Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
deegw

Cutting hole in stainless sink

deegw
9 years ago

I am looking at a bargain stainless sink on ebay but it does not have any faucet holes. Who typically adds the holes in these types of sinks? Will the plumber do as part of the installation or do I have to take the sink somewhere else? What is the approximate cost for the job?

Comments (15)

  • speaktodeek
    9 years ago

    A plumber should easily be able to do this, although they may not be WILLING, due to the possibility you do not like their hole placement. I've actually done this myself quite easily using a hole saw WITH a central pilot bit. If your plumber won't do it, then I suggest taking the sink, marked, to a local metal fabricating/machinist shop and having them do it. My local shop charges $30 minimum for 1/2 hour shop time (you have to commit to a minimum of 30 min shop time which is $30 per half hour, that is) and this job should easily be doable within that window.

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    9 years ago

    deee:

    If your sink doesn't come pre-drilled, the holes probably go in the deck. Let's see a picture or at least post the sink dimensions, please.

    Stainless steel is notoriously difficult to drill.

  • deegw
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    The sink is the last part of a mini update for my kitchen. I am replacing a brownish gray composite drop in sink that is resting on top of our white laminate counters. The sink configuration, drain positions and bowl dimensions of the bargain sink are very similar to our current sink.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Bargain sink

  • Mrs_Nyefnyef
    9 years ago

    I am sorry, but I don't think that sink is such a good buy. First, the pain in the neck factor of having to drill holes - most top-mount sinks come with several holes pre-drilled. I went on the Elkay website and looked at the specs for this sink. The spec picture for this model indicates that there are holes pre-drilled; this one does not - likely the reason why it's on eBay cheap. Second reason is that the bowl configuration isn't that great - neither bowl is big enough to be able to wash things easily. They both are pretty cramped. You can find sinks in that 33" size that are laid out differently so that you have a least one bowl that has some room. Or, think about a single bowl sink so you don't have that barrier to bang into. Anyway, I would keep looking; remember, you get what you pay for.

  • deegw
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Hi Mrs. N - if you read my second post, you will see that I am trying to match our current sink for a mini kitchen make over. I know double bowls aren't popular on this forum but they work well for my cooking and clean up style.

    Similar 18 gauge sinks cost $250 and up. I am researching the cost of hole drilling to see if the sink will actually be a bargain for me.

  • speaktodeek
    9 years ago

    Have you looked at this sink at Lowes? I have this sink. I could have afforded any sink, but this one is great if you like a 33 x 22 double bowl top mount. I've had it for half a year now, installed, and it's great. Well mounted, it's NO problem to clean around, is very roomy, not noisy, and pretty in the deck. I think you can get it with different numbers of holes. I have four, one for faucet, one liquid dish soap over my soaking half, one hand soap over the other half, and one for my hot water dispenser. Don't let the sink snobs push you around; this is a great sink and not rip off priced. It will last as long as their overpriced ones do, no problem.

    Here is a link that might be useful: 33x22 double stainless top mount

  • nancyocean
    9 years ago

    My husband got a special drill bit that drilled a the necessary holes in our stainless sink. It wasn't expensive and he said it was pretty easy.

  • sahmmy_gw
    9 years ago

    Elkay makes good sinks and is a high-quality manufacturer. Therefore when they make a top-mount sink, they provide holes for it. Like the lovely sink pictured above by Beautybutdebtfree. My concern is that sink you've linked is an undermount sink, which would not come with holes, and the seller has made an error in the listing.

    You might be able to find other stainless steel sinks on eBay for good prices. Also have you checked MRdirect? There are some happy customers{{gwi:807}} on the Kitchens Forum. I'll link the website's sink T3121L. It's $94, and while not exactly like the one you've linked, it's close. Sometimes it's a good thing to try something just a tiny bit different than what you've had.

    Here is a link that might be useful: MR Direct Stainless Steel Top-Mounted Double Bowl

    This post was edited by Sahmmy on Sat, Aug 9, 14 at 13:45

  • speaktodeek
    9 years ago

    That's not an undermount sink (the ebay bargain). If it were, the deck would be absolutely flat until the bowl edge. This is a deck mount sink with the reinforcing, tapered ridge around the edge perimeter.

    I do suspect the reason it's bargain is that it's a manufacturing run mistake, lacking holes.

  • deegw
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    The sink is currently discontinued but if you look on AJ Madison they did sell it with no hole cuts. If you look on the Elkay site, they still carry the line but have discontinued all the drop ins.

    beautybutdebtfree - Our Lowes does not have that sink but it looks great. I like the large bowl, small bowl configuration so hopefully I will be able to find one.

    I guess I need to call my plumber and see if he likes to drill holes!

  • speaktodeek
    9 years ago

    The holes are not that big a deal, really, if you get someone who can drill. The biggest thing is marking them accurately so they drill in the right spot. Even then you have some leeway as the holes are smaller than the flange on the fixtures going into them so they can be moved slightly to be aligned with each other, even if the holes are slightly off. If you know what you want to mount into the holes, then you can drill the smallest hole needed; this gives you more fudge factor. You want a hole slightly larger diameter than whatever fits into it, but not so much larger that if you have to offset the fixture it shows the hole edge. But if you mark them accurately to start with and the driller uses a punch to divot the starting center, then a center pilot bit hole saw, it's not a big deal to drill these holes at all.

    What I'd be careful of is making sure the seller guarantees that it's a first quality sink and not warped deck or welding issues with the support rails welded under that raised ridge.

  • _sophiewheeler
    9 years ago

    Stainless has the tendency to warp when drilled. Plus, you really want a robust rim that will support a faucet properly. A heavy faucet and warped rim are a recipe for $$ thrown away on a now unsable product.

    There are plenty of inexpensive two bowl sinks out there that already come with the requisite holes. You don't need to reinvent the wheel.

  • greenhaven
    9 years ago

    By the time you buy that sink, pay for shipping and have someone drill holes who may or may not be successful you could just buy an off the shelf sink at any of the big box stores.

    If any adjustments need to be made to the plumbing they should be minor, easy and very cheap.

  • sahmmy_gw
    9 years ago

    Deee - I think Greenhaven makes a good point. That eBay sink you linked costs $99 + $23.68 shipping = $122.68 + the cost to cut the holes--let's say $30 as Beautybutdebtfree mentioned, so you are up to $152.68. Then the risk that there's a problem with either the holes or warping or compromising the deck. See Trebruchet's comment above, or look up his posts; he is an expert at all things sink-and-counter.

    If you didn't like the $94 sink I linked above, I found another sink at build dot com for $172, with holes, and with free shipping, so not much more money outlay than the eBay sink you linked (if you factor in the eBay sink shipping and hole-cutting). Plus I have a coupon code at build dot com for $5 - hey I know $5 isn't much, but every bit helps: the code is 5OFF99.

    Here is a link that might be useful: 18 gauge SS sink double bowl with holes, free shipping

    This post was edited by Sahmmy on Sun, Aug 10, 14 at 1:03

  • deegw
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Sahmmy - Thanks so much for the links. The MR DIirect sink looks great. Is that company a reincarnation of Galaxy Supply/ tIcor? We put a ticor in our last house and was really pleased with it.

    Thanks to everyone for your thoughts and suggestions.

    This post was edited by deee on Sun, Aug 10, 14 at 6:49