The cast iron laundry room sinks by Kohler: Gorgeous. And I discovered 7 of them — available in a wide variety of colors and faucet configurations — to ogle. Yes: Laundry room porn. You could also use these sinks in your utility room, mudroom, potting area or craft room.
The chief difference between a kitchen sink and laundry room sink is that the latter is deeper — usually 12″, sometimes even more. I love these Kohler designs because they are cast iron, finished with porcelain enamel (like our kitchen sink favorite, the Kohler Delafield). The real, old fashioned deal. Among the seven designs, some have an early 20th century feel, like the Kohler Harborview sink, above. It’s a 48″ wide behemoth that comes in either a one- or two-faucet configuration.
Others cast iron sinks in the lineup have a more midcentury look, like the Kohler Bayview sink, above. You can also get this one with a faucet hole on top.
Yes, this one makes me wish I had a space for a floor sink. I guess I would use it to give Astro showers? The Kohler Oceanview sink is 48″ wide and 7″ deep. It can also be installed as a countertop sink. I love cast iron sinks.
This Kohler Park Falls sink might actually be the most practical for the space I have in mind for my crafting sink. It’s only 21″ front to back. This one is tile-in. The Park Falls also comes with a countertop drop-in design.
The Kohler River Falls is similarly sized. All these sinks seem to be available in a variety of colors and hole and mounting configurations. If you are truly interested, study and compare all the specifications and features carefully. ‘Til your eyes bug out.
The Glen Falls is about the same, compact size as well. Kohler also offers a few under-counter cast iron utility sinks.
The Kohler Tandem laundry sink is contemporary and cute as a button. It comes with a variety of accessories so that you can wash your delicates more easily.
Can these also be used as kitchen sinks? Be careful: My experience with very deep kitchen sinks is that they are back-breakers. It’s okay to have a deep utility sink — it gives you lots of depth to wash out buckets as well as all your other tools. But if you were to use a sink like this in the kitchen, you would sort of have to “bend down” to get to the bottom all the time. So, check the depth of the sink you are considering. Note: The Harborview (first sink shown) is “only 10” deep; that would be fine for a kitchen, I think.
I have heard of folks putting kitchen sinks in the bathroom — so they give the babies their baths. Hmmm…. Juust wash the baby in the kitchen sink — that’s what we did.
Finally, don’t flip out too much at the retail prices you see on the Kohler website. Just tapping around the www a bit, I see these marketed at 50% less at major online retailers. It pays to shop around — assuming you get the customer service required.
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Joe says
yesterday I was cleaning our Kohler cast iron kitchen sink and noticed a scratch in it. Is that normal? It’s only about 2 years old and we’re pretty careful about what we put in there. I wonder if this is covered by the warranty?
pam kueber says
Hi Joe, I don’t know… You should talk to Kohler.
Lauryn says
Ah, someday I’m going to have a “real” laundry room instead of a scary mess in the basement that happens to have a washing machine and a cheap plastic utility “sink” as well. And when I do, it will have the Bayview or the Harborview … or some actual vintage piece like them!
Lauryn says
Ouch! Even at discounted online prices, they’re still pretty high. Habitat Restore it will be for me, I’m guessing.
Lynne says
In my previous home I had a “Duratub” laundry sink. It handled all the messiness we could throw at it. It was very affordable, and had a VERY mid century white steel cabinet to dress it up and add storage. It sat right next to my Shirley brand kitchen sink unit. I did change the plastic pull it came with for a snazzy retro pull.
http://www.mustee.com/product-lines/laundry-utility-tubs/94.html
marta says
I grew up with a cement ‘set tub’ in the mud room into which the washer drained. It was indestructible. The ’67 ranch we live in now does not have a sink in the basement where the washer and dryer live, and one can’t be put in without a sewage ejector pump. It’s the first time I’ve lived in a house without a laundry sink, and it’s a major inconvenience.
