The sink should be able to be removed. The granite doesn't have to be removed. How is the sink attached underneath?

If the sink base is large enough, there should be not problem with removing the sink and replacing it with the same model. I've had clients that have had that done with no issues. It should be a $200 or so charge.

Now if the sink base was too small, and the sides were cut down to fit the sink into it, you will have to have the granite pulled.

Agree with debrak that one should be able to swap out the sink without ruining the granite. However, how big is the sink and how big is the sink base? Did they have to alter the sink base to fit the sink in it?

gr8day, I'm so sorry to hear your sink is giving out on you. I remember our conversations about gritty, shedding counters. :) I must say that I love the look of your counter and backsplash, calm, warm and welcoming.

I hope you can simply replace the sink. I don't understand how the size of the base cabinet determines whether the sink can be replaced without tearing out the counter.

Yes, that is the problem, the sink barely fit in there and it extends past the sides of the cabinet and is supported on the other side. We were able to get away with it because of it being in a curve and beside the dishwasher and there was dead space past the sides of the cabinet base. But that $200 sounds very appealing. Would that be from a granite installer? Who would be the one to call for installation? When I spoke to the granite people they were pretty much hands off. There is also a post in the middle of the cabinet below. The sink is attached with wood supports that we wouldn't be able to get to unless we remove the granite. The supports were glued and screwed. My husband doesn't see how we could do it without removing that piece of granite but we are not experts and are open to all suggestions! Thank you for the great info so far.

Yes, with the sink too large for the base, then that $200 flies out the window. That dollar figure is for when you have a sink simply replaced and you can get to everything and remove the sink from the interior of the sink base.

I see people advising that it's OK to "scoop" the sides of the sink base cabinet all the time on here. But, this is one of the problems that can result from doing so. You cannot replace the sink by being able to access it's attachment points from the interior of the sink base cabinet. Those attachment points are now outside of that sink base cabinet and into the cabinet sides and maybe even into the cabinet sides of the adjacent cabinets. You've got to remove the granite to be able to replace the sink. And no, no granite place will ever tell you that they can do that without damaging either the granite or cabinets. There is always some risk. And you, the customer have to absorb that risk.

At this point, since you don't love the granite, and the sink isn't actively leaking, I'd start a fund for replacing all of it at some point in the future. And choose a smaller sink for that base next time. If the sink starts leaking, which it can, your project just got put on fast forward and you may have to make other decisions at that point.

GreenDesigns, sorry I cross-posted, but glad to see I was on the right track.

May I ask you a question about gr8day's situation? Would it be possible to take a fairly radical knife to the problem? I would be tempted to go into the DW hole and cut that side of the sink base way down, like maybe a foot. Probably scoop the opposite side a few inches, too. Then, assuming clips and caulk could be dealt with, perhaps there would be enough room to drop one side of the sink down far enough to clear the base.

Of course, this would affect the integrity of the base. So, I would propose installing the new sink with strips or bars of metal (like 16 gauge steel or 1/8 Al) bridging the scooped opening, screwed to the remaining cabinet sides. The top of the strip could support the flange of the sink. If needed, perhaps a Sink Setter could be used to support the front/back flanges (or reuse the original clips if applicable). Do you think that may work?

I have a similar problem in my kitchen. My porcelain sink recently cracked due to poor installation (by the builder 11 years ago). I've been told that the only fix, with out replacing the granite, is to put in an over mount sink. Some of my neighbors have had the same problem ( the cabinets were not reinforced properly for the weight of the granite which was an option. The granite weights too much and eventually the sinks sink!) The over mount sinks look great and didn't damage their granite or their cabinets but I prefer the under mount.

I feel your pain. Good Luck.

So the place you got your granite won't do the job? I would call around and get estimates if you can. Also, I 2nd the idea to start saving and live with it as long as you can.

