Thermal Stress. One of the most common causes of hairline cracks on porcelain sinks is thermal stress. Considering porcelain is usually layered on metal (which conducts heat), the sink loses heat rapidly and can become very cold—even when the room isn't cold.
Cracks in ceramic sink: Assess the situation and the sink
Porcelain sinks are both beautiful and easy to clean. On the down side, it's a brittle material and easily cracked. One drop of a heavy object can leave you staring at a major chip in your porcelain.
This section explains how to fix a chipped ceramic sink. If you still have the broken piece of sink, you can use an epoxy adhesive to fix it. However, don't worry if not, it's still possible to remedy a chipped sink with an epoxy putty.
Heavy usage can result in cracks appearing or the unintentional dropping of a hefty object on the porcelain can chip off parts of the enamel. All these chips and cracks can be unpleasant to look at and might prompt you to want to replace the sink.
A well maintained ceramic sink can last a lifetime, and thanks to them being easy to clean as well as heat resistant, it can look just as good as the day you bought it.
The disadvantages of ceramic sinks are much smaller, but they should also be considered before buying. First, sinks made of this material are quite heavy and difficult to install them yourself. Secondly, the ceramic surface is not resistant to strong shocks. If you drop something very heavy into the sink, it may crack.
Stay away from bleach and harsh chemical cleaners that contain substances like hydrochloric and sulphuric acid as these can damage the finish of your brand new sink. You should also avoid using bicarbonate of soda and vinegar as these can leave marks on the ceramic surface.
Thermal Stress. One of the most common causes of hairline cracks on porcelain sinks is thermal stress. Considering porcelain is usually layered on metal (which conducts heat), the sink loses heat rapidly and can become very cold—even when the room isn't cold.
Porcelain is considered the hardest clay available today and it starts out as... ceramic. It is heated in a kiln at an extremely high temperature (higher than ceramic), so it is less porous and dense. Porcelain is very strong with a smooth finish.
Cracking is mainly caused by uneven drying of the piece, meaning that some parts of the pottery shrink more than others.
Crazing Is a Network of Hairline Cracks in The Glaze of Your Pottery. These Cracks Appear After Firing, And They Occur When the Thermal Expansion of Your Glaze Is Not High or Low Enough for Your Clay Body.
The most effective method of fixing cracks and missing pieces on a broken ceramic object is by using a cold-materials process. This can involve materials such as adhesives, fillers, paints, and glaze. With some of these materials at hand, you can easily repair broken pieces or repair lines on your ceramic piece.
Pouring boiling water is quite risky as it might lead to a steam burn or scalding. Another thing to keep in mind is what type of material you are pouring in into. If you have a porcelain sink, it is likely to crack due to the heat. All in all, pouring boiling water down your drain will only cause issues down the road.
Durability: The durability of ceramic sinks and their heavy frames, make them sturdy and reliable kitchen centerpieces. Heavy duty glazing and layered clay composition makes this sink chip proof as well as resistant to many household chemicals.
Getting a proper seal around your bathroom sink prevents water penetration. Here's the best way to ensure a complete seal around your sink area to make it easier to clean and less prone to water damage and dis-colouration.
At IKEA, we mostly use ceramics for plant pots, porcelain and sinks – and since it can be glazed to any colour and shine, the possibilities of styles and looks are endless.
› You must not pour strong chemicals down the sink such as bleach, ammonia, caustic soda, white sprit and sterilising solutions. If this should accidentally happen, quickly wipe the spill away and rinse with plenty of water.
Abrasive tools: Abrasive tools like scouring pads and steel wool could cause unsightly scratches to form on porcelain sinks. Abrasive cleaners: Abrasive cleaners that contain harsh chemicals can stain, scratch, or damage the finish on porcelain sinks.
The secret to making sure that the crack doesn't reappear is really just down to using jointing tape. This method works every time and it doesn't matter if you're plastering over it, using a filler like we did here or even if you're installing plasterboards (where you have to tape the join to ensure it doesn't crack).
Small or hairline cracks are usually nothing to worry about.
In older houses, temperature changes and variations in humidity levels will cause the structure to shrink and swell over a prolonged period of time. Plaster shrinkage. Newly plastered walls can often experience hairline cracks as they dry out.
Placing hot pans on the surface of the sink. Your sink can withstand very high temperatures of up to 250ºC. Hot pans straight from the hob or oven often exceed this temperature however and could mark or cause crazing to the glaze.
If you have ever needed to take a boiling hot pot of pasta off the stove, you're bound to have asked yourself, “Now, where can I put this?” Your ceramic sink provides plenty of space for such eventualities. After all, it is outstandingly heat-resistant, so high temperatures cannot damage it.
Use a clean cloth to scrub away any dirt or residue that may be on your ceramic sink's surface. Make sure to focus on especially stubborn areas like corners or ridges where dirt might be difficult to reach. Once finished scrubbing the entire surface area, empty out the sink and rinse once more with warm water.