Cast iron sinks often have ceramic or porcelain plating instead of cast iron alone.
Though made from highly durable materials, cast iron sinks may suffer wear, scratches, stains and chips that cause unattractive spots on these charming, often antique bathroom and kitchen fixtures. Fortunately, these problems do not require complete replacement of your sink. A new paint job will help cover these problem areas and make your antique cast iron sink look brand new. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Turn off the water to the sink at the connection hose. The connection hose is below the sink's bowl, either inside your under-sink cabinet or exposed on a pedestal sink. Turn the knob on the sink's waterline counterclockwise to stop the flow of water. Turn on the sink faucets to run trapped water out of the line to prevent water from dripping into the sink while you work on your repainting project.
2. Clean the sink with a spray-on, acid-based cleaner to remove hard water stains, soap scum and other residues. Allow the spray to sit on the sink for approximately five minutes and then scrub away the stains with a scrub brush. Wear latex gloves and a respirator to prevent skin irritation and dizziness from inhaling the chemicals in the cleaner.
3. Remove silicone around the edge of the sink, where it connects to your kitchen or bathroom countertop. Run the blade of a utility knife along the top and bottom edge of the silicone to help you pull it loose easily. Cut silicone from around the drain and any other fixtures that attach to the sink.
4. Prevent damage to the sink's drain and fixtures by loosening the connector pieces with a pipe wrench or screwdriver. Remove the fixtures and set them aside until you finish repainting the sink. At this point, you may a lift top-mounted sink out of the countertop, if you desire.
5. Cover countertops, cabinets and walls with plastic sheeting to prevent damage to these other surfaces while you repaint the sink. Cut the plastic sheeting with a utility knife to match the outline of the sink and tape the plastic into place along the perimeter of the sink; do not adhere the tape to the sink. Place a bucket underneath the sink to catch paint, primer and acid-etching paste.
6. Remove the existing enamel cover of your cast-iron sink to provide a rough surface for better application of primer and the new paint coat. To do this, apply an acid-etching paste and scrub the paste into the sink's surfaces to remove the enamel. Fill a second bucket with water and use it to rinse the paste away after it sits for approximately 15 minutes.
7. Apply spray-on latex primer to produce an even finish without paintbrush lines. Allow the primer to dry overnight.
8. Spray on two coats of exterior latex paint combined with high-gloss polyurethane to create a clear, glossy finish. Allow the paint to dry for at least one full week before you set your sink back in place or reattach fixtures and remove plastic sheeting.
Tags: cast iron, plastic sheeting, acid-etching paste, connection hose, into sink, iron sinks, utility knife
