Commercial Sink Drainboards
A drainboard is the sloped stainless landing surface that mounts beside a compartment or prep sink, giving soiled ware a spot to sit before washing and clean ware a spot to air-dry and drain back into the sink. Most three-compartment warewashing setups add a drainboard on each end — one for soiled, one for clean — and many health departments expect them. Choose the width to fit the counter run beside the sink, match the depth to the sink so the fronts line up, and match the drain size to your plumbing. Drainboards slope back to the sink bowl so water never pools on the surface.
Compare commercial sink drainboards across brands by width, depth, and drain size. Filter to what fits beside your sink. These are stainless fixtures that rarely carry an online price, so cards show “check dealer pricing”; gauge and series are shown where the manufacturer publishes them.
Sink drainboards: buying guide
A drainboard gives soiled and clean ware a place to land beside the sink. The 225 models above filter by width, depth, and drain size.
Size to the sink and the counter
Match the depth to the sink so the fronts line up, and size the width to the counter run you have. A three-compartment warewashing setup usually wants one drainboard on each end — soiled in, clean out.
Drain and slope
Drainboards slope back to the sink bowl so water never pools; match the drain size to the fitting and trap your plumber runs. 1-1/4″ is the common size.
Code
Many health departments expect landing space beside a warewashing sink — confirm what yours requires before you build the run.
How the brands compare
Model count, width span, and street-price range for the brands with the most models here — a starting point, not a substitute for the specific model’s spec sheet.
| Brand | Models | Width range | Street price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perlick | 104 | 24″ | — |
| Krowne | 97 | 12–72″ | — |
| Sapphire | 14 | — | $238–$1,169 |
| Advance Tabco | 9 | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a drainboard on my sink?
Most three-compartment warewashing setups add a drainboard on each end — one for soiled ware, one for clean, air-drying ware. Many health departments expect the landing space; confirm with yours.
What drain size does a drainboard need?
Match the drain outlet to the fitting and trap your plumber runs. 1-1/4″ is the common drainboard size; larger sinks may use 1-1/2″ or 3-1/2″.
Left or right drainboard?
Set the soiled side where dishes come in and the clean side where they leave, so ware flows one direction through the wash-rinse-sanitize sink. Many drainboards are reversible or sold as a matched pair.
Where do your specs and prices come from?
Specifications are compiled from manufacturer spec sheets and authorized dealer listings; where a value isn’t published we leave it blank rather than guess. “Street price” is the lowest legitimate published price from an online dealer we track for that exact model — equipment only, and it changes often. Many models here have no published online price and show “check dealer pricing.”
Does this equipment need to be NSF listed?
Storage and dish-room equipment used in a commercial kitchen is generally expected to be NSF/ANSI listed for cleanable, food-safe construction — that’s what a health inspector checks on plan review. We don’t assert a listing for a specific model unless the manufacturer publishes it; confirm the exact model’s listing when you permit your kitchen.
About this data
Last verified: August 2026. Specs are compiled from manufacturer spec sheets and authorized dealer listings; where a value isn't published we leave it blank rather than guess.
Methodology: every drainboard model is compared on the same set of specifications, and dimensions are checked (for sinks, overall width must exceed the combined bowl widths) — figures that fail validation are corrected from the manufacturer model number or omitted. “Street price” is the lowest legitimate published price we've found and can change.
Sourcing: product specs come from the manufacturer; regulatory statements link to the source (e.g. the FDA Food Code and NSF). Code requirements vary by jurisdiction — confirm with the authority reviewing your plans.
Disclosure: FoodServiceNerd is vendor-neutral and free to use. Some “where to buy” links may be affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no cost to you, and it never changes what we list or how we rank it. We don't sell equipment ourselves.
Editorial: compiled and reviewed by the FoodServiceNerd equipment desk (about us). Spot an error? Tell us and we'll correct it.