Picture this: as you clean your bathroom or kitchen, you get stuck scrubbing one spot in your sink that won’t disappear. You try a few products or even big box store cleaners before realizing that the spot isn’t stuck to the surface, but is really a stain. Even though you know the sink is clean, it doesn’t LOOK clean.
Stubborn spots in your sink can be more than an aesthetic issue. While the appearance of dull, discolored, or damaged areas can detract from the appeal of a bathroom or kitchen, chips or cracks in a sink can allow water to get underneath the coating or into the sink itself, setting you up for long-term damage.
So what can you do? If you have a porcelain sink, repair might seem impossible. But the good news is that it’s not! There’s no need to redo that area of your home or even to replace the sink. Sink reglazing—also called refinishing—can give your sink a new look for a fraction of the cost of renovation. And if you want to reglaze, porcelain sink fixtures aren’t the only types that can be reglazed and give them new life. This article answers the most common questions about sink reglazing and repair.
What is sink reglazing?
Reglazing—also called refinishing or resurfacing—means that the existing high-gloss coating on your sink is stripped away, the surface prepared, and a new coating—also high-gloss—applied to the surface of the sink. The new coating is shiny, clean, and free of drips or brush marks, giving you a sink that looks like new.
Why would I reglaze my sink, rather than replacing it?
While a sink itself might be low-cost, it’s important to consider the other costs that go into replacing the sink. Just getting the existing sink out of the counter it’s set into can be messy, time-consuming, and costly. It might require you to hire a plumber and even give up your kitchen or bathroom for a few days while the new sink gets connected to the existing plumbing. A home repair person might also need to be hired to do the sink install for you and add caulking and new fixtures. And that’s even more money spent.
For those with pedestal sinks, the replacement can be even more time-consuming and difficult, especially with the costs of demolition. And if your sink is of an unusual shape or size, you might not even be able to find an exact fit replacement. Therefore it could be very costly or even impossible to replace it without renovating the entire fixture area.
Reglazing means that your sink can stay where it is. It spares you the cost of removal, disposal, and extra plumbing work, while eliminating those stubborn stain or cracked spots. And best of all, you only have to give up your kitchen or bathroom for a few hours of prep work, plus a few more for the coating to set and cure. Then you’re back to business as usual.
Can you repair damage?
Repairing damage is one of the most important parts of the reglazing process. After the coating is stripped away, any pits, chips, or cracks are repaired. Then the new coating is applied, making the repairs invisible to the eye. Reglazing is a part of most types of porcelain sink repair, since it covers the places where the sink has been patched.
What kinds of sinks can you repair?
If you’re looking to reglaze, porcelain sink and pedestal fixtures might seem like the only kinds that can be repaired—these are what appear first in online searches, and many bathroom sinks are made of porcelain. But a wide variety of sinks can be repaired and reglazed. Materials like cast iron, steel, fiberglass, acrylic, cultured marble, ceramic tile, corian, and formica can be resurfaced and made to look new.
And resurfacing isn’t limited to one particular style of sink—or even to one room! Bathrooms and kitchens can have their sinks reglazed. Drop-in sink bowls (like those set into a countertop), undermount sinks (like those found in kitchens), pedestal sinks, wall-mounted sinks, all-in-one counter top and sink combinations, and farmhouse sinks with drainboards can all be reglazed.
Is this process only to repair damage?
Although repairing damage is one of the first steps—including fixing chips, rust, cracks, or chips—that’s not the only reason to reglaze a sink. If the color of your sink has gotten dull over time, or it is a fashion color from days gone by, reglazing can refresh it. Rust stains can also be removed through reglazing.
Or maybe your sink is an outdated pink, sea-foam, or avocado color. Reglazing can update the color to any color of your choice, giving the bathroom a new, updated look for a fraction of the cost of a renovation. While reglazing can’t give you an entirely new bathroom, it will give the room an update you can use to freshen up your decor and can make it feel like new.
Can I use a DIY kit?
While lots of hardware stores and home improvement stores sell DIY sink reglazing kits, these aren’t generally recommended. They can leave you with brush-marks in the finish of your sink, giving it an amateur appearance. The finish is unlikely to last as long as a professional service and the finish will take much longer to set, leaving you with a greater chance of dust and debris landing in your new coating.
And to reglaze a sink yourself, you have to be very confident in your abilities to properly ventilate the room and handle the caustic chemicals used in the process. Professionals are trained and experienced in using these materials and in keeping your home safe. Their experience also means that they can get the job done faster and more efficiently.
Where do I find a sink reglazing company?
If you’re ready to start on your reglazing project, and you’re located in the greater Memphis area, look no further than The Tub Pros! We serve the areas within 80 miles of Memphis (including Jackson, Jonesboro, AR, Little Rock, AR, and West Memphis, AR). We’re fully licensed and insured, and our factory-certified technicians use the highest quality materials to get the best results possible for your project.
We also provide a written warranty—that’s how confident we are in our results. You have peace of mind knowing that we’ll get your project done right. If you’re ready to reglaze porcelain sink, counter, or tile features—or other surfaces in your kitchen or bathroom—we’re the company to call. Contact us at 901-871-TUBS(8827) or use our online feature to contact us and get your project started today.