Damaged cast iron sink: replace or reglaze?

[NetWareHead]

GF and I are mulling some ideas for a kitchen update. Kitchen has the original sink installed in the house in the 1920s. While washing dishes one day, I dropped a dish and chipped some of the enamel exposing the bare iron underneath. The sink cannot stay this way forever as the iron will rust out, plus it looks unsightly.

I've been browsing CL and looking for a replacement sink. The dimensions of this sink apparently are not as common as I thought so to replace it with a good match is hard.

Repairing the sink in the form of reglazing is the other option. There are kits for a DIY job or a professional can be called. Anyone ever do this? What kind of results can be expected?

We may end up junking the sink anyway because we want to redesign the kitchen entirely. The sink is an old style complete with a flat attached dishboard to the side which is used for drying dishes. Wondering if the reglazing is worth it for a sink we may end up discarding in a few years anyway.

 

[lxskllr]

Dunno about the reglazing, but I would try to repair it. I like vintage plumbing fixtures, and it always makes me happy to see them in use. I'm always disappointed when I go to a bathroom in an old building, and find they've replaced the plumbing with new crap.

 

[sdifox]

yeah I don't see how you can re-enamel that easily, high temperatures are involved.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

Have you guys seen the Modern Marvels episode where they showed how glazing was done on bathtubs? They use a robotic arm to retries a tub from a furnace that has the cast iron red hot. Upon extraction a man pours from a large bowl powered enamel via a long pole. The guy is in a flame suit. The heated cast iron bakes the enamel on as it is poured.

Seeing, and now knowing, this makes me wonder how good these local reglazing shops can do as good of a job, but if the repaired spot will likely reopen its wound in the near future.

 

[lxskllr]

Seeing, and now knowing, this makes me wonder how good these local reglazing shops can do as good of a job, but if the repaired spot will likely reopen its wound in the near future.

Sometimes good enough is good enough. If it lasts for 20 years before needing to be repaired again, I would consider that acceptable. I don't know if those are the numbers we're looking at, but it's worth considering, especially if the repair is relatively cheap/quick.

 

[Sluggo]

We have guys that will repair porcelain chips on steel bathtubs for about $75. The repair is seamless, and always looks as good as new. In about 10 years I have only seen one of them fail, and he re-did it for free.

 

[TwiceOver]

And this is why I will only buy stainless steel sinks. A plumber buddy of mine convinced us to go with an enamel sink like this saying we would never damage it.

Within a week we had chipped it with our cast iron pans.

They do look nice though, and vintage sure is cool.

 

[steppinthrax]

Rustoleum sells a product that is used for refinishing ceramic bathtubs/sinks, It's pretty much white Epoxy resin. If the chip is deep and in an area where it will "self-level" you can pour some of this in the chip and it should be strong enough. It won't be as strong as the ceramic glazing, but it will do the job.

 

[twinrider1]

It can be saved.

1. It can be repaired with an epoxy. Might not get a perfect color match, but it will be structurally sound.

2. It can be re-enameled, or re-glazed. I bet it's pricey, but if you decide you love it....
http://www.customceramic.com/index.htm

 

[steppinthrax]

Another option you could do is use fiberglass bondo for boats and/or bondo then paiting it with epoxy paint. This is the standard method used to repair chips/cracks in bathtubs.

 

[NetWareHead]

Rustoleum sells a product that is used for refinishing ceramic bathtubs/sinks, It's pretty much white Epoxy resin. If the chip is deep and in an area where it will "self-level" you can pour some of this in the chip and it should be strong enough. It won't be as strong as the ceramic glazing, but it will do the job.

No the damage is not where it will self-level. it is on a sloping and partially vertical section of side of the sink.

Another option you could do is use fiberglass bondo for boats and/or bondo then paiting it with epoxy paint. This is the standard method used to repair chips/cracks in bathtubs.

Will bondo "stay" on a vertical surface or will it run? I assume it will need to be applied with a putty knife and then left to cure. Followed by epoxy paint.

 

[steppinthrax]

No the damage is not where it will self-level. it is on a sloping and partially vertical section of side of the sink.



Will bondo "stay" on a vertical surface or will it run? I assume it will need to be applied with a putty knife and then left to cure. Followed by epoxy paint.

Bondo is thick enough, yes. It's used on auto body, which is always vertical.

 

[highland145]

Dunno about the reglazing, but I would try to repair it. I like vintage plumbing fixtures, and it always makes me happy to see them in use. I'm always disappointed when I go to a bathroom in an old building, and find they've replaced the plumbing with new crap.

Sorry but the 1937 6 gallon flush toilet in our house had to go.

We still have the 1937 double washboard sink. Looked into refinishing it but my bro, the plumber, hasn't been able to find a replacement sink drain. It's over sized. And....the wife says the kitchen remodel will take care of it anyway.:\

 

[lxskllr]

Sorry but the 1937 6 gallon flush toilet in our house had to go.

I'd have looked into modifying the flush, and creating a grey water trap on other fixtures for remediation. It could be argued that we should be utilizing grey water anyway, but it helps in justifying the use of old tech. I guess it's up to the individual to decide how much it's worth, and the damage they're causing to hold on to the old stuff. I value historical accuracy, and will make my life more difficult in other areas to maintain it. As noted in the cell phone thread though, I don't apply that universally. If I could score a 30s era phone booth, it might change my thoughts on having landline phone in the house :^D

 

[highland145]

I'd have looked into modifying the flush, and creating a grey water trap on other fixtures for remediation. It could be argued that we should be utilizing grey water anyway, but it helps in justifying the use of old tech. I guess it's up to the individual to decide how much it's worth, and the damage they're causing to hold on to the old stuff. I value historical accuracy, and will make my life more difficult in other areas to maintain it. As noted in the cell phone thread though, I don't apply that universally. If I could score a 30s era phone booth, it might change my thoughts on having landline phone in the house :^D

It sucked even with the 6 gallons. Greywater use in SC isn't "approved" yet but I'm with you on that.

 

[0roo0roo]

they make tubes of repair goop, not great, but its better than nothing, like touch up paint. appliance repair/sink repair stuff at hardware store. i'm sure epoxy would last longer but they don't sell a simple single use tube of that at lowes.

replacing the entire sink isn't that much..cast iron is relatively cheap, its just heavy as %#@ to deal with.

 

[herm0016]

those old sinks are very cool. you should fix it and keep it. if not, then try to get it to a good home where someone will use it.