What IS in the basement, on the other side of the house, is a sink the previous builder/owner of the house put in for his wet bar. It empties (or not) into a gray water drain that is hopelessly clogged/compromised and unusable. The sink itself, though, is a thing of joy that will, as God is my witness, one day be my kitchen sink. It’s a salvaged 50″ wide white porcelain beauty that rests on on shapely porcelain legs in the front and wall anchors on the back. The left side is 16″ deep, the right 8″. It has the original cover tray, and original faucet with soap dish on top. There are, of course, a few dings in the enamel on the outside apron, and it doesn’t have drainboard sides, but those are paltry considerations. I love it enough to have it re-porcelained it necessary, but really, the insides of the sinks are in very good shape.
marta says
Happy day! Because of your post, Pam, I actually did a little research on my vintage sink. It appears to be a 30’s era American Standard. I found an example (minus the faucet and cover tray) here: http://www.thisoldtubandsink.com/19viamstdoba4.html
marta says
Oh, my! They’re selling the example I found, which is in similar condition to mine, for almost $1400, and that’s without the faucet, tray, and legs. This is info I DEFINITELY won’t share with the DH. He’d be hot to convert the sink to cash. lol
pam kueber says
cool!
marta says
Pam, I was just playing around on the site where I found a sample of my sink, thisoldtubandsink.com (which is in Boston, as it turns out), and they’ve announced since so many people visiting the site comment about wishing they lived close enough for pick-up, because they could swing the price of the sink but not the shipping, the company is starting a nation wide want-ad service so people with and without vintage sinks/tubs/toilets can find each other in their local area. It’s starting this month.
pam kueber says
you can also use my forum: https://retrorenovation.com/forums/
marta says
Yep, one of favorite places to drool over things!
Elaine says
This is great! I put a cheap fiberglass utility sink in my garage just last month. It is one of those little square ones all one piece legs and all that just fits in the space available. A cast iron one the same size would make me feel a lot more secure. I am just waiting for one of the menfolk to drop a cement block or something in this one and bye-bye sink.
Elaine says
Oh, drat, the one with legs only comes 48″ wide. Oh, well, I am inspired to keep looking.
pam kueber says
Don’t forget Sandford: 42″ https://retrorenovation.com/2011/10/27/farmhouse-kitchen-sinks-two-sources-for-authentic-1900s-reproductions/
marta says
One thing I think is important to consider when installing a new or vintage porcelain enamel sink in a laundry area is that chlorine bleach WILL, over time, damage the finish, particularly if you use any kind of scouring powder more abrasive than plain baking soda. A vintage sink is likely to be much more susceptible to damage. If you normally use the laundry sink for soaking whites, etc., in a bleach solution, do so in a plastic bucket or tub and rinse the sink thoroughly after dumping the bleach solution down the drain.
Kathy says
I like the River Falls Model. It comes with a fitted plastic tub and wire rack, so half the sink is still usable while your clothes are soaking, and there is less risk of damage. Would be perfect for my bathroom/laundry room combination.
sally says
While renovating my 1925 house my 1929 Crane ‘corwith” sink was STOLEN. All 300 lbs of it. I replaced it with a lovely cast iron wall sink made by Sanford that I found on signaturehardware.com. It was very exciting when the sink arrived in an unmarked wooden crate. I have photos here:
http://thisoldcoconutgrove.blogspot.com/2012/03/everything-and-kitchen-sink_07.html
pam kueber says
Yes, great sink, I spotlighted it here: https://retrorenovation.com/2011/10/27/farmhouse-kitchen-sinks-two-sources-for-authentic-1900s-reproductions/ after a reader used it in her kitchen!
sally says
Right after I posted my comment, I saw that. Her sink looks gorgeous with the skirt around it.
Kristin says
I die over that painted brick…and now I want a new sink!
Neva Warnock says
SO glad to see I’m not the only one around here who grew with cement “set tubs”! What didn’t we use those for — indestructible! My 20 yrs old washer spews more water than my pipes can handle, so I’m looking at a utility sink to handle the overflow end route. I *just barely* have space for a 24“ sink, I believe. Unless any of you have other solutions…. 🙂