Clark Vital kitchen sinks buying guide
The Clark Vital range is four overmount stainless steel sinks with a drainer: a single, a 1.5, a 1.75 and a double end bowl. Each listing describes 304 grade stainless steel, an embossed drainer pattern, built-in basket wastes and rounded bowl corners. This guide sets out what the listings, the Clark installation sheets and the Caroma product pages say about each layout, then covers hand, taps, fitting and care. The sensible default is to choose the layout by how much bench you can give the sink, because the cut-out grows by about 100mm from one layout to the next. For the other Clark sinks, see Clark kitchen sinks.
The four Vital layouts
The listings describe each sink in its own words. The single end bowl is a compact solution for smaller kitchens, and the listing also names a butler's pantry. The 1.5 pairs a generous main bowl with a handy second bowl for a compact kitchen. The 1.75 has a deep main bowl and a generous second bowl. The double has two deep bowls. All four are described as suiting wall mounted tapware or a mixer.
The sizes below come from the Clark installation sheets, Caroma's product pages and one trade retailer's listing. They are those sources' figures, not measurements taken here.
- Single end bowl: 765 x 480 x 190mm and a 19 litre bowl, on the retailer's listing for the left hand version, which also gives one tap hole in the left hand bowl.
- 1.5 end bowl: a cut-out template of 956 x 456mm. No bowl volume appeared on the pages read.
- 1.75 end bowl: a cut-out template of 1056 x 456mm, with a 19 litre main bowl and an 11 litre second bowl on Caroma's pages.
- Double end bowl: a cut-out template of 1156 x 456mm, with 19 litres in each bowl on Caroma's pages.
The step from one layout to the next is 100mm in the cut-out, which tells you how much of the benchtop run each extra bowl takes. The 10mm corner radius is printed on the template.
What end bowl means
The listings call these end bowl sinks and describe a drainer with an embossed pattern, but they do not spell out where the drainer sits beside the bowls. Check the product images. A retailer guide says drainboard sinks have a built-in drainer, which suits tight benchtops, and that a drainer makes up for the lack of a second bowl on a single bowl sink.
Left hand or right hand
The Clark item codes end in L or R, as in 1125.1L and 1125.1R, and the installation sheets list both codes under one template. The L and R stand for the hand of the bowl, according to the Caroma pages, which list a left hand bowl and a right hand bowl version of each sink. The hand decides which way the wet dishes flow. A retailer guide says most drainer models are handed left or right, and that a flat or shallow drainer pools water, so look for deep grooves and a slope. The Vital listings say the embossed drainer sends water quickly back into the sink. Choose the hand with the person who washes up most and with the run of the benchtop, and confirm it with the cabinet maker before the opening is cut.
Taps and the tap hole
The listings say the Vital sinks suit wall mounted tapware or a mixer. The 1.5 listing and the double listing each state one tap hole, the Caroma pages give one tap hole for the 1.75, and the single is listed with one tap hole in the left hand bowl. A retailer guide says most sinks have one or two tap holes, and to check the count against the tap. A mixer uses the hole in the bowl; wall mounted tapware is the alternative the listings name. See kitchen taps for both.
The steel
The listings and the Caroma pages say 304 grade stainless steel. Caroma's page adds that it provides corrosion resistance. A stainless steel guide describes 304 as about 18% chromium and 8% nickel, corrosion resistant but not completely rust-proof. The listings do not state the thickness, so check the specification before comparing the Vital with another sink. A buyer's guide says a thicker sheet, which has a lower gauge number, limits flex, noise and denting, and that thin sheet can sound tinny. Look for sound pads or an undercoating. The Vital listings do not mention either. See stainless steel sinks for the material in general.
Rounded corners and the embossed drainer
The Vital listings describe smooth, rounded corners and an embossed drainer. A guide to stainless sinks says a pressed bowl has broad rounded corners and wipes clean quickly, while a handmade bowl has straighter walls and smaller radii that need more attention. The listings do not say whether the Vital bowls are pressed. A retailer guide says deep grooves with a slope are what stop a drainer pooling water. The listings do not give the groove depth, so judge the drainer from the product images.
How much bench the sink needs
A retailer sizes guide says a drainer layout needs more room than a plain bowl, and that the sink should be at least 70 to 80mm narrower than the internal width of the base cabinet, which leaves room for the plumbing and hardware. Using the cut-out sizes, that points to an internal cabinet width of about 1026 to 1036mm for the 1.5, 1126 to 1136mm for the 1.75 and 1226 to 1236mm for the double. The single's 765mm length points to about 835 to 845mm. A second guide says to leave 50 to 100mm between the back of the sink and the wall if a splashback is going in. The 456mm template depth leaves 144mm of a 600mm deep benchtop for the front edge and that back clearance.
Another guide gives a clearance for a drainer sink of at least 300mm of clear bench beside the sink, so the cut-out is not the only length to plan. Measure the cabinet, the benchtop and the wall run, not just the opening.
