Runnels?

straycat2010

17 years ago

1) Can someone please tell me which kinds of counters can have runnels/drainboard? Is it mainly soapstone? Can you get runnels in quartz, granite, corian or silestone?

I am doing some searching but not finding much pertaining to WHICH materials can be equiped with runnels.

2) When you have runnels, do you still need a dish rack? I cannot decide how I want my kitchen island because if I just have the flat surface and I want to put a dish rack on it, I think it would look bad. So I was thinking I'd get an island with a raised back. Any advice or pics?

3) Also, out of the above mentioned countertops, which is the least expensive and most expensive (if it's possible to answer such a question, or maybe it all depends on where you live?!)?

TIA (and sorry to put so many questions in one post).

Anita :-)

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Comments (4)

raehelen
17 years ago
Anita,

You can get runnels in granite- though by my standards it is expensive- several hundred $$$. Plus, I don't think too many fabricators have much demand for this, so they may not be too competent. I have seen pics of some that would not make me very happy if they were on my counter. I really thought I wanted them, as I always had a dish rack and water accumulating on my old kitchen counter. But, with my new kitchen, and MUCH bigger sink, I keep a SS dish rack in one of the sinks, and love having all that extra counter space!

So, keep in mind that your dish washing pattern may change in a new kitchen, and you may not want a dish rack up on the counter anymore. Just my two cents worth! :>)
igloochic
17 years ago
My granite guy fabricates runnels in marble and granite so I suppose he could do it in pretty much any stone. I've seen them in corian, but it probably depends on the dealer's capability there and I've not a clue about silestone.

I have them on my stainless steel countertops and while they're great, and yes you can dry say a pan or bowls on them without a rack, I still use a rack because I wash a lot of little stuff (bottles china etc) so I suppose it depends on what you wash.

I can't answer number three because it all depends on what you pick in any of the catagories. There are cheap granites and expensive ones...same I'd imagine with the other counters you've mentioned, and I didn't price corian cuz I think it's yucky :oP (that's what I ripped out heh heh)
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straycat2010
Original Author
17 years ago
Raehelen,

What a great point! I hate dish racks and I really don't want one in my new home! Funny enough, I was so concentrated on runnels and how to avoid the dish rack that I never once thought about keeping a stainless steel dish rack in one of the sinks! Problem solved...I think...!

THANKS!! :-)
straycat2010
Original Author
17 years ago
Igloochic,

Thanks for the reply! I live in a not-so-big city and I doubt I'd find many places where they do runnels period...lol
I think I'm satisfied to go with a SS dish rack in one of the sinks. I cannot believe I didn't think of that myself. Oh well, I'm happy someone thought of it.

Thanks again for taking the time to answer! :-)

Anita