Step By Step Instructions Of Repairing Hairline Crack In Porcelain Sink
Porcelain sinks are considered one of the long-lasting sinks, however, even the strongly and solidly built sinks are vulnerable to everyday wear and tear. It is highly possible for a porcelain sink to crack, and the first thought that will come to your mind is to replace the whole basin, instead, you can repair cracks and chips in the sink yourself without removing your entire sink. A little porcelain filler will be very helpful in order to get rid of cracks as well as chips in your porcelain sink. To repair the hairline crack in the porcelain sink, go through the below-mentioned steps carefully:
Step 1: Choose The Right Repair Kit
The first & the foremost thing is to get the right repair kit, best suited for fixing cracked porcelain, as there are several inexpensive kits available in the market. The
HomeTinker Porcelain Repair Kit is the most recommended kit & one of the best-selling, highest-rated options, which you will get from online shopping store Amazon. This kit best works on fiberglass, acrylic, ceramic, porcelain, as well as gel-coat enameled steel, therefore, it covers a wide range of scenarios. The HomeTinker kit includes:
- Plastic Gloves
- Coarse And Fine-Grit Sandpaper
- Spreading Tools (Popsicle Stick And Toothpicks)
- Color-Match Gel Dye
- Scraper
- Mixing Resins (A And B)
Step 2: Prepare The Area
Before starting, make sure that your working area has proper ventilation & for that, you can crack a window or switch on the bathroom fan. Arrange all the elements of the kit for easy access and go through the instructions carefully in order to ensure that no special steps need to be followed for the particular kit you purchase. To start the repairing process, smoothly sand the cracks and chips with the help of fine-grit sandpaper. Sanding will help coarsen the surface and allow the repair mixture to stick fast to the surface. Clean the target area using warm water, a non-abrasive sponge, and liquid soap like Castile. If in case you have soap scum to remove, use baking soda in order to add some grit for scrubbing. After cleaning, dry the area rigorously.
Step 3: Mix The Resin
Now, it is time to mix the resin & to do so you need to don the plastic gloves. Add equal parts of the A and B substances on a disposable paper plate. The amount is totally dependent on the size of the crack, however, the ratio of A to B should be 1:1. Go through the instructions carefully for the specific kit you purchase due to the reason that this ratio could vary slightly. As far as small repairs are concerned, you will just need a tablespoon of each of A and B. Use the popsicle stick in order to mix A and B as long as they’re fully blended. The resulting color will be Arctic White, which is one of the popular sink colors.
Step 4: Add Tint To The Resin
The color of the sink will remain the same when the resin dries, therefore, if the sink color doesn’t match the plain mixture, then add the right amount of dye. The HomeTinker kit consists of two color match gel dyes: Black, and Golden-Brown hue. To attain gray or black tones, the black color gel is the best option. For brown tones, the brown color gel is ideal. To attain white, which is a shade darker compared to arctic white, add a very small amount of black color gel.
Step 5: Apply The Resin
Now, apply the resin onto the crack or chips with the help of a popsicle stick or a similar object. Push the resin smoothly so that it fills the crack. This is the most important step in the whole repairing process. If you don’t apply a sufficient amount of resin, the cracks or chips will still remain noticeable. But, using too much resin will make it difficult to smooth the area and hide the repair. For hairline cracks, applying the resin will become easier with the help of a small paintbrush or the head of a toothpick.
Step 6: Smooth The Resin
After applying the resin to the crack, smooth the resin with the help of a scraper contained in the kit. If your purchased kit doesn't have a scrapper, then use any flat, flexible object, like a playing card, small piece of cardboard, or a rubber spatula. Select an object that you dispose of afterward due to the reason that the resin will be challenging to remove. After smoothening the resin, cleanse the excess resin from the areas all over the crack using a damp paper towel.
Step 7: Allow The Resin To Dry
Let the repaired area sit for nearly 24 hours in order to allow the resin to settle into the crack and dry rigorously. If you follow steps 1-6 carefully, then you don't need to apply an additional coat of resin. But, if you want to apply an extra coat for good measure, interfering with the normal arrangement of the repaired area before 24 hours could spoil up the hardening process and cause noticeable indentations.
Step 8: Sand And Smooth The Repaired Area
After the completion of the 24-hour drying period, smoothly blend and buff the repair into the original surface with the help of sandpaper. Sanding will help remove any bumps and uneven spots, adding shine and uniformity to the area. Start with the coarse sandpaper to get rid of the more substantial portions of excess resin, before using the fine-grit sandpaper to finish.