Here is one more reason to love the Blanco Cascade Precis (and the Precis large bowl which is my prep sink): I already owned a cutting board that was 16" long and therefore fits perfectly on the reveal of the sinks, and my larger baking sheets can sit on top, or fully on the bottom, of either sink.

Uh oh........I now forsee a spin off conversation about sink reveal preferences!

kksmama, tell me more about your precis large bowl prep sink. Can you show more pictures. I will need a prep sink in my island. I do not want it to be too big or too small.

The picture with the cutting board is the prep sink, I think the size is perfect. I often take the basket that came with the larger précis cascade sink and use it in the prep sink. You can compare this one to the ones above where the basket is in phonelady's précis cascade sink. I don't wash pots or pans in my prep sink, but I could, as even the largest baking pans fit. Never would've heard of silgranit without gardenweb, so I'm happy to pay forward by telling everyone how much I love my sinks!

Here is a link that might be useful: kksmama reveal

I recommend against them. My contractor warned me it was untried, but I loved the look. Be warned, they crack. Blanco will replace them, but they don't pay for taking apart the cabinets, pulling up the granite counter top, etc. to do the replacement. In ours, the crack started after a few years and has been slowly moving out from where the garbage disposal fits. Also, the sink stains, and contrary to manufacturer's statement, its hard to get the stains out.

cecarr you are the very first person on gw to say blanco sinks suck. so many people have them and love them.
you are right about blanco not paying to remove the counter etc but no company would do that. if the sink was installed to blanco specs, then the counter would not need to be removed. mine was made to fit in a too small cabinet by my granite fabricator and i too will have to remove the counter to get the sink out but that is not blanco's fault or responsibility.
i am sorry you have a crack and a stain but you are among the minority. i hope not to join you:)

Cecarr wrote: "my contractor warned me it was untried". That is ludicrous to think Silgranit is untried. In any case, Cecarr signed up to the GW solely to resurrect an old thread and insert a negative post. I believe the post is not legitimate, and is for the purpose of trolling on a lengthy and enthusiastic older thread.

In other timely news, does anybody think Lehman Brothers could get in trouble this year?

I've had my Swan Quartz Granite Sink for about 4 years now... and LOVE IT!!! Biggest thing... You Don't Need a Grate to protect it... THAT'S WHY I went with this sink cause I was sick and tired of the food getting caught in the wire rack. There's no cracks, scratches, stains... it's in great condition still, and I have really put the abuse on it... But just clean it with a soft nylon sponge and regular dish soap. No Harsh Chemicals!!! Then use a little Granite Polish, and it will look like New again.

I've poked around Houzz on and off for a while, but just discovered the Garden Web forum. Wow! So much information. I'm sure it will be a great source as we research (and hopefully do!) our small kitchen remodel. Cabinet refacing, new counters and backsplash, and new stainless appliances. I'd love to change my light (faux travertine) tile floors to wood, but alas there is a budget of sorts to keep within. Was looking at sinks and came across the Blanco silgranite and thought they were beautiful.. but wondered how they would hold up. Thus.. my arrival here. My counters will probably be a light quartz, cabinets a dark wood and appliances will be SS. I thought that the grey silgranite would be a good option if I did not want to use a SS sink, and wonder if anyone has used it with SS appliances? If not grey.. would you go with a cream color to match the quartz?

well I'm coming in late, and for those of you who think cecarr is wrong, I have to say, cecarr is CORRECT! I had my Silgranit sink in for ONE DAY and it chipped. Here's a picture. My range isn't even installed yet, so we didn't cook with pots or pans. Noting heavy got used or washed in the sink. We only washed a few glasses, two plates two forks, two knives, two spoons and one glass dish that came out of the microwave.

Blanco will not pay for a new install. I have to pay for that. Now mind you, I just paid $8,000 for the installers to place the Caesarstone and the sink.

ONE DAY people. Blanco will not pay for a new install. Beware, just plain beware.

kmkane:

You should be able to have that sink changed out for about $300.00.

OK I was all over it until this pic of THE CHIP. What gives? And I am still confused - I've never owned a sink grate. Why would I want one?

