Fienza kitchen sinks buying guide
The Fienza kitchen sinks here fall into three groups: handmade stainless steel sinks with sound dampening, compact polished stainless sinks for small kitchens and outdoor areas, and fireclay sinks with a reversible front. This page explains what each group is made of, the sizes and bowl layouts it comes in, how the sinks are fitted, and what to check before you order. For a standard kitchen with a stainless sink, the practical call is to match the bowl layout to the cabinet width first, then pick the finish. For a sink with an exposed front, the call is the cabinet: a fireclay sink needs permanent support shelving built in, so it is a decision for the cabinet maker before it is a decision about colour.
What the Fienza sinks have in common
All Fienza sinks are Watermark certified. Every stainless sink in the collection is 304 stainless steel, and the fireclay sinks are fine fire clay ceramic. Most of the sinks have no tap hole. A few drainer models have one, so the tap goes on the benchtop beside the sink and the spout has to clear the rim. Check the tap hole count against the tap you plan to use before you order. The kitchen taps collection covers the options.
Fienza also makes laundry sinks, which sit on their own page: see Fienza laundry sinks. A laundry bowl and a kitchen bowl are different shapes, so choose from the page that matches the room.
Handmade stainless sinks with sound dampening
The Fienza Hana sinks are the main stainless range. They are handmade from 1.2mm thick 304 stainless steel, with an anti-condensation coating underneath that helps prevent mildew, and sound and vibration dampening panels that reduce the noise of water and equipment. The sinks can be fitted topmount or undermount, and mounting brackets and screws are included, along with a matching basket waste.
The single bowls in this range come in several widths, all 450mm front to back and 200mm deep:
- 27L: 390mm wide.
- 32L: 450mm wide.
- 40L: 550mm wide.
- 55L: 750mm wide.
- 36L with a drainer: 990mm wide.
The doubles include two equal 27L bowls at 760mm wide, a 40L and 27L pair at 892mm wide with a slim divider, and a double with a drainer at 1180mm wide. The divider on the 40L and 27L is 2mm. The Hana Slim, a pair of equal 27L bowls at 735 x 400mm with bowls 190mm deep, has a 5mm divider. A slim divider matters because a standard double has a wide bridge between the bowls. The thinner the divider, the more of the sink's width goes to bowl and the less goes to wall.
Finishes and the anti-scratch sinks
The Hana sinks come in stainless steel and in coloured finishes: Gun Metal, Carbon Metal and Rugged Brass, all with a PVD finish. The sinks with a PVD finish include a sink protector. A protector is a grid or mat that sits on the bowl floor so pots do not scratch the finish, just above the basin floor, preventing scratches and helping drainage.
Compact sinks for small kitchens and outdoor areas
The Fienza Tiva kitchen sinks are made from polished 304 grade stainless steel, designed for smaller kitchens and outdoor living areas. They are 180mm deep, and they are fitted topmount or undermount, with sealing tape and mounting clips included. The sizes in the range are:
- Single bowls: 345 x 495mm, 365 x 324mm, and 420 x 370mm.
- A round bowl: 430mm across.
- A single bowl with a drainer: 780mm wide.
- Doubles: 670mm and 785mm wide, and a 780mm double.
- Bowl and drainer layouts: a 980mm 1.5 bowl, a 1080mm 1.75 bowl and a 1180mm double, each with one tap hole.
Fireclay sinks with a reversible front
The Fienza Olivia, Fienza Charlton and Fienza Benson sinks are fireclay with an exposed front, and the front can be fitted fluted or flat, because the sink is reversible. They are made from fine fire clay ceramic using European materials, and they are glazed on all sides. The Olivia and Charlton are gloss white. The Benson large sink is matte black. For the wider category, see butler and apron sinks.
These sinks are heavier and more demanding to fit than a stainless sink. Each one suits undermount or flushmount installation, and each needs permanent support shelving. The basket waste is sold separately, and each sink has no tap hole, so the tap is benchtop-mounted. A farmhouse sink is heavy, needs custom cabinetry and sits slightly lower than a standard sink. The exposed front can wear over time, especially on fireclay. Plan the cabinet around the sink, with the sink on site before the cabinet is built. Fireclay is heavy and best handled with care during installation, and handmade fireclay varies in size and finish, so measure the sink you receive and not only the figure on the page.
The sizes in this collection are:
- Olivia small 610, medium 760 (outer 765 x 455 x 255mm, 66L) and large 835.
