Countertop Choices for a Farmer's Sink

The way farmer's sinks are installed, there's usually an exposed edge where the countertop meets the sink. For that reason, durable countertop materials are preferred. March 1, 2006

Question
I'm worried about the cutout in the countertop when a farm sink is installed. All the thickness of the countertop is exposed and I am worried about water, etc. damaging the countertop. What can be done to this exposed edge to make it look good, and also be durable?

Forum Responses
(Cabinetmaking Forum)
From contributor A:
Doing a farm or Belfast style sink with anything other than a solid top (not p-lam) is asking for trouble. I've seen a few in Europe done with butcher block surrounds that looked okay, but it seems like stone or Richlite is the typical choice. An HPL surround with one of those sinks would not look good anyway, in my opinion.

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From contributor B:
A farmer’s sink can be installed two ways. The first way is as you mentioned, with the countertop sitting above it. The other way is to have the sink sit slightly above the top so that the top runs into the side of the sink. The second method is the best choice if you are using laminate countertops because the sides aren't exposed and you can put a sealer like caulking around the sink to protect the top. If you used laminate and you didn't use the second method, I think you're out of luck. Stone tops are the way to go if you want it mounted above the sink.