Laura: These sinks are incredibly tough. In my experiment to see if I could remove scratches, I had to use a diamond blade to make a scratch. It's a $300.00 change out. In the scope of life-is-unfair, that's not much.

Laura G - if you read this very long thread, you will see all the enthusiastic Silgranit sink owners. I myself have had two Silgranit sinks in two kitchens, totaling about 7 years of use. Never had a chip, and I washed my Lodge cast iron and my Le Creuset in there, and banged them now and then. When I left those kitchens, the Silgranit sinks looked the same as the day they were installed.

In answer to your question about sink grids - I do not use them. For me, sink grids are just one more thing to clean. People who use sink grids like them for several reasons: they raise the depth of the sink which some people find easier to work with, they can act as a drying rack if you want to lay your washed pots on them to dry, and, in stainless steel sinks, grids prevent the stainless steel from scratching.

I am not trying to challenge Kmkane, but there has to be more cause than the sink just spontaneously chipping after being installed for 1 day, and not used. I have been on this forum for a while, and in all the many threads about Silgranit, this is the first such chip I have read about. Perhaps the sink was chipped during installation (one of the installers dropped a hammer or something), and the owner didn't see it till the next day. Or perhaps, the sink was provided to the countertop fabricator for templating, and it got damaged during that process. There have also been stories of sinks being damaged in shipping by sellers who do not pack the sink well. I am very sorry for Kmkane that this happened - it must be so stressful amidst all the other stresses of a kitchen renovation. But for any of the scenarios I just mentioned, a sink could be damaged regardless of whether it was Silgranit, stainless, fireclay or enameled cast iron. I would not condemn Silgranit sinks from this one episode.

@sahmmy_gw - the sink was not damaged in shipment nor in installation - I checked it with the installers before they left. Read my comment - it chipped with little use. It happened with glasses, flatware and pyrex dishes. Obviously, the sink was flawed, and I have to pay for a new installation. Just beware!

You can see an impact from a pointed object imo. Kudos to Blanco if they're willing to replace the sink.

I'm sorry this happened to you, Kmkane. Two years ago I put a small sample through torture tests and could barely scratch it, my sinks have handled heavy use every day since then and still look new. http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2666748/silgranit-research-knife-scratches-hammer-blows-and-more

@mayflowers, and what pointed object would that be? Were you there? Your IMO is worthless. The range isn't even working. We haven't even unpacked the kitchen. There were two plates, a small collection of flatware, some glasses. This is clearly a flaw. Many thanks to other posters who at least have a modicum of care.

Hi, if you are going for silgranit I would definitely NOT recommend the biscotti coloured one. It stains very easily and even with very regular cleaning with Blanco's cleaner, it really does not ever look clean...

We did have a charcoal coloured one before in another house, and I did like that one.

We installed a charcoal colored Blanco sink several months ago and love it! No scratches or stains, easy to clean and hard to damage. A perfect hardworking product.

I wonder if the reason why people with the anthracite or darker colored sinks like them so much is because the cracks are not visible or do they truly not have cracks? I noticed that a number of people attacked kmkane....but now that my sink has been installed for about 14 hours, unused overnight, the plumbing has not yet been installed, it is developing more cracks. I really cannot support this product at all. I will contact Blanco on Monday but even if they are willing to replace it, I would not risk a second install of this material, and it would be at least a couple more weeks (I already had to wait four weeks for it) and a lot of aggravation. See Corner crack in silgranit is anyone aware of another non-silgranit sink that will fit the dimensions of the diamond super single?

@practigal that is so frustrating! We like the dark color because it is a better fit for our overall aesthetic

@practigal. Thank you! Harder for me is that the Blanco rep - two weeks later has still not called me back. I'm happy for all who have had no issues, but feel very bad for those of us who have had to deal with, and pay for, flaws. You would think Blanco would have some sort of contingency fund for this. They KNOW people are using undermount sinks in high numbers these days.

If you want a sink that you don't have to "baby" and will stand up to hard use, this is it. I remodeled my kitchen ten years ago and was skeptical about the black silgranit sink. I was sure it would show every water mark and scratch. I am happy to say that I was complete wrong and it is one of the favorite things in my kitchen. It has not chipped or scratched, and there are no marks or blemishes. After years of hard use, a wipe with a damp towel and it looks new.

