Well, I said I wasn’t going to talk about my kitchen anymore.
Oops.
But I’m not really talking about my kitchen, just my kitchen sink!
I’ve had many of you ask about the durability and quality of my sink, so I thought I would share with you a few of the things that I found out. (After I made my purchase.) 
I will be honest that I often choose form over function.
Here are the two things I considered when looking for my sink online:
1. I wanted a pretty farmhouse sink.
2. I wanted an inexpensive, pretty farmhouse sink.
That’s it.
Here’s what I didn’t know before I started looking for a farmhouse sink:
Farmhouse sinks are NOT cheap!
Sheesh!
I about died when I started searching the web for a farmhouse sink! The prices are steep!
The best deal I found was the farmhouse sink from IKEA. It was only $313!
I bought it, brought it home, and it didn’t fit in our cabinets. By like half an inch! UGH!!
If our dishwasher wasn’t right beside our sink, Cy may have tried to rebuild some cabinets to make it fit. But he wasn’t able to do it with out some major changes to our lower cabinets, which would have ended up taking a lot of time and more money. Not good.
After looking online for hours, it seemed the cheapest farmhouse sinks were $600, and then they go WAY up from there.
I found my farmhouse sink at Signature Hardware. You can purchase items online or at their store. We needed our sink quickly, so I picked it up at the store since it was located in Northern Kentucky.
I LOVE my farmhouse sink! It is was the most expensive part of the budget for our kitchen makeover, but it was worth it.
Since buying our sink, I’ve done a little research online to find out more about fireclay sinks.
I wanted to share with you what I found out.
First of all, What is Fireclay?
Widely used in London, England, for their durability and style in the late 1800s, fireclay sinks finally have made a design comeback. Fireclay sinks are forged at extremely high temperatures, which cause the clay and glaze to unite. The result is a sink that is not only extremely durable, but also will look shiny and new for many years to come. (source)
How durable is fireclay?
The modern fireclay apron sinks are commonly covered with a thick layer or glaze which is irrefutably acid, alkali, chip, scratches and impact resistant. (source)
I love the look of fireclay farmhouse sinks because they are classic, elegant, and a great focal point for you kitchen.
Fireclay sinks do not rust, discolor, or fade. Yay!!
(source for the two pictures above)
How is Fireclay different from Cast Iron?
A cast iron sink is beautiful as well, but here is the difference…
Cast iron is fired at a much less temperature than fireclay, and not as durable. The glaze is softer than the glaze on fireclay. Cast iron also chips easily, and when it does, rust appears under the glaze. Plus customers are specifically asked not to use abrasives or harsh cleaners. (source)
We had a cast iron sink in our last home, and I loved the look. But I accidentally chipped part of the white glaze off when a pot slip out of my hand. 
Cast iron sinks are usually more expensive than fireclay sinks, but some believe they are more durable. Here is a great link that discusses the pros and cons of fireclay vs. cast iron sinks: http://www.ehow.com/about_6672827_fireclay-vs_-cast-iron-sinks.html
As you can tell by what I found out about fireclay sinks, I am very happy with our purchase!
And after living with this sink for almost two months, I can honestly say that I am VERY pleased with our fireclay farmhouse sink.
It cleans up so easily and truly makes cleaning the kitchen more fun. I’m not kidding!
So I hope that helps you out if you are looking to buy a farmhouse sink in the near future.
What is your favorite type of sink?
