In my recent story about authentic 1950s 1960s and 1970s kitchen remodeling products still made today, I spotlighted Elkay Lustertone stainless steel drainboard sinks — made back in the day and still available today. Over the past year, I’ve been in touch with a reader who was preparing to install a new Elkay sink top onto his vintage steel kitchen sink base. The project was recently completed — and voila, doesn’t it look fantastic? Reader Joe explains that he would really have preferred to find a porcelain enamel drainboard sink, to replace the original — but these are not made new today, and his previous experience with trying to re-enamel his original drainboard sink was not satisfactory. Read on for his report on his experience and several before-and-after photos.
UPDATE: Regarding old porcelain sinks including a discussion of why re-surfacing or re-enameling may be desirable if you have one, see my story: Understanding potential lead hazards in old porcelain enamel bathtubs and sinks and ceramic tile of any age. We also have found two sources that do old-school re-porcelaining today — use the Search box on the blog to get to the stories..
Joe writes:
Hi Pam,
Finally got the Lustertone sink installed.
I would still have preferred to have replaced the original white enamel-on-steel top with another new one just like it….but no one seems to make them anymore. The stainless steel is just not as “warm feeling” as the white top. But a self draining unit was a priority and that does work fine.
No problems at all with the installation. Fit easily. I replaced the faucet with a kind of retro unit made by Chicago Faucets.
Note: I did have the original top taken out and refinished [with an epoxy-type finish] and that lasted about 2 years. Could not find someone to re-enamel.
Joe
JKaye says
Good job, Joe. I love your floors and rug, by the way.
Trip Haynes says
Looks great! As a housing inspector I see alot of the old sinks and some are in pretty good condition, while others are ready for the scrap yard. It amazes me how long they held up all these years….if only everything else did!
Carole says
You should live in our area, there are restoration houses all over the place!
That said, much as I had wanted to keep a double drainboard, double sink that we found in our field when we moved in here (yes, in our field), it was so damaged that it would have cost more to repair it than to buy a refurbished vintage sink. We went another way, but our brand new store bought sink hasn’t held up well (porcelain) and I’ve sworn off porcelain, having had both it and stainless steel in various houses.
We thought about having it resurfaced (it was an expensive sink), but have heard mixed reviews about having that done.
I love the one you’ve installed, and it even looks like it would fit into our large space. I’ll have to see if they have a double bowl option. Could not do with just one bowl I’m afraid.
Great redo.
Donna says
This looks awesome! Love the chrome. I will add myself to the list of porcelain enamel sink issues. I have a 100 year old cast iron that I have never been happy with since the day it was repaired, or the next year when it was repaired again. I have finally given up. I LOVE the look of the 5 foot single bowl drainboard but I am really regretting having built my countertops on TOP of it…now i’m stuck without major renovation. Joe’s advice is spot on…find one in excellent condition and leave it alone!
Tami says
That looks great – if I ever win the lottery, one o’those is going into my kitchen! Thanks for sharing.
Here’s an idea to re-use your worn-out enameled drainboard sink: repurpose it into a potting bench. My neighbors had taken theirs out and were going to haul it to the dump. I took it home and built a stand/frame for it out of scraps from a fence project. It’s heavy as hell, but it works like a charm for outdoor garden chores.
CindyD says
Ah, Tami, I love this idea! You get the beauty of the original sink and it’s durability, and who cares if there are scrapes and scratches.
MCMeg says
You will love your stainless steel sink! The one I’m using is original from1959 and it is gleaming. It will never chip and a little scouring powder and a Brillo pad makes it look like new. When we replace our counters, we’re planning on keeping the sink.
Jane says
Oh man, I LOVE this sink! I’m inspired.
Gavin Hastings says
A great job!
I would be very careful about the chrome-y dish drainer: I used one in my old double sink…and it rusted almost overnight…leaving marks not easlily removable.
Michelle Minicucci says
Gavin, did the rust marks ever come off? I have had great success with Barkeeper’s Friend. It comes in liquid and powder, and I have never had a metal ruined by it.
Mary Tatum says
This looks fantastic!
MCM is Grand says
We had our excellent tile restoration guy look at our 1955 American Standard tub to see if it were a candidate for refinishing. He advised us to leave it alone, and we’re glad we did! We have no chips, just some dull or pitted areas. He said that the refinishing does not last, and if we washed our dog in there her paws would scratch off the new finish. Also, in our previous home the owners had “sealed” the kitchen tile and sink with some white substance, and by the time we moved out it had bubbled and cracked and looked terrible.