Waterproof Temporary Wood Sink?

[jyl]

I’m mocking up my planned custom farm sink in 3/4” plywood, idea being to try the dimensions out, see if we like deck mount or wall mount faucet better, etc, before ordering the stone sink.

Is there an easy way to make this thing watertight, and have it stay so for a few weeks? Some expoxy stuff I can pick up at Home Depot?

I don’t really want to go to the trouble of fiberglassing it.

[masraum]

I would think that a few coats of poly should do the trick temporarily.

[look 171]

YOu making a wood sink just to play around with space planning and want to use the sink for a few days? silicon caulking and some poly. I give it about a few days max then it will leak or seep. By then you should have an idea.

[908/930]

A 1L epoxy kit or polyester resin kit should do it. Likely need to fill all the joints first let set then go over the entire surface. Polyester has a very short working time and full cure the epoxy has quite long.

[rfuerst911sc]

Flex Seal !!!!!

[masraum]

Originally Posted by rfuerst911sc

Flex Seal !!!!!

FTW!

There's your answer, right there. Go with the clear so you can see the "wood grain".

[masraum]

Not exactly applicable in this instance, but I thought this was cool. A water tight box made of wood.

[jyl]

I think I found an easier solution.

Got plastic tubs that fit in the wood “sinks” which are simply boxes screwed together from some old shelves I removed. I’ll brush some polyurethane and run some caulk on the inside of the wood, for splashes etc, but the plastic tubs will be actually holding in the water. I may run into issues fitting the drain into a hole cut in the tub and the bottom of the wood box, as there’s no bevel, but I like to think silicone caulk and lots of it will be an answer.

I still have to screw on the deck for a deck mount faucet, and a “wall” for a wall mount faucet, so we can decide between the two types. I also need to bring the base cabinets in to see how high they should be.

This is already helping me figure some stuff out. Like, 13.5” is way too deep for a dishwashing sink. So, I’ll just keep cutting those sides down until it feels right.

These “sinks” might be in use for up to a month, depending on how long it takes us to decide on material for the sinks and have them fabricated. I was thinking of soapstone or marble slab construction, but am trying to look at other choices.

[rsrfan]

Originally Posted by jyl

I was thinking of soapstone or marble slab construction, but am trying to look at other choices.

Be careful if going with soapstone. Years ago I had a beautiful soapstone farm sink and the stone is so soft that dropping any cutlery therein caused gouges and scratches. If going that route, at a minimum I would install some of the stainless “grates” on the bottom of the sink in an attempt to protect it. Additionally, mineral oil will keep it a deep, rich, greenish black. Without its liberal application it turned ashen grey…

[jyl]

Originally Posted by rsrfan

Be careful if going with soapstone. Years ago I had a beautiful soapstone farm sink and the stone is so soft that dropping any cutlery therein caused gouges and scratches. If going that route, at a minimum I would install some of the stainless “grates” on the bottom of the sink in an attempt to protect it. Additionally, mineral oil will keep it a deep, rich, greenish black. Without its liberal application it turned ashen grey…

Hmm. What stone is better? I want a vintage-y look, rounded edges, developing patina but the kind that is attractive, not the kind that makes you wish you had a new sink. These sinks are going to cost a bundle to have fabricated, they need to last until I’m in a box.

[jyl]

I don’t know that I fully appreciated running water in the kitchen until I didn’t have it for three weeks.



Ended up flooding the plywood sinks with epoxy. Hoping they stay waterproof long enough for final sinks to be made and installed.

Proof of concept miniature of final sink.



Going to fine tune dimensions then send to two SS fabricators for quote. Thinking 14 ga 304 SS. Threaded studs welded to bottom so I can bolt them to the sink bases. Top open for easy access to service faucet, cover with a cap.

Yeah, I know, it reads as a glorified laundry sink. Anyone know a good divorce lawyer?

[jyl]

Left and right counters will be copper wrapped over plywood. Center counter will be butcher block.

These will be rather economical counters. Copper cost about $400, custom butcher block about $600, plus Baltic Birch ply and some labor.

[908/930]

You lost me are you making the sinks out of 14GA ss now vs stone?

[jyl]

Originally Posted by 908/930

You lost me are you making the sinks out of 14GA ss now vs stone?

I am now leaning that way.

The stone process is turning me off. I asked a designer for stone fabricators, she does but I have to work through her. She referred me to a couple of stone suppliers. Not being accompanied by a designer, I was largely ignored there. Wandered through the warehouse looking at slabs, found some likelies, they won't give me a price, I'm to give the slab code to my designer who gets the price. The total cost of stone may well be competitive - the rough fabrication price I've heard is $1,300 for two sinks plus the stone, but I am irritated.

The temporary sinks have me realizing that thick material has a disadvantage, even though it will look good. Even the plywood used here is pushing my faucets forward by 3/4", reduces the internal size of the basin by 1.5", etc. Wash sink basin (outside dimension) is about 18" W x 20" D x 12" H. I want to be able to soak half sheet pans, big stock pots, swallow an entire large dinner party's worth of dirty dishes, etc. Internal dimensions of 18" W x 20" D x 12" H seem notably roomier than 16" W x 18" D x 11" H. I see all these 30" wide kitchen sinks out there, and am having "size insecurity".

Cautions about stone maintenance, chips, discoloring, etc - this is going to be a hard-cooking kitchen, heavy pots will get placed in the sinks with varying degrees of care, I don't want to have to baby the sinks. I assume 14 ga SS will be pretty tough.

I worry about SS sinks looking cold, but I think copper/wood counters will offset that. I worry about too much SS in the kitchen, but I'm afraid that ship has long sailed.

We'll see what SS fabrication costs. At least I can deal directly with the fabricators.

[rsrfan]

Check to see if you can “rhino line” the sides and bottoms of the sinks. Even at 14 gauge they will still sound tinny when things are dropped in them if sound deadener is not applied to the reverse sides. Hopefully the sink fabricator will have ideas. It’s a little thing but much easier to perform before installation and as your kitchen will be custom, you want to do it right…

[javadog]

Think twice about the copper countertops.

Or, maybe, three or four times.

[dad911]

If you have the skills to make a plywood sink, you have the skills to make one out of soapstone.

[jyl]

Originally Posted by javadog

Think twice about the copper countertops.

Or, maybe, three or four times.

SS counters then?

[futuresoptions]

If I wanted the look of a stone sink but without having to worry too much about durability, I would remake the sink out of marine grade plywood, fill any gaps with thickened epoxy (like if you were building a boat), sand, put a coat of epoxy to soak into the wood, while still tacky I would then do something like this. Choose your own coloring.

[jyl]

Originally Posted by dad911

If you have the skills to make a plywood sink, you have the skills to make one out of soapstone.

Does it cut with woodworking tools?