Interesting that this post was pulled up. I kept the sink, the corner cracks are still as is. They are extraordinarily low maintenance. It stays clean and white with a quick daily use of a microfiber cloth (those white Mr. Clean sponges also work but if you use a microfiber cloth daily you don't need to use those with all of their chemicals). It has never gotten any of those awful gray marks that the old kohler did that required lots of elbow grease to get rid. Note: if I had a pot or some other item that created those marks I would get rid of it. Given that it is in the back of my mind that the sink may one day crack a lot more and have to be replaced (a hassle under any circumstances) I am not sure that I would replace it with the same sink. They are super delicate until installed. They do chip if you drop a knife in them. While I cannot say that I would replace it with another silgranit sink, I would definitely buy a large single sink, absolutely everything fits in the sink and the extra space under the sink is wonderful.

Nice to see your update on your sink practigal. I am still going back and forth on the granite sinks but I really don't want a stainless steel sink again and with our budget it is either stainless or granite...

And I still have mine and like it a lot. No more problems from chipping. Looks great, feels great!

Nice to hear as that was a pretty good sized chip. So glad to know you are happy with it.

I just finished reading this thread from start to finish and just when I thought I knew what I was going to do, some negative posts started coming thru regarding cracking and staining. I'm days away from ordering a kitchen sink as part of my modest remodel. I'm in love with the silgranite super single sink. I just keep going back and forth on color. White? or Grey? I think either color would look good but I feel like the white will pop and look pretty. But I'm really afraid of staining. I've recently had my cabinets painted in BM white dove and I'm getting Monte Cristo granite counters. I would really love any advice anyone can offer on color and any long term problems encountered with the white silgranite sinks staining. Here are some pics of my cabinets and future counter tops. TIA. This has been a great thread to read.

Boosh - I have a Silgranit sink in anthracite (black). It's actually my second one in my second kitchen. I loved it so much, I bought it twice. It is easy care and shows nothing.

I recommend the gray color for you. Here's why. Because I think my Silgranit sink is the easiest sink I've ever had, I recommended it to my friend. She heard my enthusiasm, and bought one for her kitchen, but she bought it in the white color. She finds it very hard to keep looking clean. She showed me how easily it stains from coffee and wine, and also how difficult it is to keep looking clean and get those stains out. I feel terribly guilty!

I had no idea the white color would behave so differently from the anthracite. After seeing first-hand my friend demonstrate the easy staining and the difficult cleaning of the white color, I cannot recommend it. I would absolutely though buy another silgranit sink in a darker color without hesitation. I think the gray would not stain like the white, and it would go with your beautiful granite.

M Miller- thanks so much for your response. it helps a lot. i'd rather make the practical choice now than regret an expensive choice later just because i wanted pretty. thanks again for taking the time to respond and i'm glad your sink has worked well for you.

Studying some of the comments concerning the silgranit sinks cracking I would recommend that folks make sure that the sinks have been stored in the house and acclimated to room temperature before installation. Contractors quite often will store materials outside or in a garage where the temperature is colder (especially in the winter). If the sink has not acclimated it will expand some when it warms. If the sinks are clamped into place while they are still cold the stress against the clamps once they start to expand will actually make the sink torque slightly, thus putting extra strain on flanges, etc.. This is not just an inherent problem with this material but any material. It's simple physics......don't let your contractor (or husband) bring a material that has been stored in a cold place inside and then start an install immediately, the items need to acclimate first.

Another excellent reason to attach sinks with a Hercules Universal Sink Harness or a Sink Strap. Since there are no clips grabbing the flange, a sink could move without problems.

edit

Use a microfiber cloth on the white silgranite and expect to use those white sponges on it.

I have a black swanstone sink and I hate it. It shows soap spots and water spots. Will I have similar issues with the Blanko sink? I was thinbking of getting it in the dark grey color. I must have hard water and I have to rub oil on my sink to keep it shiney

Water hardness is a culprit for spots (well water?). Municipal water that is treated with chlorine will spot also. Those factors will even stain a stainless steel or aluminum sink. Any sink material has its pros and cons. You need to factor in the type of water that you have, with the type of usage. If your faucet even drips slightly you'll have splatters and build up on any sink material.

