertop people, who both pushed for negative. I thought, what's the point of having a chunky, thick-edged sink if I can't admire the chunky, thick edges? There is a thin lip of stainless that has to be wiped off periodically but it's one quick swipe with a cloth, no big deal. With a standard undermount sink style, I probably would have chosen zero/flush reveal for the seamless look. I'm the type to obsess over little nasties growing on the underhang of a negative reveal so that was never an option for me, ha.

@badgergal - I'm here reading/learning about positive,negative and zero sink mounts, and love your faucet. Do you know the make and/or model?

Aside from an integrated sink, If your fabricator is using a CNC for the sink cutout it can be done with any reveal.

Aside from aesthetic preference the only issues that choice of reveal effects are minor and are possible chipping, sanitation and ease of keeping clean. A negative reveal takes the least amount of upkeep but is easiest to have an underside chip while the positive will collect the most bacteria and dirt but is impervious to an underside chip.

Generally a 1/16" negative reveal with a slightly eased edge is best and the most popular. It balances out the minimal chance of chipping with minimal chance of bacteria and food wast settling into the space between the sink and the counter.

As a counter-top manufacturer I would suggest that you should choose whatever aesthetically pleases you. You are the one that has to look at it every day, just be mindful of the pros and cons of your choice. Know that some will take less maintenance but you will have to be more careful not to damage them and others will be the opposite.

This is exactly why I adore my integrated Corian sink. No place to chip and no nasty little edges to collect dirt/smells.

I have been in this industry since 1977. Most sinks should have a flush interface with the counter top. All too often, granite fabricators come up with reasons for an overhang or a reveal. In my humble opinion. that is often done because they don't have to be as careful with the cut. Over the past many years, I designed thousands of kitchen projects and was responsible for the entire installation - from flooring to lighting, cabinets to counter tops.

I always give sink change-out customers the smallest positive reveal possible. It looks great, the bond line between the sink flange and the bottom of the stone is as small as possible. A flush mount requires a silicone bridge between the rounded edge of the sink and the bottom of the stone, which requires maintenance and doesn't look as nice to me.

Hi , we just had our sink and counter tops installed. I wanted a flush mount like we had before, but they gave us a small positive reveal(about 1/8” of the sink is showing). Is this harder or easier to keep clean? Thanks!

Chris:

Lucky you, you've got the best reveal. Negative reveals are crud covers, and because of the curve of the sink flange, a flush reveal makes an elongated silicone joint. That elongated joint tapers to such thinness that it starts to fray and looks terrible. A slight positive reveal misses the curved sink flange and makes a maintenance-free visible tight cleanable caulk joint.

Hi everyone. I've been reading and learning a lot as I myself am planning a kitchen remodel. Countertops/sink/faucet will be the very last phase. After learning more, I think I've decided what I want but wanted to solicit your opinions. For a quartz countertop and copper farmhouse sink, I'd like to do an undermount installation with 0 reveal on the left and right but a slight positive reveal on the back edge. The goal of doing a positive reveal on the back edge is to essentially create enough of a lip so that I can rest a cutting board/colander over the front and back of the sink. Would love your thoughts about this so see what considerations I may have missed.

Rosanna:

You don't want a flush or zero reveal. It makes an elongated silicone joint that frays and collects crud. You want a slight positive reveal or larger around your sink.

You fabricator may not be on board with this, as the negative reveal he loves allows some slop as to how the sink is installed, lowering his risk.

@Joseph Corlett, LLC thank you for your response. Im ok with a very slight positive reveal on the sides. I didnt follow your second paragraph. A fabricator would not be on board with what? Can you explain slop and what risk?

"Slop" is vernacular for "variation". When a fabricator has more variation, it lowers his risk of having a slightly misplaced sink noticed. Lowered risk = more money.

Regarding the soapstone countertop reveal at the sink from Neitsdelf, I am wondering how that worked out. I'm getting a stainless deep undermount sink (Julien Smartstation) with soapstone. I considered the apron front to reduce possible chipped top edges from moving pots in and out of the sink, but prefer the sleeker undermount look. Does the soapstone still look good, and if any chipping was it easy to sand down? Thank you.

cabinathome:

Round your top sink edge profile and you'll minimize chipping, no matter the material.

Any pros and cons to the positive reveal for a flush set cutting board, or better to have the cutting board sit on top of the sink? The newest style seems to be a flush cutting board. Seems if the cutting board sits on top of the sink and the countertop, then is would be easier to slide cut food off the cutting board onto a pan or plate. Thoughts?

This is what you get with a positive reveal for setting a cutting board.

Any updates guys on the minimum positive reveal, if it collected gunk or had any disadvantage ?

Sorry Dino, but you've pictured a leaking sink. Were that sink strapped in place instead of clipped, it wouldn't leak and there'd be no crud. Ever. For years.

blueprinting:

A slight positive reveal is the best option for undermouting sinks. No crud lip, no elongated silicone line, and the sink protects the bottom of the stone.