A generic bathroom sink.

Many modern sinks are made of stainless steel such as this self-rimming example

In plumbing, a sink or basin is a bowl-shaped fixture that is used for washing hands or small objects such as food, dishes, nylons, socks or underwear. Plumbing, from the Latin plumbum for Lead, is the skilled trade of working with pipes, tubing and Plumbing fixtures for A plumbing fixture is a device which is part of a system to deliver and drain away water but which is also configured to enable a particular use Food is any substance usually composed primarily of Carbohydrates Fats water and/or Proteins that can be eaten or drunk by an Cutlery refers to any hand Implement used in preparing serving and especially eating Food in the Western world. Pantyhose (also called tights) are sheer, close fitting coverings of the body from the Waist to the feet A sock is a knitted or Woven type of Hosiery garment for enclosing the human foot Undergarments are clothes worn under other clothes often next to the skin In American plumbing parlance, a bathroom sink is known as a lavatory.

Sinks generally have taps (faucets) that supply hot and cold water and may include a spray feature to be used for faster rinsing. They also include a drain to remove used water; this drain may itself include a strainer and/or shut-off device and an overflow-prevention device. Sinks may also have an integrated soap dispenser. SOAP (see below for name and origins is a protocol for exchanging XML -based messages over Computer networks normally using

When a sink becomes stopped-up or clogged, a person will often resort to use of chemical drain cleaner or a plunger, though most professional plumbers will attack the clog with a drain auger (often called a "plumber's snake"). Drain cleaner is a product used to dissolve Clogs to unblock pipes, such as the drainpipes of Sinks Bathtubs Toilets and A plunger is a common device used to release stoppages in Plumbing. A plumber's snake sometimes known as a "toilet jack" or "electric eel" is a flexible Auger used to remove clogs in Plumbing that cannot be loosened

Materials

Sinks are made of many different materials. These include:

• Stainless steel
• Enamel over steel or cast iron
• Ceramic
• Plastic
• Soapstone
• Concrete
• Terrazzo
• Totianota
• Wood
• Stone
• Copper
• Glass

Stainless steel is commonly used in kitchens and commercial applications because it represents a good trade-off between cost, usability, durability, and ease of cleaning. In Metallurgy, stainless steel is defined as a Steel Alloy with a minimum of 11 In a discussion of Material science, enamel (or vitreous enamel or porcelain enamel in U Steel is an Alloy consisting mostly of Iron, with a Carbon content between 0 Cast iron usually refers to grey cast iron, but identifies a large group of Ferrous Alloys which solidify with a Eutectic. The word ceramic is derived from the Greek word κεραμικός ( keramikos) Plastic is the general common term for a wide range of synthetic or semisynthetic organic solid materials suitable for the manufacture of industrial products Soapstone (also known as steatite or soaprock) is a Metamorphic rock, a talc- Schist. Concrete is a construction material composed of Cement (commonly Portland cement) as well as other cementitious materials such as Fly ash and Slag Terrazzo is a Faux - Marble flooring or Countertopping material Wood is hard fibrous lignified structural tissue produced as secondary Xylem in the stems of Woody plants notably trees but also shrubs Copper (ˈkɒpɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol Cu (cuprum and Atomic number 29 Glass in the common sense refers to a Hard, Brittle, transparent Solid, such as that used for Windows many A trade-off (or tradeoff) is a situation that involves losing one quality or aspect of something in return for gaining another quality or aspect Most stainless steel sinks are made by drawing a sheet of stainless steel over a die. Drawing is a Manufacturing process for producing a Wire, bar or Tube by pulling on a material until it increases in length Sheet metal is simply Metal formed into thin and flat pieces It is one of the fundamental forms used in Metalworking, and can be cut and bent into a variety A die is a specialized Tool used in Manufacturing industries to cut shape and form a wide variety of products and components Some very deep sinks are fabricated by welding. Welding is a fabrication process that joins materials usually Metals or Thermoplastics by causing coalescence. Stainless steel sinks will not be damaged by hot or cold objects and resist damage from impacts. One disadvantage of stainless steel is that, being made of thin metal, they tend to be noisier than most other sink materials, although better sinks apply a heavy coating of vibration-damping material to the underside of the sink. is a one volume manga created by Tsutomu Nihei as a prequel to his ten-volume work Blame!.

Enamel over cast iron is a popular material for kitchen and bathroom sinks. Heavy and durable, these sinks can also be manufactured in a very wide range of shapes and colors. Like stainless steel, they are very resistant to hot or cold objects, but they can be damaged by sharp impacts and once the glass surface is breached, the underlying cast iron will often corrode, spalling off more of the glass. Spall are flakes of a material that are broken off a larger solid body and can be produced by a variety of mechanisms including as a result of Projectile impact Corrosion Aggressive cleaning will dull the surface, leading to more dirt accumulation. Enamel over steel is a similar-appearing but far less rugged and less costly alternative.

Solid ceramic sinks have many of the same characteristics as enamel over cast iron, but without the risk of surface damage leading to corrosion.

Plastic sinks come in several basic forms:

• Inexpensive sinks are simply injection-molded thermoplastics. A thermoplastic is a Plastic that Melts to a liquid when heated and freezes to a Brittle, very Glassy state when cooled sufficiently These are often deep, free-standing sinks used in laundry rooms. Subject to damage by hot or sharp objects, the principal virtue of these sinks is their low cost.

