My gc hadn't installed an apron front ss one either, but I had the sink in hand and I plotted out the install very carefully, and then he did it according to my specs (and thanked me for thinking it thru). I will try to go home and post pics of how we/they did it, but in the meantime, can you share the name/specs/etc of your sink? A picture from the sellers website will help. Maybe with that info others can more readily join in.

You might be able to get installation instructions from the sink's manufacturer website. I know that Shaw's has a sheet that explains the dimensions and what kind of support is needed.

Also, FWIW, the show "kitchen renovations" on DIY network had an episode on installing a farmhouse sink, admittedly a ceramic one, not a metal one, but the website allows you to view the segment. I found it helpful when thinking thru my install.

Poorowner, I'll post pics tonite. Hold on before you drill into the sink lip -- ! I would think that one way to keep the sink from slipping forward would be to brace it from inside/underneath. But I am undermounting the sink, so now that the cabinet is cut, I'll pull the sink fwd enough to fit the faucet and soap dispenser behind it, and then silicone the sink into place. That'll hold it, as will the weight of the counter on top of the sink, which will also be siliconed in place (either a negative reveal or a slight positive reveal over the sides of the sink).

ALSO, i found Franke sink grates that fit the Overstock sink perfectly (mine's the double sink with one slightly larger bowl). If that's what you have, I'll share the info with you. They look so nice!

Evilbunnie, good idea.. mine is 36" version single bowl, so I havn't seen one big enough except from Lavello which seems to be selling the same sinks.

Very interested in your pictures. I pretty much figured it out but my ways are always overkill. I also think 2 short screws on the very back edge of the apron will be an option and that area is always hidden no matter what installation.

to OP sorry for jacking, hopefully the info here is also relevant to your install.

I installed a shaw's 30 inch farmhouse sink on my own. I would do a search on google as there are several helpful articles on the topic.

I basically made a template on a piece of cardbard for the shape of the sink in relation to where I planned for it to sit in the cabinet.

I think but the template out and traced it on plywood and cut it out. I used this as my test piece and checked how it fit on the sink. This will give you an idea of how you did.

When I was happy with the template, I taped it to the cabinet front and traced the shape of the sink. I think put blue tape on the cabinet along the cut out line and enough around the area to protect the same. Since I have white cabinets, I bought a downward cutting blade for my jigsaw.

Then came the moment of truth. Very nerve racking to make the cut into a new cabinet. It came out ok, little on the small side but a bit of sanding did the trick. I think built a plywood platform in the cabinet and installed the sink.

I did not brace the cabinet in any way to prevent forward movement. This was taken care of by the installation of the countertop and caulking. I did installed a 2 by 4 behind the sink to prevent movemetn backwards.

Just some advice, smart to put a small piece of tape on either side of the sink where it meets the cabinet. Why, because the counter installers have a way of moving things around. They moved my sink slightly to the left and I didn't realize it until the caulking dried. Not a big deal but just a thought.

good luck.

Okay, I'm new at the posting pics thing (like never done it before) but here goes. The sink is dry fit in the cabinet, not actually installed, because we're still working on 800 things before the counters go in. And I say "we" but it's really the GC with me freaking out about the details and poking and nagging (thank god he's great and lets me "help")

This photo also shows the sink with the two filler panels on either side.
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okay, what you need to know is that it's a 33 inch sink in a 33 inch cabinet. The sink is 10 inches deep overall, but the sides of the sink go down 9 inches, and then there's a lip formed of the stainless steel, and then the sink bowl itself extends another inch below the lip of the side. I asked the GC to cut the cabinet sides down 9 inches so that the sink would rest on the cabinet sides, while the top of the sink stays flush with the cabinet top.
The front of the sink, which is bowed out, is mostly hollow, except for about 1 inch at each front corner - that's where the side lip is. So the front of the cabinet doesnt' need to be cut down the full 9 inches -- it just needs a 1 inch vertical slice cut off each corner (now freed of the cut-off sides)to a depth of 9 inches. Does that make sense?

The back does not need to be cut, because the sink sits forward of the back of the cabinet box. The GC left that intact, which is smart.

I have asked him to install bracing inside the cabinet, because while the sink is relatively light when empty, it will be heavy when filled. And that's a big sink.

I'll take close up pics in a minute - gotta pick up the hubster at the train.

Ok Now I'm back. I just took the sink out of the cabinet and took pics. So here goes - ignore the random mess in the photos. This first pic is the sink itself -- side view to show you how the bowl of the sink extends below the sides of the sink. Btw, the sink is from Overstock.com. I think the mfr is Vigo. It did not come with any instructions for installation.

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I've upended the sink on its back, (that's the stainless sink with the blue plastic on it), and the white thing jutting out to the right is the bowl of the sink (it's sprayed with sound insulation.)

This next pic is a view of the sink, again removed from the cabinet and upended on its back, this time looking down from above at the front apron of the sink. You can see the square bowls of the sink protruding below the apron, as well as my crocified feet.
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These pictures of the sink are just to explain how this particular sink is formed with a lip that allows it to rest on the cutaway sides of the cabinet. YMMV.

This next pic is the overall view of the cutout sink cabinet. You'll notice that despite my prior note that the front of the cabinet need not be cut as deeply as the sides (because the apron is hollow) my GC did in fact cut the face of the sink cabinet even with the side cutouts. I believe those cuts are 9 " deep all around, except for the back. (Recall that the overall depth of the sink is 10")
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The above photo shows clearly the filler panels on either side of the sink. The cabinet designer recommended that we put those in, because the DW is going right next to the sink, and she didn't know whether the undermount apron sink would need something in between. So I bought them, and I now like them, and they may help to keep down any noise or vibration of the DW against the sink.

