What Is The Difference Between A Butler And Belfast Sink

What s the difference between a butler and belfast sink.

What is the difference between a butler and belfast sink.

Butler and belfast sinks are one of the most popular requests we receive from our clients but what s the difference between the two styles. The key difference between belfast butler sinks and others commonly referred to as london sinks was the introduction of an overflow weir left hand side of the above picture which it s often said was conceived said to prevent overspill allowing water to drain away without the risk of flooding. Butler sinks on the other hand are much wider fitting to an 800mm unit allowing for much larger items to be washed such as a large dog but have a slightly more swallow bowl. The historical difference between butler belfast.

Belfast sinks are smaller fit for a 600mm unit but with a deeper bowl and weight density. Belfast sinks often create more of a focal point in a kitchen than many other sinks. These chunky farmhouse sinks are often referred to as belfast sinks or butler sinks but which is it. Let s take a step back in history.

We will start with the obvious differences. Consequently london butler sinks were often shallower and designed without a weir overflow to try to encourage people to conserve water while those made in belfast came complete with an overflow weir. Butler sinks were originally designed for use within butler s pantries in london ideal for conserving water due to london having a short supply of fresh water these contain a weir overflow. Belfast and butler sinks are ceramic sinks with a range of differences that go all the way back to the victorian times.

The truth is not a lot. The butler sink was originally designed for the butler s pantry in london. The only difference being that traditionally the belfast had an overflow and the butler had a shallower bowl with no overflow nowadays both the belfast and the butler have overflows although a weir overflow is only found on the belfast sink. The butler was responsible for the best glassware and so forth and so required a sink with a waste and an overflow.

So common was this design to the northern irish capital that eventually the belfast butler sink became known as simply the belfast sink. The differences between these sinks goes all the way back to victorian times. The belfast sink is a variation of the butler sink. Back in the day london had far less readily available water than it does these days.