Help me with my bathroom sink

[Sekhmet]

My bathroom sink is a mess. It has a big chip and some rust stains, which were substantially worsened by the little sink flooding surprise we got on our walk-through the day we closed on the house (as some of you may recall!).

The walk-through susprise (No, the pedestal doesn't go with the sink and your guess is as good as mine as to why it was there!)


The sink today:




I have not even really cleaned it, as I'm afraid to. I do have some of that Barkeeper's Friend stuff as was recommended to me here, and I suppose for starters I should use that to clean it up a bit (?).

Next, I am wondering about using something like this to refinish it. Good idea or bad? Anybody used that kit before?

Confusing matters, I read that rather than refinish, you are better off having a cast iron sink or tub re-enameled & refired. There is actually a place near St. Louis that does that, but they aren't answering my emails. And subsequently (while waiting to hear back from them), I've read that because they no longer put lead in the porcelain coating, it's not that durable any more anyway, so it's not really worth the $$$ to have done.

[melissakd]

We've had questions like this periodically, but usually about bathtubs. I'll go find what I've said before and be right back.

MKD

Here's one thread:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=26550&p=237224&hili ... ub#p237166

Moonshadow's experience:
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=25252&p=221944&hili ... ub#p221004

[Sekhmet]

We've had questions like this periodically, but usually about bathtubs. I'll go find what I've said before and be right back.

MKD

Here's one thread:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=26550&p=237224&hili ... ub#p237166

Moonshadow's experience:
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=25252&p=221944&hili ... ub#p221004

Thanks a ton - these are a huge help!!

[YinzerMama]

I think the kits really appeal because of the difficulty (sometimes impossibility) of removing a bathtub... but a sink would be so much easier to do. We considered using the kit on our tub but the reviews were so unconvincing, we never tried it. This was our house in California where the tub had all the shine worn off it and so sitting in it was like sitting on a wet chalk board... ugh. Our tub now has I believe been professionally recoated while in place, so not a true re-enameling but whatever plasticy spray stuff the pros use... I don't know WHEN it was done but I would venture to say in the late 80s or early 90s, (as that is when the bathroom was redone) and it's held up fairly well. Some coating missing in some spots but overall good. I'd expect the re-dipped stuff to last even better. (Esp. given sinks don't get as gross as tubs so you never need to use harsh cleaners on them... even the nastiest dried on toothpaste spit generally comes off with a rag and water whereas soap scum is more of a challenge...)

eta - ultimately my solution to our gross tub was turtle wax... made it feel a lot better to sit on. We were renters so it wasn't really our place to buy a new tub...

[Don M]

It's a cute sink; if you can contact the refinishing company & if they can give you a good warranty I would take a chance & have it done. Removal shouldn't be too much a problem & as was said; it's a relatively small job. Wear & tear on a sink is probably less than on a tub too.

[rehabbingisgreen2]

I LOVE that sink. I have a problem sink with rust and damage around the overflow drain that is original to the house that I want to find out if I cna have refinished. Let me know what you find out.

[Sekhmet]

Thanks for all the input!

Soooo turns out that the place that does re-enameling is too far away. I'm still waiting to hear back from another place that does the more common refinishing (NOT sandblasting & re-firing).

But in the meanwhile, I actually just took a leap and bought some spray-on Rustoleum high-gloss white enamel. I also bought their metal primer, which the enamel can recommends if you're putting the enamel spray directly onto bare metal. From the feedback here and my reading elsewhere, I've been made to think about the fact the bathroom sink gets much gentler use than either a bath tub or kitchen sink; it does seem unlikely that anything heavier than a toothbrush will get dropped into it. The two cans were maybe $10, so I figured it's worth a try!

[Don M]

Sounds good; let us know how it turns out!

[mcounty01]

Pedestal Sinks

These are ideal options for smaller bathrooms where space is at a premium and every inch counts. These sinks are available in many different styles with lots of options for the actual pedestal itself and of course the sink that fits on top of each one. They can be classic in design or have a more streamlined and modern look. No matter which style you choose, a pedestal sink will add charm to any bathroom.

Vessel Sinks

This type of sink is bowel shaped and sits on top of a vanity instead of the sink being sunk into the vanity itself. There are tons of styles to choose from with a vessel sink and in almost any material imaginable - everything from stainless steel and stone to porcelain. They’re really stunning and even though they can tend to be quite pricey if you shop online you can find yourself some great bargains

These are ideal options for smaller bathrooms where space is at a premium and every inch counts. These sinks are available in many different styles with lots of options for the actual pedestal itself and of course the sink that fits on top of each one. They can be classic in design or have a more streamlined and modern look. No matter which style you choose, a pedestal sink will add charm to any bathroom.

[12mike]

We've had questions regarding lavatory Pedestal Sink, but usually about bathtubs. I'll go find what I've said before and be right back.

MKD

Here's one thread:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=26550&p=237224&hili ... ub#p237166

Moonshadow's experience:
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=25252&p=221944&hili ... ub#p221004

Hello Melissakd,
Thanks for these help!!


Mike