• High-end acrylic drop-in (lowered into the countertop) and undermount (attached from the bottom) sinks are becoming more popular, although they tend to be easily damaged by hard objects - like scouring a cast iron frying pan in the sink. Poly(methyl methacrylate ( PMMA) or poly(methyl 2-methylpropenoate is a Thermoplastic and transparent Plastic. A frying pan, frypan, or skillet is a pan used for Frying, Searing, and browning foods

• Plastic sinks may also be made from the same materials used to form "solid surface" countertops. Countertop (also counter top, countertopping, or ( British English) worktop) usually refers to a horizontal worksurface in kitchens other food These sinks are durable, attractive, and can often be molded with an integrated countertop or joined to a separate countertop in a seamless fashion, leading to no sink-to-countertop joint or a very smooth sink-to-countertop joint that can not trap dirt or germs. These sinks are subject to damage by hot objects but damaged areas can sometimes be sanded-down to expose undamaged material. Abrasive Paper is a form of Paper where an Abrasive material has been fixed to its surface

Soapstone sinks were once common, but today tend to be used only in very-high-end applications or applications that must resist caustic chemicals that would damage more-conventional sinks.

Wood sinks are from the early days of sinks and baths were made from natural teak with no additional finishing. Teak is chosen because of its natural waterproofing properties – it has been used for hundreds of years in the marine industry for this reason teak also has natural antiseptic properties, which is a bonus for its use in baths and sinks.

Glass sinks: A current trend in bathroom design is the handmade glass sink (often referred to as a vessel sink) which has become fashionable for wealthy homeowners.

Stone sinks have been used for ages. Some of the more popular stones used are: Marble, Travertine, Onyx, Granite.

Glass, concrete, and terrazzo sinks are usually designed for their aesthetic appeal and can be obtained in a wide variety of unusual shapes and colors such as floral shapes. Terrazzo is a Faux - Marble flooring or Countertopping material Aesthetics or esthetics ( also spelled æsthetics) is commonly known as the study of sensory or sensori-emotional values sometimes called A flower, also known as a bloom or Blossom, is the reproductive structure found in Flowering plants (plants of the division Magnoliophyta, also Concrete and terrazzo are occasionally also used in very-heavy-duty applications such as janitorial sinks.

Styles of sink

Sinks are available in many colours

A number of people can use this sink at the same time.

Self-rimming (top-mount) sinks sit in appropriately-shaped holes roughly cut in the countertop (or substrate material) using a jigsaw or other cutter appropriate to the material at hand and are suspended by their rim. The rim then inherently forms a fairly close seal with the top surface of the countertop, especially when the sink is clamped into the hole from below.

Bottom-mount or under-mount sinks are installed below the countertop surface. The edge of the countertop material is exposed at the hole created for the sink (and so must be a carefully finished edge rather than a rough cut). The sink is then clamped to the bottom of the material from below. Especially for bottom-mount sinks, silicone-based sealants are usually used to assure a waterproof joint between the sink and the countertop material. Silicones are largely inert compounds with a wide variety of forms and uses The advantage of an "under-mount" sink is that it gives a contemporary look to the kitchen but the disadvantages are extra cost in both the sink and the counter top. Also, no matter how carefully the cut out is made, the result is either a small ledge or overhang at the interface with the sink. This can create an environment for catching dirt and allowing germs to grow.

Solid-surface plastic materials allow sinks to be made of the same plastic material as the countertop. These sinks can then easily be glued to the underside of the countertop material and the joint sanded flat, creating the usual invisible joint and completely eliminating any dirt-catching seam between the sink and the countertop. In a similar fashion, for stainless steel, a sink may be welded into the countertop; the joint is then ground to create a finished, concealed appearance. Welding is a fabrication process that joins materials usually Metals or Thermoplastics by causing coalescence. A grinding machine is a Machine tool used for producing very fine finishes or making very light cuts using an abrasive wheel as the cutting device

A Belfast sink is a large ceramic sink with a traditional appearance, often set under work surfaces.

A farmer's sink is a deep sink that has a finished front. Set onto a countertop, the finished front of the sink remains exposed. This style of sink requires very little "reach-over" to access the sink.

A Vessel sink is a new type of sink that is currently popular with bathroom designers. They are made from many different materials in many different styles.

How Ceramic Basins Are Made

Pottery is made by a blend of clays, fillers and fluxes being fused together during the firing process. A white or coloured glaze is applied and is fused chemically and physically to the clay body during the same firing process. The finished product (vitreous china) has a very hard surface and is resistant to fading, staining, burning, scratching and acid attack. Due to the firing process and natural clays used, it is normal for the product to vary in size and shape, and +/- 5mm is normal.

Accessories

An automatic sink is a sink fitted in a public restroom. See also Toilet A washroom, public toilet, public convenience, comfort room, toilet room, bathroom, water closet It uses a motion-sensing valve to detect the user's hands moving beneath the faucet. It then turns the water on.

Sinks, especially those made of stainless steel, can be fitted with an integrated drainboard, allowing for the draining of washed dishes, such as the sink in the photograph at the start of the article.

See also

• Domestic water system
• Floor plan
• Garbage disposal
• Plumbing
• Plumbing fixture (drains)
• Proverbial kitchen sink
• Tap (valve) (faucet)
• Trap (plumbing)