Wooden Baths and Sinks – Do they work?!
By Jack Healy
After working in the plumbing industry for over 20 years I’ve seen just about every type of sink you can imagine. Several years ago, intrigued by some artisan-created sinks I’d seen, I set out on a quest to find high-quality artisan sinks that were functional and long lasting.
I started with glass sinks and
GlassArtistsGallery.com and then expanded my search to other mediums – metal, stone, ceramic and wood. The result of this journey is
Sinks Gallery – the finest collection of artisan and designer sinks found anywhere in the world.
The most difficult part was finding a quality wood sink that would withstand the rigors of daily use while maintaining the richness of the material – it was truly a challenge! I looked at everything I could find and just wasn’t convinced that wood was a lasting option for sinks. Then I discovered the William Garvey Company in the UK. And I can now definitively answer the question posed in the title of this article – do they work? Yes they do!
Since finding William Garvey, I’ve also found a few more wood artisans who create beautiful, long lasting wood sinks. In fact, Sinks Gallery now includes our own teak sink collection, which is part of our SoLuna line of rustic and ethnic stone, wood and copper sinks, tubs and lighting.
Here’s some in depth information about each of our wood sink lines.
William Garvey
The William Garvey company made their first sink in 1978, for a local client who wanted to transform the chore of washing up into a pleasure. In the early days their sinks and baths were made from natural teak with no additional finishing. Teak is chosen because of its natural waterproofing properties – it has been used for hundreds of years in the marine industry for this reason – teak also has natural antiseptic properties, which is a bonus for use in baths and sinks. That first sink is still in use to this day, and the owners love it so much that they took it with them when they moved.
Maintenance
One of the features of natural teak is that it darkens over time, which means that Garvey’s early sinks are now quite dark in appearance but still as functional as the day they were handcrafted in the workshop.
To address this issue, an organic teak oil finish was incorporated in the early 1990’s, which successfully reduced the darkening of the teak and made the appearance of the baths and sinks distinctly more beautiful. Teak needs regular maintenance by cleaning and re-oiling up to four times a year. In our increasingly busy world this is not always possible or desirable.
A New Finish
After extensive research and development they incorporated their new TeakSeal™ treatment system in early 2003. This system combines the benefits of polyurethane lacquers and teak oil in a system whereby polyurethane polymers are progressively impregnated for life into the teak itself. This keeps all the outstanding natural waterproof and antiseptic properties of teak while adding the ease of maintenance and durability of modern materials.
The result? Because the polymers are impregnated into the wood they will not abrade away with normal use. The new treatment provides a tough, easy-to-clean finish that requires virtually no maintenance.
They tested this new finish with boiling water, hot fat, toothpaste and dirty greasy water left overnight. They even kept the taps dripping to test for the accumulation of limescale. These tests have proven the product to be highly durable and our clients report it &dquot;easier to clean than ceramic!&dquot; – using standard non-abrasive bathroom cleaners.
With 25 years experience and their virtually maintenance-free TeakSeal™ finish, Wm. Garvey baths and sinks are not only aesthetic but practical too. TeakSeal™ provides a tough, easy-to-clean product that will stand the test of time and make it easy to keep your bath or sink looking great.
Click here for products by William Garvey.
SoLuna
SoLuna rustic teak sinks are made at the source in Indonesia. The wood that is used to craft these sinks is reclaimed from the teak lumber industry. While certain parts of the tree aren’t suitable for dimensional lumber, they are wonderful for our purposes. The rounded forms and unusual shapes and grains make this wood perfect for sinks, and for an amazing array of other products. It’s a beautiful way to make use of this by-product of the timber industry.
Our rustic teak sinks come in a hand turned bowl version and in entirely natural shapes. The interiors of both are treated with an eco-friendly, waterproof finish to bring out the natural beauty of the wood grain.
Maintenance of SoLuna teak sinks
All woods darken over time, so you should expect that the color of your teak sink will change somewhat. The natural formed sinks will darken on the interior, but as the outside has not been worked there should be less change in its appearance. Changes in color are actually desirable in natural products, as a patina indicates the surface is solidifying, which enhances the sense of longevity and permanence.
Just like sinks made of any other material,
SoLuna teak sinks do need regular maintenance. Clean your sink with a gentle soap and a soft cloth or bush. Avoid any kind of abrasive, whether in the cleaning tool or a cleaning product. To keep your sink looking its finest, we recommend giving it a light coating of teak oil four times per year.
Click here to see our SoLuna line.