Home and Garden | Repairing a Porcelain Enamel Sink - Plumbing

Chipping is one problem that homeowners face with a sink or lavatory that has a porcelain enamel finish. If the chip is on a side that stays dry most of the time, a repair is possible. However, the repair won't last long if the damage is in an area that is usually wet such as the basin or at the base of the faucet handles. Note that the following repair can also be made to the porcelain enamel surface of a bathtub or toilet but, again, not in an area that will be constantly wet. To do the repair you will need porcelain repair compound and some high-gloss, alkyd-base paint that matches the color of the porcelain.

PROJECT BASICS

Project: Easy
Estimated Project Time: Half-hour for repair plus drying time
Start Tips: Clear away extraneous items so they won't be in your way while you're making the repair
Safety Tips: Take care not to cut yourself with the razor blade; flakes of porcelain are also very sharp
Recommendation: Do-it-Yourself

TOOLS & MATERIALS

Porcelain repair compound	Clean piece of glass or tile
High-gloss, alkyd-base paint to match porcelain	Wooden dowel stick or tongue depressor
Medium-grit emery cloth	Single-edged razor blade
Clean cloths	Fingernail polish remover
Rubbing alcohol	Cotton swabs

Fig. 1

INSTRUCTIONS

1) Sand the damaged area
Using a piece of medium-grit emery cloth, sand the damaged area until no chipped porcelain remains and the surface is smooth. (Fig. 1) Remove all soap scum and rust, but confine sanding to the damage. Sanding porcelain beyond the damaged spot will cause scratches. Then, clean the spot using a cloth that you've dampened with rubbing alcohol. Wait for the alcohol to dry completely before applying the repair material.

Fig. 2

2) Mix the repair compound
Mix the repair compound with high-gloss, alkyd-base paint that is the same color as the porcelain. Be careful to add a little compound at a time until it matches the color of the porcelain as closely as possible. If the color is too dark, mix a new batch using less paint. To avoid contaminating the repair compound, mix the compound and paint on a clean piece of glass or a ceramic tile using a wooden dowel stick or tongue depressor. (Fig. 2)

Fig. 3

3) Apply repair compound
Scoop a little of the compound onto a single-edged razor blade, and apply it to the damaged area. Build up the spot by starting in the hole. Then keep adding repair compound until it overlaps the edges of the damage slightly. Scrape off excess until the compound lies flush with the surface of the surrounding area. (Fig. 3)

Fig. 4

4) Blend the edges
After the patch dries, use a cotton swab saturated with fingernail polish remover to remove excess repair compound, blend the edges of the repair compound into the porcelain. (Fig. 4) Let the repair compound dry thoroughly; refer to package label for specific time requirement.