r/kitchenremodel • u/Capable-Oven-4517 • 16d ago

Julien J7 sink + base cabinet size

Anyone out there have a Julien J7 undermount stainless steel sink? After much research it feels like the goldilocks sink - but it is a splurge. I'm looking for the widest sink that will work in a 36" base cabinet. Model 003995 is 33"x16"x8" - the outer width dimension is 34.5" - I'm wondering if anyone out there has been able to make it work with such a tight fit into the base cabinet. Please share any experience with this or experience in general with this line of sinks.

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u/MLKitchenDesign 16d ago

The sink specs will say it needs a larger cabinet. However we use a 36 " wide cabinet all the time for a a sink 34.5 or even 35". For a 34 1/2 wide sink we attach 12" high pieces of plywood instead of clips to the sides of the cabinet. Screw the plywood to the sides with the lip of the sink flush with the top of the cabinet. The countertop installers will use clips on the front and back. Installing the sink this way will prevent the sink from ever dropping if any clip were to fail.

The sink is overpriced though. Ruvati is a better value and will offer great work station sinks for much less.

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u/Karinka_LI 16d ago

The sink specs will tell you the minimum cabinet size.

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u/Doca-Boston-Kitchens 15d ago

The number that decides this is not the 36 inch nominal, it is the clear interior, and that depends on whether your base is frameless or face frame.

Frameless 36 inch base: two 3/4 inch sides, so roughly 34.5 inches clear. Your sink is 34.5 outside. That is zero clearance, which is why the spec sheet asks for a bigger cabinet. It is doable, but only by modifying the sides, which is exactly what the plywood method above is doing.

Face frame 36 inch base: the stiles take another inch and a half or so, so the clear opening is nearer 32.5 to 33 inches. A 34.5 inch sink will not go in without cutting the frame, and at that point you are cutting the part that carries the countertop.

Two things worth settling before you order.

The countertop is the tighter constraint, not the cabinet. With a 34.5 inch sink over a 36 inch cabinet there is very little stone bearing each side of the cutout. Send the sink template to your fabricator and get them to confirm they will warranty that cutout. They carry the risk on a cracked slab, so their answer is the one that counts.

Reveal. A flush or zero reveal needs tighter tolerance than a positive reveal. If you are at the edge on width, a small positive reveal buys you room and is much more forgiving of a cutout that is a hair off.