The overmount method
The listings say overmount, which a retailer guide describes as a sink that sits on the benchtop with the rim showing, and which it says works with almost every benchtop, laminate included, because the rim covers the cut edge. The same guide says an overmount sink is easier to replace than an undermount one and is gentler on the benchtop. Its downsides are a rim that can trap debris and silicone that can peel and let water into the cabinet. A Houzz guide says caulking needs replacing every three to five years.
The Clark installation sheets for the 1.5, 1.75 and double give a ten-step method. In summary, cut out the template, draw a pencil line around it and check it against the overall cut-out size, then cut the benchtop just inside the line, because an exact cut is needed for the best fit. For a normal thickness benchtop the fixing clips in the pack are suitable, and the sheet says special clips, item A0167, are available for thin benchtops. The sheet says to lightly hammer the clips onto the clip brackets at equal points along the rim, fit the waste assemblies and the tap before the sink goes in, and use silicone between the waste grate and the hole. A continuous bead of silicone goes between the sealing tape and the edge of the sink, the clip hinges close, and the clips tighten evenly on a low torque setting, because overtightening may strip the thread.
What is in the pack
The installation sheets list fixing clips, sealing tape and 90mm basket wastes: one for the 1.5 and two each for the 1.75 and the double. The listings say what is in the box: the sink, a stainless steel basket waste and the installation instructions, with a link to the Clark installation sheet. The single's sheet could not be read, so check it on the product page.
Cutting the opening
The Caroma pages and the retailer's listing say the same thing: for accurate cut-out sizes, use only the templates provided with the packaging. The templates print at one to one, and the sheets say to check the pencil line against the overall cut-out dimensions before cutting. A retailer guide warns that a cutting error can mean replacing the benchtop, which is why it advises a professional. Another guide says to have the sink on site before the benchtop is cut, and that stone masons often charge for re-cuts. Order the sink early and give the cabinet maker and the benchtop installer the template.
Which layout suits which kitchen
A buyer's guide says a single bowl is an uninterrupted basin with room for large pots and trays and simpler plumbing. It suits a household with a dishwasher that rarely hand-washes full loads, and a benchtop run under 600mm. A double lets you do two jobs at once, but the divider limits large items and two drains add plumbing. The guide suggests a double if you hand-wash often or prep vegetables. A 1.5 or 1.75 sits between them: a main bowl plus a smaller rinse or prep bowl. A retailer page describes the half bowl as useful for rinsing vegetables, draining pasta or soaking utensils while the main bowl is used for washing.
The Vital 1.75's 19 and 11 litre bowls make the small bowl a real rinse bowl, and the double's two 19 litre bowls make it a wash-and-rinse pair. See single bowl kitchen sinks, 1.5 bowl kitchen sinks, 1.75 bowl kitchen sinks and double bowl kitchen sinks for the layouts in general.
Accessibility fields
Caroma's page for the 1.5 states that it is not AS1428.1 accessible and not Independent Living compliant. The page for the other three was not read for those fields. If the kitchen has to meet an accessibility standard, check the compliance fields on the specific item's page.
Waste and overflow
The listings say a basket waste is built in. The Caroma pages and the tags say there is no overflow. The installation sheets give the basket wastes as 90mm. Check the waste against the pipework before the plumber arrives, because a retailer guide says connecting the water supply and the tapware needs a licensed plumber in every state and territory. For a replacement waste, see sink wastes.
Cleaning a stainless steel sink
A buyer's guide says to rinse with warm water after use, wipe with mild dish soap and a soft cloth, follow the grain on stainless steel and dry with a microfibre cloth to prevent water spots. It says to avoid abrasive powders, bleach, ammonia cleaners and steel wool, and gives a baking soda paste as a gentle option. A retailer guide says stainless steel scratches and shows water spots, and that a satin finish hides scratches and marks better than a mirror polish. The Vital listings do not state the finish, so check the product images. The guide also says to check under the sink monthly for leaks and moisture.
Protecting the bowl
A guide says a grid protector sits just above the basin floor, prevents scratches and helps drainage, and lists clip-in colanders, drainboards, chopping boards and roll mats as the usual accessories. The listings do not name matching accessories for the Vital. See kitchen accessories.
Replacing an existing sink
When a Vital replaces an old sink, the old opening sets the limit. A retailer guide says to measure both the base cabinet and the existing benchtop cut-out before you order. Compare the old opening with the template for the layout you want. Because the cut-out steps up by 100mm per layout, a sink one layout larger needs a longer opening, and the benchtop has to take it.
Other collections
This page covers the Vital sinks only. If you have not settled on a layout or a maker, the main kitchen sinks page lists every range, and drop in kitchen sinks covers the overmount method across makers. One guide counts 20 to 30 uses of a kitchen sink a day, so the hand, the tap position and the size are worth getting right before you order.
