Customize Your Bathroom with a Cool Concrete Sink
The bathroom, whether a guest powder room or master en suite, is an area of the home where you can let your decorating imagination run free. Paint the walls in your favorite vibrant color such as lavender or apricot … or experiment with a striking mural. For the bathroom sink, try concrete. Yes,
Posted — UpdatedThe color selection is virtually infinite and can be matched to order to your wall paint. Stains may be applied to give subtle color variations.
In addition to their versatility in terms of style, concrete sinks entail low to zero maintenance. Integral basins, formed as one unit with the vanity or countertop, have no seams, thus avoiding major trouble spots for dirt and mildew. Mild soap and water are all you'll need to clean your concrete bathroom sink.
Concrete is quite durable. However, should it need repair, patching and resealing are simple matters. What's more, concrete sinks are affordable compared to those made from other substances, especially when the cost is averaged out over the course of their long lifetime. The concrete's appearance will improve as it ages and acquires a rich patina.
Due to its innate porosity, concrete might absorb moisture and stains, especially acidic or oily ones. However, this may be minimized by proper sealing before use and wiping up spills promptly.
The mining and production processes do not rate top marks on a scale of environmental friendliness; it is possible, though, to choose concrete made with a percentage of recycled content consisting of industrial waste products like slag cement, fly ash and silica fume. This type of "green mix" reduces the amount of cement required by as much as half compared to conventional concrete. Alternatively, you might want to opt for a mixture that incorporates recycled compacted, crushed concrete.
Another interesting new green development is glass-fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC). Containing recycled post-industrial glass, GFRC is extremely strong, which permits it to be applied in much thinner layers and decreases the amount of product necessary.
Be sure to have your concrete sink treated with an eco-friendly sealant that is non-toxic, emitting low to no VOCs.