I have a wonderful, large steel sink that is molded with backsplash. The sink is at least 30 years old and in great condition. I would like to keep it if possible. Unfortunately, it has lost its sheen over time. Do you have any suggestions on how I might burnish the surface so that it will look brighter?
Also, the spigot is attached on the vertical backsplash. Most spigots I have seen are fastened onto a horizontal surface. I would appreciate advice on whether I can find a modern, attractive spigot to attach onto the backsplash. Otherwise, I might have to replace the sink.
— Susan Crawford, Evanston
FIRST THINGS FIRST: For that sheenless steel sink and backsplash, I found Frank Lawnicki, owner of Chicago Metal Maintenance, 4317 W. Irving Park Rd., 773-736-0311. When I told him about your sink, he said, “Oh, yeah, that’s what we do for a living.” Residential jobs like yours, he meant, as well as work for building contractors, commercial buildings, and kitchen and appliance vendors such as Abt Electronics in Glenview. “We remove scratches from sinks, refrigerators, ovens — we do all metals,” says Lawnicki, who has customers in Illinois and all states that border Illinois. He’s been doing this for 20 years.
BUT HOW? “First thing we do is sand out scratches,” Lawnicki says. “Then we feather them out with different grades of sandpaper and acrylic [something like a 3M Scotch Rite pad] to bring back the natural look to the grain.” The surface is then washed out and rubbed with a final once-over with acrylic.
LET’S TALK COST: Chicago Metal Maintenance charges $45 an hour, with a two-hour minimum. “Most jobs fall within that two-hour minimum,” Lawnicki says. Appointments now are being filled within two to three weeks.
ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE: Leslie Dorchen, design consultant at Community Home Supply, 3924 N. Lincoln Ave., 773-281-7010, www.communityhomesupply.com, says refinishing/polishing metal can thin it out. And a lot of people opt to buy new sinks.
Prices of stainless sinks vary depending on the gauge of the steel (standard is 18 gauge; the smaller the gauge, the thicker the metal), size and whether it’s a drop-in or undermounted style. Stainless-steel sinks start at $99 for an Elkay 20-gauge single bowl drop-in sink at Home Depot stores; the average prices of 18-gauge Elkay or Blanco stainless sinks at Community Home Supply are $450 to $600. Still, says Dorchen, it’s possible that “it might cost as much to refinish as buying a new one.”
LIFE AFTER RESTORATION: Try polishing it to keep it clean-looking. Assistant Home&Garden editor Marjorie David raves about Weiman’s Stainless Steel Wipes, which clean, shine and protect stainless steel appliances. Caveat: They are disposable, so they add to our growing collection of waste. Chicago Metal Maintenance invented its own polish, Super Shine, and sells it for $5 to $9 for a 12-ounce can at its office; Hi-Grade Paint stores (call 773-463-3050 for locations); and Abt Electronics, 1200 N. Milwaukee Ave., Glenview, 847-967-8830, www.abt.com. Unfortunately, Susan, Lawnicki says you can’t use Super Shine on your sink as it’s an oil-based polish.
TO DIY OR NOT TO DIY? It’s hard to restore metal surfaces on your own, Lawnicki says, because depending on the scratches and the grade of the stainless, “some things come out easy, some we have to work at it. Sometimes, people can make it worse if they don’t understand about grain.”
AND WHAT’S ON TAP? Most bathroom design and home-improvement stores sell wall-mount spigots like yours. Prices vary, depending on maker, style, finish. All require professional installation, as a valve behind the wall will need to be replaced, Dorchen warns.
— Elaine Matsushita, Home&Garden editor
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If you find yourself looking at a problem with something in your home and asking: “What to do? What to do?” Write to me: Home&Garden, baiduhai, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611, Attn: Stump the Editor. Or e-mail [email protected].