I don't have well water but the municipal water is treated. I think the problem on my Swanstone sink is more soap spots and the sink just gets really dull.

i installed the metallic gray Silgranite sink 3 years ago and I loved it. I cook with heavy pots and pans (cast iron and a large LaCrusette set) and I notice there would be gray marks on the middle separating the sinks due to resting the heavy pans on it while I washed them but otherwise I love love loved that sink. (You can see the mark's in the picture below) The marks could be buffed out if done right away and It washed up easily with soap and a scrub. It has a pretty sparkle with the metallic color and it matched the stainless appliances quite well. There's a soft luxiourious feel to the sink and the water noise is muffled unlike a tinny stainless steel sink. We just sold that house and the sink looked brand new.

Just bought another house with an older whitish colored silgranite sink that looks dull and stained so I agree that the lighter colors don't hold up as well. Loved my gray sink. Never heard of cracking or chipping. My teenagers dropped the heavy pots into the sink all of the time. They chipped the granite in several places around the sink.... but never the sink itself.

Just saw this thread. I am getting blue pearl countertops with white cabinets. Hardware will be brushed nickel. I wanted the Precis 24, but it wasn't in stock in any of the local stores. I got the blanco vision in cinder. Wondering if I should also order it in truffle as I can return what I don't use. ITs very difficult to try and match the countertop with the online color squares. Does anyone have either color and could you post pics? Also, what is the difference between vision and precis? couldn't find any differences between the 2 models. Thanks! :)

B T. If this helps, cinder in on the grey side and truffle in the brown side. I think they're quite different

Thanks! Online the truffle appeared to be a lighter grey. Any pics? Please post.

Truffle reminds of truffle..:) it's definitely a warm color.

sorry for the poor quality

if your other materials are on the cooler side( cool colored granite, bright clean white)-I wouln't get Truffle

PS do you have a showroom near you somewhere? that was where I first saw this Blanco Silgranit in Truffle-and there, my decision was made in the matter of seconds. I just love the color.

And it's much easier to see the difference between models IRL..digital images can be very misleading

Have Silegranit send you a 2" sample, please.

Yes, contact Blanco for color samples that they will mail to your home. However, call them, don't use the online tool - online requests to Blanco do not seem to be successful. When you call, you will get a live person. Tell them which colors you are interested in, and you will get your samples in 7-10 days. The number is 888-668-6201.

I commented on this thread a while back when I was trying to decide between the silgranite white or a darker color. I really wanted white because I thought it'd be prettier but I was afraid of the potential staining problems. Well I went for it and got the silgranite super single sink in white from home depot online. Even though the pictures don't show it, I bought the matching grate as well. I think the grate is a good investment as it protects both the sink and your dishes if you happen to drop them. It's been about 7 months now and I'm still so happy with my choice. I haven't had any problems with staining. I am careful with it as I would be with any item that cost me $300+ but I don't feel it's extreme. I always rinse out the sink after I use it and do at least a weekly clean with a liquid soft scrub unless I've done a lot of cooking. I have a bunch of microfiber cloths I got from Amazon that I use to wipe off any water spray on the counters' edge by the sink. I am meticulous about this because I have very hard water. Overall I love this sink. It's functional and beautiful.

Thanks everyone for the informative comments. I haven't been able to find a local showroom. I had to look at the online display before ordering. I was told I can return with no problem, but that would still be an extra headache. I'll call tomorrow for samples. I'm now told that after the cabinets are installed, the fabricator will come to measure for the granite. I know I want the blue pearl, but I've only been able to find the lighter version. I'm still hoping to find the darker/bluer one. Please excuse any mistakes in this posting as it's 4:46am :)

Just now seeing this thread. Love my silgranit sink, BUT I do have 2 chips. I'm commenting here because one was caused by a WINE GLASS slipping out of my hand. Ironically, the wine glass did NOT break. Don't know how the other occurred. It is located on the divider.