Concrete Sink Tutorial
We get a lot of requests for concrete sinks. While there are many available styles, shapes, and colors, generally the most popular fall into a few categories.
These are integral (part of the countertop as you can see above), ramp, basin, farmhouse, and trough sinks. Whether they’re the right choice for you depends mostly on what are your expectations.
Usually our concrete sinks are headed for two areas, the kitchen or bathroom. In one setting they work great, in the other they also do but with some caveats, but first let’s dive into what makes them unique.
The greatest advantage of concrete sinks is flexibility; we can build almost anything you want. If you want the sink to seamlessly flow into the countertop we can do that with an integral sink. With this option we mold the sink directly as part of the countertop so when we pour it is all one piece.
If instead you are looking for color options we can mix an integral pigment with our cement to push it towards browns, greens, taupes, blacks, whites, and other colors. We can dress them up even more by staining them which creates a more mottled, random look throughout. If you would like to see available colors , visit this link CONCRETE COUNTERTOP COLORS.
Going for a more modern look? We present you ramp style sinks. These feature a long ramp dropping to the back of the sink where a thin, long slot drains the water out. These normally mount directly to walls to create a free-floating style or sit on steel or wodd frame bases. They are a favorite for many commercial bathroom installations such as bars and restaurants.
Basin concrete sinks are very popular. Simple and elegant, they feature a single, large bowl with the drain located in the middle or back. They’re usually 8” to 10” deep which easily accommodate large pots and pans though we can make them 6″ deep to use as bathroom sinks.
Farmhouse or apron style concrete sinks are exclusively for kitchens. They require that the cabinet be modified or purchased specifically for their installation as the front of the sink will be visible meaning the cabinet has to have a cutout so they’ll fit.
Lastly we have trough style sinks. These are “U” shaped with the drain in the middle. Very modern with a beautiful look and always installed in bathrooms.
All of our sinks are made from glass fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC) that gives them strength and durability at a lower weight than if we used traditional concrete. With these we actually mix glass fibers into the cement mix prior to pouring it into the mold. These fibers allow the concrete to “give” i.e., bend slightly when stressed instead of cracking which it can do if it is not reinforced.
So should you choose a concrete sink for your home? It does really depend on how you are going to use them. They are great for bathrooms and though they work for kitchens you have to take some things into consideration.
We can almost always recommend them for bathroom use as they normally don’t get the wear and tear that a kitchen sink does. Bathroom sinks are normally exposed to soaps and some cleaners and get used infrequently while most kitchen sinks are heavily used. Now don’t get us wrong, it’s not like they are going to break or crack, but they may stain.
We always protect our concrete sinks by sealing them. We use a polyurethane that offers excellent wear and stain resistance. It’s the same sealer we use for exterior concrete countertops that are exposed to rain and sun so it’s pretty tough. For bathrooms, this sealer will last for years with no issues so long as you don’t do anything that would damage it and that shouldn’t happen with normal use. A kitchen sink is a different story.
It’s a harsh environment. We don’t think twice about throwing dishes, pots, pans, and utensils in there and let’s be honest, we’re all guilty of pouring hot oil down the drain a time or two. Then we’ll clean the sink using harsh cleaners or even scrub pads. That’s normal use for a kitchen sink.
Our sealer is tough and will handle this abuse but not forever. Over time it will degrade and once it does you may start to see a “patina” which is a nice way of saying stains that don’t go away. You could reseal and that will prevent that from happening but how often do we think of doing that?
So do I buy a kitchen concrete sink? Depends. If you want it to look new for years without having to do any maintenance then it’s probably not the best option. If you are ok with resealing, then yes, it works. If you want it to patina, to have personality (like what copper sinks do after time) then it’s definitely the right choice. Let us know if you have any questions. Thanks!
