Frequently Asked Questions
Q. "These sinks are described as featuring 'Type-304 stainless steel construction'. What does 'Type 304 stainless steel' mean?"
A. The term "stainless steel" refers to specific grades of steel that contain more than 10% chromium. Stainless steel may also include a variety of other elements (such as nickel, titanium, etc.); it resists corrosion and is generally a stronger, more reliable steel. There are a number of different "types" (grades) of stainless steel; specifically, Type 304 (aside from having a higher content of chromium than most other Types of stainless steel) also contains nickel. This enables it to withstand most ordinary corrosion in architecture, is durable in typical commercial environments, and resists most chemicals.
Q. "Please explain the best gauge of stainless, which is longer lasting, etc?"
A. The lower the number, the thicker the material. In our opinion, 22 gauge is bare minimum - builder quality. During the manufacturing process, stainless steel sinks are "stamped" into shape. That means that the material stretches and therefore the corners can be very thin. These Griffin sinks are 14 gauge, which means they are very thick and durable.
Q. "What's the difference between 'square corners' and 'coved corners'?"
A. "Coved corners" are NSF ("National Sanitation Foundation") approved because the corners and angles of the sink's working area (where the horizontal drainboards meet the vertical backsplash, for instance) are rounded, allowing for easier and more complete cleaning. The sinks with squared corners have tight angles where the vertical and horizontal areas meet; they're still high quality sinks, but the squared corners can make it very difficult to clean any grime that might build up there (and so also prevents them from meeting NSF standards).
Q. "I'm installing my Griffin sink in my new business, and ease of maintenance is important to me. Should I choose coved corners or squared corners?"
A. Because the sinks with coved corners have rounded "seams", they're much easier to clean than the squared-corner models. Also, the coved-corners sinks are NSF-approved, whereas the squared-corner sinks are not; your local building codes may require your sink to be NSF-approved, so be sure to check with your city or county building inspectors or Building Development Department to confirm what is required in your area before you select your sink.
Q. "What type of faucet is designed to be used with this style of sink?"
A. There are special faucets that are specifically designed to be used with sinks that have a backsplash like these Griffin models; they're called, appropriately enough, backsplash faucets. Backsplash faucets are wall-mounted faucets that have a special male-threaded extension that's designed to go through the backsplash of the sink, allowing for easier hook-up to your incoming water supply. You can go to our "backsplash faucets" page by clicking here.
Q. "Can I use the type of faucet that has a large riser with a spray-hose attached, like I've seen in restaurant kitchens?"
A. The type of faucet you're referring to is known as a "pre-rinse" faucet, and there are certainly pre-rinse faucets available (such as these pre-rinse faucets listed on our site) that can be used with these sinks. However, most pre-rinse faucets are designed to be mounted onto an actual wall and not through a sink's backsplash (unless otherwise stated in the faucet description), so you may need to use a special adapter kit, like the nipple kit we offer here. If your pre-rinse faucet has 1/2" female IPS inlets (like most do), these adapters should enable you to install your wall-mount pre-rinse faucets onto a sink with a backsplash.
Q. "The optional drainboards for the T75 series of sinks that you offer above are described as 'reversible'. What do you mean by that?"
A. The drainboards are not permanently attached to the sink, so they can be moved from one side of the sink to the other. They can even be mounted along the front of the sink.
Q. "Do you have any tips on how I should take care of my stainless steel sink?"
A. We sure do! Just click here for more information.