If it weren't for the DW, I don't think I'd do the filler panels. The sink itself is 32 15/16" wide, in a 33" cabinet. It just fits perfectly. You couldn't do that with a Shaw's sink, because you need the extra material (width and height) to scribe for the irregularly shaped sink. I don't know whether the OP's copper sink is more like a stainless steel farmhouse, or more like a Shaw's fireclay, but I figure it can't hurt to offer this info. Plus I know Poorowner's doing a similar install, so it can't hurt to have someone else check my methods.

Here's a closeup of the sink cabinet cutout, looking towards the side of the cabinet.
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And here's the sink back in the cabinet, a closeup showing the sink resting on the cutout, with the filler strip butting up against it. It's a beautiful, tight fit. I'm very happy with the job my GC is doing, especially since this was just one of the many curveballs I threw him.
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And here is a gratuitous shot of the sink cabinet in relation to some of the other cabinets, and in relation to my new diamond checkerboard cork floor that I installed myself!

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thanks for the details, it looks lovely in your future kitchen!

The side of mine is just like this

I plan to cut a slot at about 9" down and slide in the sink, looks like yours is wrapped much more on the sides?

Yes, mine is wrapped all the way around. Who would have thought they'd be so different?

I'm not sure I _quite_ understand how you're doing your install, but I can see from your other posts that you know what you're doing. What size cabinet is it in relation to the sink?

And -- I looked at the sink grids again -- they're Blanco, not Franke. Don't know why I confused them.

*the customer's cabinet contractor(who has installed over 50 farm sinks a year /per him) built something FIRST: then the granite was installed:

12 year old cabinets: customer called and paid her cabinet company who installed 12 years ago: and paid them lots of money to come and modify: marble went in last.
(don't have a picture of under her sink)

(we had one customer who was a little upset with installers because: the granite installers were not able to put her 4" granite backsplash behind her farm sink: due to not enough room. Customer ended up putting in tile splash behind the sink area: and granite 4" in the rest of the kitchen. Sink was too big and the faucet took up too much room.
*thought that might help others by mentioning that.

Petra -- thanks for those pics of interior cabinet supports for the farm sinks!

And I agree that the new fashion in farm sinks requires owners to think hard about the sink and countertop design in terms of cabinet depth and relationship btn sink depth front to back, the room needed behind sink to adquately operate (and clean!) around the faucet, and the relationship of the faucet body to any window trim (i.e. you might need to place a tall faucet more forward in the cabinet to account for deep window trim behind sink). Of course, having a deeper sink cabinet helps with this (or pulling the sink cabinet forward a few inches) but it has to be considered at the earliest part of design.

Yes, if I am doing the calculation correctly I have 4.5" strip of counter behind the sink for the faucet, I may have to rotate the faucet so the handle is in front.

Most I have seen on this site have the corners of the sink flush with the counter.

http://www.lavello-sinks.com/gallery-of-installed-sinks.html

Hey everyone!
Thanks a million!! Wonderful pictures. Great instructions. I now have just what I need. You guys are the best!!

Evilbunnie,

How do you like your dual bowl Vigo farmhouse sink from overstock.com? I am seriously considering it, but I would really like to see it in person somewhere before buying it. Also, I don't know anything about the manufacturer, Vigo. Did you have any considerations on where to put the faucet, etc.? I am planning a small backsplash area behind the sink and I would also like to have a cold/hot water dispenser as well.

Any comments or suggestions for me?

Evilbunnie,
I'm installing a farmhouse sink and I see above that you had posted pics of your install but unfortunately they were deleted or moved can you help me out? Can anyone help me out withthis install?
Thanks in advance!!

This may be of help. The basics are the same with corners being easier/more difficult depending on shape.

Here is a link that might be useful: farmsink step by step

Step by Step Instruction
I found this on a site to help you :)

Step 1: Countertop Cut-Out. Use the sink upside down to trace the cut out of the countertop. Use precise measurements.

Step 2: Cabinet Cut-Out. Cut the front of the base cabinet according to the front apron of the farm sink. Please note that the front of the sink is slightly tapered. This means that the width of the top is slightly wider than that of the bottom. You should make a template using heavy paper or carton so that your cabinet is cut at the same angle as the sink.

Step 3: Supporting the Sink. Mount the undermount installation kit (WHUMSB) to the inner side walls of your cabinet. We then recommend putting plywood on the rods to create a large smooth flat surface. Drill the neccessary drain holes. If you did not purchase the kit you will need to create a custom support using 2x4's.

Step 4: Leveling. Slide your sink in and make sure it is leveled on bottom and top. Make adjustments if necessary.

Step 5: Sealing. Using a silicone sealer seal all edges of the sink to the countertop to prevent water from leaking into your cabinet.

Enjoying. Invite all your friends and family over for dinner and show off your new gorgeous sink!

* Recommend purchasing a stainless steel grid to protect your investment.

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Also here how to maintain your fireclay farmhouse sink...

*For normal cleaning, we recommend scrubbing the surface of your fireclay sink using hot water and a soft sponge or cloth with a mild abrasive. Then wipe the entire surface with a dry, clean, soft cloth.

*For heavy duty cleaning, and those tough marks, use any general purpose cleaner. The most recommended cleaning product is "Astonish". This can be found in most Super Market chains as well as on eBay! As a cheaper and easier product to find, AJAX works just fine even for those annoying pot marks.

*Do not use any metallic wire sponges, this may cause damage to the sinks finish

Here is a link that might be useful: How to install a Fireclay Farmhouse Sink