Kohler cast iron sink vs. Whitehaus fireclay sink vs ??
beaglesdoitbetter1
13 years ago
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oldhousegal
13 years agoplllog
13 years agoRelated Discussions
Fireclay vs. Cast Iron - I'm losing my Mind!!!
Comments (7)I had a Kohler, navy blue cast iron sink for many years and it was great. The finish became dull in some places but I could always give it a good scrubbing and then rub a little olive oil on it to restore the shine. I just replaced it with a fire clay white sink and I'm still somewhat afraid of it. The porcelain coating on the cast iron could chip, but I'm afraid the clay sink could actually break. They are both heavy. Delivery and installation was a tense time. Kohler's website has cleaning instructions for both kinds. According to them- the clay seems easier to clean. My friend, a carpenter, said he's been seeing a lot of clay sinks in new installations lately. These decisions seem so important and un-important at the same time don't they? I'm telling myself that eventually I'll get used to whatever I wind up doing....See MoreFireclay vs/ enamel cast iron farm sink
Comments (2)Durable? Cast iron. Well, stainless even more because it's impossible to chip, though fireclay and cast iron are less likely to scratch. Fireclay is great stuff, but less precise. You should have it on site before fitting the cabinet, etc., because there is variation in the size. If you tighten the flange on the disposer too tight you can crack the sink. And it's the easiest to chip. But fireclay is even harder than vitreous china, and really nice to touch. It's hard to stain, and stains can be treated with a little bleach. Glass enamel on cast iron, which most cast iron sinks are nowadays, is fired very hot so it's extra hard to stain. It can be chipped, but you'd pretty much have to drop something like a big cast iron frying pan edge on to do it. It's very hard to scratch. If the iron cracks it's because of a terrible fault in manufacturing and likely the company will replace it (I've never heard of a crack in the iron happening except when people have tried refiring it, but it is theoretically possible). It's a no fuss, no care, kind of sink. Stainless can get water spots and smudges, depending on the age and finish. It develops microscratches that become an all over patina. Many come in brushed finish which is basically a head start on that. It won't ever crack (well, maybe if you're at the epicenter of an earthquake right when you're giving it a thermal shock...). It can be stained, but the stains can be worked off. Molded glass doesn't make a good kitchen sink. The three materials you mentioned are all good....See MoreVigo matte stone sink VS kohler cast iron whitehaven
Comments (22)@cpartist How do you like the DXV Hillside? Any pros/cons with it? Anyone else have one? We were originally considering the 36" Shaw farmhouse sink but the salesman said they all end up crazing over time. He said that Shaw makes their sinks they same way they did 100 years ago and it takes 3 days to dry. In those 3 days the sink settles and thats why the bottom can not consistently drain towards the drain (thus puddling) and that the settling enables the crazing to happen over time. He showed us several sinks like the Franke and Home Refinements Julien but those two were too modern for our kitchen (thinner walls). He said if you're going for a really worn in kitchen with lots of character in a 100 year old house, then those crazing spider webs on the Shaw won't matter. Our house is built in the 1930's with white inset shaker cabinets but I still don't want to look at cracks in my sink. The Hillside has almost the same dimensions and thicker walls like the Shaw. He said they poke a hole in the bottom front in the drying process and all the liquid fireclay pours out and leaves a shell of a sink. That leaves the sink sounding a bit more hollow when you knock on it, but also allows it to dry in one day so that it retains its shape. The water will drain toward the drain and the sizes don't vary like the Shaw (+/- 2%). I'm worried if something went wrong with the Shaw and we had to replace it, that it wouldn't fit exactly in the original cutout for the sink. I'm not too aware of the DXV brand though. Any good?...See MoreKohler Whitehaven vs Whitehaus fireclay? Help me choose
Comments (39)I bought mine 2 years ago - just letting you know that the online purchase went well. The Elkay I was thinking of is quartz - but I can't find it in a short apron. I thought someone said it came short apron, but I must have misunderstood. You can also have your cabinet altered for a "tall apron" - then the Elkay might work, but I have no idea how "quartz" as a sink material holds up. There are some other companies that make cast iron farm sinks - they appear to be the more traditional, harder to install type. While my Whitehaven was pricy, it is easier to install so a money saver there, and no need to change out or alter the sink base cabinet - another money saver. I ended up putting off my remodel a few months just to save up for the Whitehaven:) If you have a functioning kitchen and are just doing counters, sink and backsplash, which is what I did, then you might just wait a month and see if anything changes. Joe does lots of sink change outs and was told 45 days by his supplier. I am sure no one want to tell people it is going to be soon, and then have to take it back. I do really like my sink:)...See Morebeaglesdoitbetter1
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