DIY stone sink

What does it take to feel like a real aristocrat? A bunch of expensive and fashionable clothes? No. Cool car? No. So what then? In fact, everything is quite simple - install stone plumbing. This is the sophistication of a true aristocrat. But since the price curve for such a product is steadily rising, many people began to think about making sinks from stone themselves. Even if it's artificial.

Features of stone sinks, their pros and cons

Companies specializing in the production of sinks never cease to offer potential buyers more and more new models made of stone. For the most part, this stone is of artificial origin. It is believed that such products are very durable, since the structure of the material is homogeneous. They are not afraid of exposure to liquids used in everyday life. And if they are handled carefully, they can be used for a very long time without losing their original appearance.

However, just because a product looks beautiful does not mean that it is of high quality, because not every manufacturer strives to ensure that the quality of the product matches the cost.

Attention! In order not to make a mistake when choosing, it would be very good to have an idea of ​​how these products are made and what their strengths and weaknesses are.

During advertising campaigns, companies that manufacture stone sinks focus on how good their products are and what excellent performance properties they have. They are not deceiving anyone at all, their data is reliable, but... They are a little vague about some of the properties of the products, because of which they are losing their positions, giving way to sinks made of other materials.

The main thing that can be called a disadvantage of such products is the cost. It’s certainly hard to call a stone sink a budget purchase. In terms of cost, artificial stone is much inferior to similar products made from all other materials, for example, stainless steel or porcelain stoneware.

Like everything else in our world, sinks made of stone have not only positive aspects, but also negative ones. Their advantages are that:

1. They are made in various shapes, so there is no shortage of options.
2. They are very practical and even water is not noticeable on them.
3. Models from the high price range can easily withstand temperature changes. This means that boiling water spilled on them will not cause harm.
4. Their surface is not afraid of abrasion. If a scratch suddenly appears, you can always sand it again.

Reference. The main advantage of artificial stone is its ability to imitate natural materials such as onyx or marble. By spending less on your purchase, you can give your bathroom or kitchen more chic and elegance.

If desired, you can also purchase a countertop made of artificial stone.

If we mention the disadvantages, then these are:

• the cost is almost prohibitive;
• difficulty moving, as it weighs a lot;
• high probability of cracks appearing when dropped.

How to make a sink from stone

What to do if you want such a sink, but the price is scary. The answer is quite logical - do it yourself. In this case, you can use not only artificial stone, but also natural one.

From natural

For natural stone sinks, whole pieces are used. Typically, travertine, marble, granite, onyx and other varieties are used for them. Sometimes a sink may consist not of one piece, but of several elements. It is clear that you will not find such a sink in every home, because the price for them is very high and this is logical, since a lot of effort is spent on their manufacture. Much more often you can find sinks made of artificial stone.

For your own home, it is quite possible to make a sink from natural stone with your own hands. You don’t even need any special knowledge or special tools for this. And it won’t take that much time.

To work, you need to prepare the following tools:

• laser level;
• circular saw (the blade itself must be diamond);
• hammer;
• bit;
• grinder with a diamond wheel;
• impact drill.

Naturally, you will need to find a suitable piece of stone. Its breed, size and shape can be very diverse.

First of all, cuts are made in the stone using a circular saw. This will allow you to make a recess for the bowl.

Using a hammer and chisel, the cut pieces are broken off and removed. Next, the entire inner surface of the bowl is polished with a grinder.

At the final stage, a hole for drainage is made with an impact drill. That's all! All that remains is to install the sink in its rightful place and connect it to the sewerage system and water supply.

Naturally, a homemade sink may not be particularly large and not the most convenient to use, but it will definitely save money and make the interior of the room unusual.

Attention! During operation, safety regulations must be observed.

From artificial

In addition to natural stone, you can use acrylic or artificial stone. The production technology will be slightly different.

Acrylic stone sinks

When creating a sink, we adhere to the following plan:

• we make a matrix - for this you can use steel or ordinary silicone;
• we treat the finished matrix with gelcoat, which allows the acrylic to be distributed over the surface of the mold itself;
• place the mold on the vibrating table;
• For casting we use aluminum hydroxide and various hardeners.

Quartz stone sinks

To make yourself a quartz-based sink, in addition to artificial stone, you will also need polyester resin.

The manufacturing process is as follows:

• Rock quartz is added to the resin and mixed using a construction mixer (an ordinary drill with a special attachment will do).
• the finished mixture is poured into a mold, which is installed on a brick making machine;
• As soon as the sink takes on the required shape, you will need an oven and a high temperature in it. When heated, the resin will become hard.