This is an issue that I have never seen come up before but should have. It was suggested to me several times to just cut the sides of the cabinets to fit a larger sink. We decided not to do it. No one ever suggested that it would be difficult to replace the sink if needed. The only negative I heard was that it compromised the integrity of the cabinets and might void the warranty.

Sorry you are in this situation gr8day. Unfortunately you might be the GW poster child for why not to cut cabinets etc. to fit a larger sink.

Yes, you potentially could cannibalize the sides of the cabinets to reach the sink clips etc. But, and this is a really BIG but, you'd have to create support for the granite FIRST. Those cabinet walls support that heavy slab of granite. If you cut too much of them away, the weight of the granite could collapse on top of you. Even if it didn't collapse, by compromising it's support, it could crack.

If you're taking the chance of it cracking from doing that much radical surgery, you might as well take the bigger chance that doesn't involve completely destroying your cabinets. Yes, the granite might crack. Yes, it might pull a little bit of the cabinet side off. All kinds of things might happen. But, I'd take the chance on might rather than an assured damage.

Around here, because most of the granite is 2cm, the installers put down plywood and sandwich the sink flange between the granite and the plywood, basically making it impossible to replace the sink without pulling the granite. We used a sinksetter and a hole cut in the plywood to clear the sink flange, just in case we needed to replace the sink. It's a little more work, and you need to let the adhesive holding the granite cure before you put it in, but we felt it was a good solution. We used all the granite that was available of the type we bought, so there's no chance of finding replacement stone if something happens to it. It's on our longest counter run with an L on one end that butts up against the range, so we would have to replace the counters on two walls.

I wish you luck on finding a good solution, and I'm sorry you're having this problem.

Good luck with your problem! I just had to jump on and say that I love your granite! It's exactly what I'm looking for! This is the kind of situation that I fear when I read about cracks in Silgranit sinks. I'm still going with one, but fear the complicated (and costly!) repair that would be involved should it ever crack! *Keeping fingers crossed that mine won't crack!*

I love your granite and cabinets. Sorry this happened to you. I would pull out the dishwasher and try to see if you have enough room to swap the sink.

Otherwise, I would think a good sealer could hold it for a while. Maybe something like they use for car windshield cracks to keep it from spreading.

Good luck!

Several lessons here:

- I had no idea sinks weigh so much.

- I had no idea cheating the sides of a sink base could result in such problems.

- I did know that granite was heavy, but I'm glad to learn about its need for strong support in the cabinets.

Sorry, I have no advice, but I am glad that you shared. Perhaps someone else will avoid similar problems.

If I were in your shoes, given that it isn't actively leaking right now . . . I'd wait. Put a dish pan underneath the sink because that could change at any moment. In the meantime I'd keep looking for the perfect items so that when the moment arrives that you're FORCED to do something about this, you'll be prepared.

It's a pretty kitchen. I hate you're having these problems.

Thanks so very much everyone. I really appreciate each of your kind replies and helpful information, I learned a lot! I get tired just thinking of doing all of this and the sink isn't leaking or anything as it's superficial at this point, but it's true that it could rust the cast iron once it starts to penetrate the coating but I am thinking that is a long way off. Boy, did I learn a lesson, never cheat a bigger sink into a smaller cabinet. It looks fine and not too big but the cabinet sides on the inside are where the problems begin. Not to mention another lesson I learned is that I had some left over granite but they offered to cut it for a large demilune furniture piece top in my foyer. I am wishing I had that piece now. I am not sure it would have been big enough just for the section around the sink but I will never know now.

Thank you for the compliments on the kitchen, I am the no clutter queen but looking at that picture maybe I should let up a little on that, ha ha.

When this is resolved I'll let you know what happened. It may be awhile!

Linelle, I hope the problem with the sink base was answered for you in the helpful posts above. Thanks so much appreciate the kind words.

I think if the sink is leaking then you need to change it immediately. No need to remove granite. But while changing a sink take a precaution that the granite will not harm.