Best way to repair enamel finish on a sink?

[bbhaag]

Well it finally happened. When I was unloading the dishwasher the other night I dropped a dinner plate on our kitchen sink....bummer. It chipped the enamel finish and I was wondering if there was a way to repair it? I've done a little searching but I don't really know what's best. I realize that nothing I do will restore it to factory condition but is there a product that is better/best?

Here's a pic to show the damage...:/
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o282/fry_daddy/DSCF4024_zps34f2f8d5.jpg

 

[Greenman]

It's a top mount sink, just replace it. If you really want to fix it, they make some paint that looks not very good and doesn't last long. Or you can have it professionally refinished, that looks pretty good and doesn't last long.

Bite the bullet, drop in a new sink, takes 2 hours. The one you have looks stained anyway.

 

[todpod]

here I saw this a couple of weeks ago, never tried it
http://www.diynetwork.com/videos/rusty-porcelain-sink-repair/126323.html

 

[jaedaliu]

I've used paints before, but have never been able to have it look good for more than a year. As Greenman has said, it's probably easiest to replace when you get tired of the chip.

You can get it fixed right, but it's probably not worth the cost. If the chip was on a 2-wall tub (which I can't seem to find replacements for,) then maybe it's worth it to send it out and get it sanded and re-glazed, but I'm just dreaming about doing that one day. It's more likely that I'll just remodel and install a 3-wall tub.

 

[Greenman]

here I saw this a couple of weeks ago, never tried it
http://www.diynetwork.com/videos/rusty-porcelain-sink-repair/126323.html

They skipped from sticking epoxy on the huge chip to new looking sink. It also appears that they used a cardboard box to cover the hole the old faucet went through.

 

[Muse]

When I worked on the docks in the late 1970s we used to use a product called Marine Tex, it's a white epoxy (there's a grey version available as well). I still have some in my workshop. It might do a better job than paints for your purpose. That or other white epoxies should be available in various ways including online.

http://www.marinetex.com/marinetexepoxyputty.html

 

[bryanl]

Ordinary spray paint, as long as it's not lacquer or latex, will work, provided you clean the damaged areas very well and lightly sand with #600 paper. But I'd rather spend $75 on a stainless steel sink.

 

[Muse]

Ordinary spray paint, as long as it's not lacquer or latex, will work, provided you clean the damaged areas very well and lightly sand with #600 paper. But I'd rather spend $75 on a stainless steel sink.

They don't make porcelain sinks anymore? Too bad. I have a double one. It is cracked, it could use replacing, although it's certainly still usable. Maybe I can find one in the local junkyard.

One advantage of porcelain is the bright white color. In a stainless sink you aren't going to see stainless utensils without looking harder.

My porcelain bathtub is also cracked. I passed when I had an opportunity to replace it, not sure why. I like it, I kind of think I wouldn't like what is offered now to replace it. This house is over 100 years old, a Craftsman!

 

[SparkyJJO]

$75 will get you a stainless, yes, but a really thin gauge one and kinda crappy. I just went through replacing my sink and I spent more to get a good solid sink. Those thin gauge sinks suck.

I think you can still get the white sinks if you want.

 

[feelingshorter]

When I worked on the docks in the late 1970s we used to use a product called Marine Tex, it's a white epoxy (there's a grey version available as well). I still have some in my workshop. It might do a better job than paints for your purpose. That or other white epoxies should be available in various ways including online.

http://www.marinetex.com/marinetexepoxyputty.html

All the reviews on it seems to be based on repairing boats but i was considering using it in my bathtub that was damaged due to using too much Comet to clean it (ripped the paint off). Does this thing cure smooth or is it rather rough?

 

[Muse]

All the reviews on it seems to be based on repairing boats but i was considering using it in my bathtub that was damaged due to using too much Comet to clean it (ripped the paint off). Does this thing cure smooth or is it rather rough?

It comes out pretty smooth IIRC. You could work it with finer and finer sandpaper if it came to that. I haven't used it in a long time. Try to get it flush and smooth before it starts to set up. It doesn't set up super quick, as I recall, so you have time. Keep your tools, etc. clean so it stays white.

 

[bryanl]

$75 will get you a stainless, yes, but a really thin gauge one and kinda crappy. I just went through replacing my sink and I spent more to get a good solid sink. Those thin gauge sinks suck

HD shows 22 gauge starting at $55, 18 ga @ $155. 22 ga. is thicker than the coating of any porcelain sink and can take a century's worth of scrubbing with harsh cleanser.

 

[NoTine42]

HD shows 22 gauge starting at $55, 18 ga @ $155. 22 ga. is thicker than the coating of any porcelain sink and can take a century's worth of scrubbing with harsh cleanser.

I think noise is one problem with cheaper sinks, they sound cheap. Do you have any extra dynomat laying around?

Cheap sinks are also generally really shallow (but as a talker guy, a higher bottom would mean less leaning over.

 

[bryanl]

I think noise is one problem with cheaper sinks, they sound cheap. Do you have any extra dynomat laying around?

Cheap sinks are also generally really shallow (but as a talker guy, a higher bottom would mean less leaning over.

Stainless sinks are typically sprayed with soundproofing resembling rubberized asphalt automotive undercoating, but I wouldn't apply undercoating myself because of its persistant petroleum odor.

 

[Greenman]

18 gauge don't flex and rattle when you run the garbage disposal. Way nicer sinks.