How to Repair a Chipped Enamel Sink

Enamel cast iron sinks are beautiful and functional, but they have an annoying aspect over stainless steel sinks, they are easily chipped. Weather it is dropping a pan or a glass into a sink; you can fix any sort of chip with the right knowledge and tips presented in this article.

To begin you will need to take a trip down to your local home improvement store, and in the adhesive or plumbing aisle you will find a sink chip repair kit. Most of these come in the form of a two-part system that you mix. The mixing action of the two chemicals causes a reaction, which makes the material harden. The most important aspect of selecting the right repair is to ensure that you get the right color. If your sink is white this should be a rather easy task, but if your sink is another color it could be more of a challenge. While at the home improvement store you will also want to pick up some 600-grit wet/dry sandpaper, and a small detail brush (foam) for use to paint the chip.

Begin the repair procedure by thoroughly cleaning the sink. Often dishes and pots can leave behind an oily food residue, which can prevent the new chip patch from adhering. Once the sink is thoroughly clean, you should let the sink dry completely.

Next sand the chipped area with the wet/dry sandpaper that you picked up previously. The idea here is that you want to remove any rust, and dirt, which may have been caught up in the chipped area. You also want to gently sand the edges of the area right next to the chip. Doing so will remove the gloss coating and will give the new chip patch material a good base to adhere to. Be careful that you don't sand more of an area than you need to. The idea is just to clean the rust and remove the gloss from the area directly near the chip, not a larger area. The smaller you can keep the chip repair area the better. Wipe away any sanding dust, or grit, and make sure the patch area is clean and dry.

Next mix up the patch epoxy according to the manufacturer's directions. If you have a white sink then you will just mix and apply. If you have a sink, which is any other color, you may need to mix in a color additive at this point, if you didn't purchase a pre colored mix. In any case once you have the product mixed, but before you apply it, be sure to check the color against the sink to make sure you have a close match. Apply the epoxy to the chip making sure that you thoroughly cover it and feather it onto the area that was directly around the chip for a good bond.

After you have applied the epoxy compound allow the chip to dry and harden for a good twenty four hours before you use the sink. Don't scrub, touch, or brush the chip repair for a good seven to ten days just to be on the safe side. The additional time will give the chip repair time to set and harden to a durable finish.