Can I save my hootie ring?
DC Girl Rebecca sent in this question about hootie rings. Yes — hootie rings!!
Pam,
do you know if anyone sells just the metal rim to go around sinks? I have a fantastic, huge cast iron sink that I want to reuse after replacing our countertops, but a plumber I had in recently said I couldn’t because no one makes that edging anymore and it’s next to impossible to remove the sink without damaging it.This can’t be true, can it?
Rebecca
I consulted with John V. of deabath.com, who explains:
Hi Pam;
Unfortunately, the plumber is fairly accurate. Quite a few of those old Hootie rings were made specifically for the sink, and once the sink is discontinued, the ring goes as well. The best I could recommend to your reader is to hit up local, well established plumbing houses and hope there’s one kicking around in the warehouse…I’ve saved them before, and I’ve lost them before as well. It just depends on what material was used to seal the ring onto the old countertop. I would certainly give it a go. And, as long as the ring isn’t physically broken, a body shop can probably repair the damage incurred during removal. Give it a shot, what do you have to lose?
Believe it or not, the ring were originally made by Hootie Manufacturing. Love the name….
John
Love that name, too, John, thank you!
Some pristine fixtured for sale now at deabath.com
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That was me, Pam! thanks for doing the research that I’m too lazy to do. At least I have a fun new term to google: “hootie ring”!
–rebecca
When I did a google search for “hootie ring” one of the hits was for a Hootie and the Blowfish ring tone. *hoot*
We (well, the plumber, actually) successfully re-used our hootie ring. It took me a good bit of cleaning, but was well worth the great 50’s renovation look.
I had no idea it had a name.
I have a Hootie Ring!
*wink*
Now, who has the best solution for getting stains out of 46 year old sinks? LOL
DanaMc
I also have an original sink with the *hootie* ring – that seems to have perma-stain!! I clean it – to sparkling white – and as soon as I put a cup in it – it’s stained again!! argh
Okay kids…it’s krazi karmi with some cleaning solutions.
Honestly, these things are not as delicate as we’d like to think. You know plenty of grammas have scrubbed the heck out of them over the decades! I ended up with 3 extra sinks, and I have been diligently cleaning them, preparing them for sale. I used Zep brand Calcium, Lime & Rust stain remover and an extra fine Scotch-Brite pad (they are maroon in color and found in paint and hardware stores). I also used good old fashioned cleanser. While brillo pads are too abrasive, the Scotch-Brite pads are fine. I also let soapy water with plenty of bleach sit in the sinks in preparation for the final scrub. Yes, they seem to stain quickly once in use, but…relaxxxx…it’s just the bottom of your sink!
Hello,
I have my old brown sink in the kitchen with a hootie ring. I am tired of brown so at Habitat For Humanity Restore–or whatever the name is shop I found a new white sink with a white hootie ring. The sink has a chip–I bought it.
Later I found the same sink at Micklin Hardware in Omaha ne. It was under 100 dollars. So if the chrome one doesn’t fit the new sink I purchase at Micklin–I will have to use a white hootie ring. So I know the sink and white as of last year are still available.
Y’all have MADE MY DAY – hootie rings indeed!
And I love the color name “Sand Tan ” – much nicer name than “peach” – it is very close to mine, although mine are American Standard with Crane faucets. My plumber lusts after my Crane faucets, and he always reminds me of the other bathrooms in my city which have them.
I passed up on one of those cast iron deep shower pans – they look like mini tubs – at a Habitat store years ago – it matched my peach bathroom fixtures perfectly but I knew that my then-husband would have a COW if I came home with it. It would have been a stunning addition, alas.
Are you a new reader, Beth? Sounds like we have sucked you into our vortex, hehe!
beth, oh those spouses and their “cows.” I think I will do a whole open thread on this issue!
What about cows?
PugFreek, in America the phrase, “To have a cow” means: “To get very upset.” Like…to get so upset you give birth to a cow.
Hootie ring, oh my gosh. Never heard the term til now. And I certainly didn’t know they quit making them, now I want a sink with a hootie ring!
Hey Capecodmidcentury, are you from Omaha, so am I!
i have a boat that has three hatches all three are15×16 they all have hudee rings . i need all three please help if you can thanks
To everyone looking for hudee rings: I have not had time to do a complete search on these. Until I can get to it…go online and search everywhere you can find for “metal rings.”
ELVIS: Do you have any tips for how you successfully got the ring off? Did you use anything to desolve the glue or just use a screwdriver…please divulge for all of us who desperately need a new sink but want to keep the “look”!
digitera, our helper removed it, but I’m pretty sure it was mainly held in place with metal clips. He was careful enough with them that we could reuse the clips. I understand the clips aren’t always salvageable, because they rust. I’ve heard you can get new clips, but I’ve also heard the new clips don’t always fit or work exactly right.
As for removing the ring, I would use a putty knife or something very flat to separate it from the countertop. Maybe even use a utility knife first, to break the glue seal at the outside of the ring.
Good luck!
Kohler stil makes different sizes, colors & configurations of cast iron sinks with new hudee rings and clips. I special ordered a white 2 sided kitchen sink with a ring from Home Depot about 1.5 years ago. I also order a yellow and a white bathroom sink with new rings. The yellow one matched the original 1963 Kohler sink exactly & fit in the hole in the original formica countertop.
Yes, Doug, you are right.
We have stories on Kohler’s Delafield and Bakersfield sinks on our Kitchen Fast & Easy Page here: http://retrorenovation.com/retro-kitchens/
And the Tahoe sink is listed on our Bathrooms Fast & Easy Page/Sinks here: http://retrorenovation.com/bathroom-hardware/sinks-and-sink-legs/ … The round bathroom sink with metal hudee ring is called Kohler Caxton. AND, Crane also makes at least one model of hudee-ringed bathroom sink.
Welcome, and keep your ideas coming! Also, we’d LOVE to see your ‘63 bathroom retro renovation! send pics if you like, to retrorenovation [at] gmail [dot] com.
kohler also makes the hudee ring for 2 styles of sinks: one bath and kitchen…we just bought them…a &*#$! to install.
I have a 42″” double white kitchen sink with Huddee ring and my husbamd wants to replace with a new Kohler Cape Dory single basin. I am having missed feelings about this because the old sink is fairly chipped and one edge of the sink is seperated from the ring. We have to replace the old countertops which I am going to do in Formica and am really afaid I am going to be unhappy with everything new and clean looking around a n old and dingy sink. Help! I need some advice and feedback. I looked into resurfacing the sink and it’s quite expensive, nearly the price of a new sink.
Thanks!
Jean
Hi Jean, I have not heard good things about the longterm durability of resurfacing….Perhaps other readers can weigh in. If you want the old fashioned look – why not the Kohler Delafield or Bakersfield, each with the hudee ring? http://retrorenovation.com/2008/10/08/retro-kitchen-sinks-from-kohler-cast-iron-metal-framed-my-new-1-choice-if-you-are-buying-new/