- Charlton small 690 (outer 689 x 473 x 250mm, 54L) and a double 835.
- Benson large 828 (outer 830 x 450 x 255mm, 70L).
Waste options for the fireclay sinks
The Olivia, Charlton and Benson sinks come without a waste, and the basket waste is chosen separately so it can match the tap. Each sink takes a basket waste from a choice of finishes, which lets the metal in the bowl agree with the metal on the benchtop. Choose the waste when you choose the tap, and check the finish options on the product page before you order. See sink wastes.
How the Fienza sinks are fitted
The stainless sinks suit topmount, where the sink drops into the benchtop cut-out and the rim rests on the surface, or undermount, where the sink is fixed beneath the benchtop. A topmount sink works with almost all benchtops, including laminate and timber, and its rim covers the cut edge. An undermount sink needs a waterproof solid benchtop such as engineered stone or granite, and crumbs sweep straight into the bowl. The join can collect grime, and caulking needs replacing every three to five years on both types.
That gives a simple rule: laminate or timber means a topmount sink, and stone gives you either. The fireclay sinks are the exception, because they suit undermount or flushmount and nothing else. They need a stone or solid benchtop with a cut-out made to the sink. Both methods are explained on inset sinks and undermount kitchen sinks.
Measure first
Before ordering, measure what the sink has to fit: the base cabinet's internal width, depth and height and the benchtop cut-out. Leave a gap of at least 70 to 80mm between the sink and the cabinet's internal width, for the plumbing and hardware, and 50 to 100mm between the back of the sink and the wall where a splashback goes in. A typical topmount cut-out in Australia is about 560 x 430mm, though sizes vary, and a cut-out made too large can mean replacing the benchtop.
Some pairings follow from the sizes above:
- A 600mm base cabinet: a single bowl about 440 to 540mm wide, which in this collection is the 450mm Hana 32L or the 420mm Tiva.
- A 900mm base cabinet: a double of about 760mm, which is the Hana 27L and 27L, or a 1.5 or 1.75 bowl with a drainer.
- A long bench run: the 892mm Hana double, or the Tiva and Hana drainer layouts at 1080 to 1180mm, which need a cabinet and benchtop to match.
Choosing a bowl layout
A single bowl is one uninterrupted basin with room for trays and large pots, and the plumbing is simpler. It suits dishwasher households that rarely wash full loads by hand, large pots and trays, and runs under 600mm. A double lets you wash on one side and rinse or prep on the other. Choose a double if you hand-wash often, prep vegetables or have children who need a separate hand-washing bowl, and if the benchtop run is 900mm or more.
The 1.5 and 1.75 bowls sit between the two: a main bowl plus a smaller prep or rinse bowl. The Tiva 1080 has inner bowls of 330 x 380mm and 300 x 290mm, with a drainer beside them. Most drainer models are handed left or right, and a flat drainer pools water, so look for grooves and a slope. See double bowl kitchen sinks for the full range of layouts.
Accessories and care
The Hana sinks have matching accessories sold separately: a roll up drainer, a drainer tray, a colander and a chopping board for the Hana 55L, and an oak chopping board, a drainer basket and a drainer tray for the Tiva 420. Some kit packs include a colander and roller. Browse the full set at Fienza kitchen sink accessories, and sink wastes if you need a basket waste for a fireclay sink.
The routine for stainless is short: rinse with warm water after use, wash with mild dish soap and a soft cloth following the grain, and dry with a microfibre cloth to stop water spots. For fireclay, use a pH-neutral cleaner. Check under the sink once a month for leaks, moisture and mould, and check the rim sealant and mounting clips and screws.
Which Fienza group suits which kitchen
Choose the handmade Hana for the main sink in a family kitchen, because the 1.2mm steel, the damping panels and the coating underneath are the features that last. Choose the Tiva for a second sink, a bar, a granny flat or an outdoor kitchen, where the polished steel and the small footprint matter more than bowl depth. Choose the Olivia, Charlton or Benson for a traditional or farmhouse room where the sink is the focal point, and give the cabinet maker the outer dimensions on day one.
Other collections
This page covers Fienza kitchen sinks only. The main kitchen sinks page covers every range, and stainless steel sinks goes further on steel grade and thickness. A kitchen sink is used 20 to 30 times a day, so the bowl layout and the size are worth getting right before you order.
