Concrete sinks are making waves in the home improvement industry, showing up in modern kitchens across America. But your bathroom remodel can also be transformed with a beautiful concrete sink in your choice of designs. This product offers a long list of benefits, but quite a few challenges as well. Know what you're buying before the project starts and you'll end up with a much more comfortable and valuable room.
Shapes and Sizes Available
Concrete plumbing fixtures are formed into almost any shape. As long as the contractor can create a form in the appropriate shape and scale and sufficient support exist, the sink or tub can be made. Most contractors will create the product off-site, allowing them to use special tools and avoid making a mess in your home.
You will come across certain limitations in design. When a slab goes beyond those depth, length and/or width limits, stability and durability deteriorate. A good standard for planning is a maximum size of 7 foot by 3 foot, with depths ranging from 0.75 inches to 1.5 inches. Skilled craftsmen use drop edges to echo a thicker look--these lips slide over the cabinets below, reducing the overall weight of your sink and capturing a substantial look.
Pros of Using Concrete Sinks in Your Bathroom Renovation
Many homeowners see the value in using concrete, especially when they want to create a customized sink or vanity in their bathroom. Here's a quick list of benefits you can realize from concrete sinks:
- Strength - as you may suspect, concrete is extremely strong and will last upwards of 50 to 60 years with proper care. Perfect for family bathrooms and busy powder rooms, concrete slabs can take serious abuse without looking worn.
- Adaptability - a skilled craftsman can create concrete sinks in a wide range of sizes. If you're looking for a sink in a certain size or want to achieve a waterfall or vessel effect, concrete works very well. Just browse the web for ideas and inspiration on various sink designs; you'll be amazed at the variety available.
- Affordable - concrete delivers excellent value when compared to natural stone sinks, such a granite and marble. It is more expensive than porcelain or traditional sinks, but a customized concrete bathroom sink costs less than you may suspect.
- One Piece Look - many homeowners opt to combine the sink and vanity top, or form a pedestal with the concrete sink, making this bathroom fixture seamless and smooth. It's a stunning look that adds a distinct sense of style to your home.
- Fairly Low Maintenance - a concrete sink or vanity countertop must be sealed before or directly after installation. You can expect to reapply the sealer after about ten years. Much like other stone sinks and countertops, concrete should be waxed on a regular basis to maintain shine and add to the protective layer.
- Easy Repairs - concrete can be patched, resealed and repaired with minimal fuss. Whether you're redecorating or fixing a problem with the bathroom, changing things up a little is straightforward.
- Personalization - your concrete sink or tub can be tinted with a color or inlaid with a pattern, creating a personalized look. Aggregates like colored stones, glass bits and shells add another level of style and can fit in with the room's theme or dècor. Most homeowners are surprised to find out that concrete sinks look nothing like a sidewalk—in fact, this style of concrete resembles sleek natural rock.
Cons of Using Concrete Sinks in Your Bathroom Remodel
Much like any other type of building material, concrete is not perfect. Some homeowners will be turned off by the somewhat bulky appearance, while others wonder about the quality assurance involved in this product. Consider these disadvantages before making the investment.
- Cracking - perhaps the number one concern of all homeowners unfamiliar with concrete, cracking does pose a problem in some cases. Although hairline cracks are perfectly natural and do not affect the stability of your sink, tub or vanity top, you must be able to detect when a larger crack poses a problem and deal with their appearance.
- Seams - the contractor will use seams when your bathroom design calls for slabs larger than the limitations mentioned above. These 1/8-inch gaps between slabs are filled with color-matched epoxy, but do present a spot of potential weakness and may break visual lines within the area.
- Variances - did you fall in love with the color of your friend's concrete sink or are you hoping for an exact replica of a showroom model? Lower your expectations, because concrete has a unique look in every project. Mixed in a batch large enough to create your dream bathroom, that exact color and shading will be impossible to replicate due to material variances.
- Natural Porous State - concrete is porous by nature and a sealer must be applied to keep out moisture and prevent stains. Spills should be wiped up quickly using natural cleaners and you should avoid placing pots or pans over 300 degrees Fahrenheit on the surface of the sink. This generally isn't a problem in the bathroom, but it's a good rule to remember.
- Scheduling - concrete sinks take at least two weeks to cure, often stretching your bathroom remodel schedule beyond the usual standards. Remember this lead time when planning your home improvement project and it may not pose a problem, but concrete may not be the ideal solution when time is tight.
Concrete sinks are making waves in the home improvement industry, showing up in modern kitchens across America. But your bathroom remodel can also be transformed with a beautiful concrete sink in your choice of designs. This product offers a long list of benefits, but quite a few challenges as well. Know what you're buying before the project starts and you'll end up with a much more comfortable and valuable room.
Posted by: dianaSuggested Reading For You
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