Concrete Two Basin Laundry Sink Find

[Modifieddriver]

Someplace here earlier today someone posted a couple of Craigs list ads for Concrete Laundry sinks in NY and PA.

Looked interesting for my building project planned for the very near future.

Did some searching on the computer, found a couple locally and bought them both this afternoon.

Heavy, heavy!!! One is in the back of my pickup and I have to go pick the other up later this week.

The one in the pics came out of a home built in 1923. Steel reinforced concrete, with zinc metal strips along all the top edges and a zinc metal wash board. Included is the original riveted angle iron frame stand with adjustable leveling feet. The concrete tab the strap is running through comes off for access to the hot/cold fixture mounting holes.

I think it's really cool. Better than the current reinforced plastic stuff ya' usually see on the market today.

I'll post pics of sink #2 after I pic it up.

 

[SGKent]

don't use anything acidic in it. Plastic can handle acids - concrete can't for long.

 

[Modifieddriver]

I'll have to be careful. It's about 80-90 years old, assuming it was installed in the house when it was built. I hope it'll take another 20-25 years of abuse from me and my wife. Don't know if I'll last that long.

Sink #2 is supposed to be like new.

Also, FWIW, Super Bowl half-time *****!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jake00]

Cool, I've got one in my basement, figured if I ever remove it, it's coming out in pieces

 

[Bull]

Cool, I've got one in my basement, figured if I ever remove it, it's coming out in pieces

That's what I did. Maybe I should have kept it, but it was pretty old and scongey.

I can see them being cool in a shop, though.

 

[SCscoutguy]

That's what I did. Maybe I should have kept it, but it was pretty old and scongey.

I can see them being cool in a shop, though.

Yea I was just about to say most people I know that have them break them up and replace them. The OP is the first person I have ever seen actually want to transplant and install one.

 

[nsnrider]

i had one of those in the basement when i bought the house. Took some time to break it up and get it out of the basement in pieces. Why would you want something so ugly anyways?

 

[toomany]

I picked one up just like that a few years ago. Was getting some old appliances for scrap, had to take the sink as part of the deal. Luckily it was already out of the basement and into the garage,took 3 of us to load it onto the trailer. Dumped it off the trailer and into the backyard. Finally broke it up last summer after I got tired of mowing around it. Ended up putting the concrete bits around the fence where my dogs like to dig.

 

[Modifieddriver]

i had one of those in the basement when i bought the house. Took some time to break it up and get it out of the basement in pieces. Why would you want something so ugly anyways?

Why would I want something that ugly? It'll match the rest of the **** I own .

I'm not a "it has to be new and shiny" kinda' guy. Many here are that way.

These concrete soapstone sinks are like indestructible. Testaments to that are the ones here saying it takes a sledge to break one.

These are actually becoming quite collectable. The old ones seem to be bring some pretty good $dough$. $400+ is not uncommon. Real common in the NE to refinish and install in renovated homes.

Also, what else ya' gonna' get this tough? A $200-$300 polyester/fiberglass reinforced version on stamped sheet metal legs won't take a lickin' ??? A thread here today is what swayed me to the old concrete version, rather than a new made in Mexico/China PoS . They wanted to know how to repair a broken poly sink because it was damaged from an overload. I already own a utility version of those poly sinks. Good for washing your hands and cleaning a mop. After that, kiss is good bye .

 

[kursplat]

i like it. would make a great sink behind the garage or out by the potting shed

 

[Lippyp]

They still put these brand new in campsites in France so you can do your laundry!

 

[BWS]

Very cool!

 

[Outlander]

I would post a picture of mine, but my wife would kill me for bringing a camera into the laundry room! That said, anyone know if they can be painted to freshen them up?

 

[JC23]

Got one here, too and it's lookin like the sink will outlive the metal frame. I'll leave it fer the next owner...

 

[pendragon1998]

That's awesome, not ugly at all. It got me thinking...I bet a small cast iron bath tub could be made into a killer garage sink.

 

[mikegt4]

I have one almost identical to what the OP has. It came from my parents house that they built new in 1956. I can't tell you how many engine blocks, heads and transmission cases I cleaned in it (final soap and water clean, not de-grease). Tough as nails and light years better than what goes for a laundry tub today.

 

[rvr6000]

Can I ask what you plan to do with them? We have one in the basement of our cabin that the misses wants to do something with but she's not sure what. Since we already have a newer laundry tub down there I'm guessing me and a two wheeler are going to be hauling the cement one out to turn it into a flower planter or something.

 

[Kevin54]

It's hard to tell by the pics, but are you absolutely sure it's concrete? In our other house I had one almost identical to that and it was soapstone. And like a dummy, I left it there when we moved.

 

[Zeke]

i like it. would make a great sink behind the garage or out by the potting shed

Exactly what I did with one. Had potting soil in the sinks and a board on top for a work surface. I wish I had a single compartment one now.

 

[Gary S]

I have one like that in my laundry room. It was installed in 1952.

 

[Aberdale]

Nice sink.

Along the same line, I bought a stainless steel 3 compartment restaurant sink for the shop. It's a lot lighter than concrete, doesn't stain, and holds up well to chemicals.

I'm using it for washing and rinsing small parts prior to painting, and it's working great so far. It's got drain boards on each side for drying.

Dale

 

[hypnolobster]

I've always wondered if those can be etched and epoxied like a floor. It'd certainly make them easier to rinse out and clean up a bit. They're usually permanently grungy.

 

[Terry454]

I have one like that in the basement of our 1890s home. I doubt it is original to the home, since I doubt our home was built with indoor plumbing. That said the drain(s) are lead pipe, so who knows. Neither me nor the misses would think of replacing it, and I doubt the daughter will when she inherits the house.

As someone else said the sink will outlast the iron stand. It is one of those "they don't make them like that any more" items.

 

[Bipper's girl]

I just bought one just like Modifieddrivers. I was told it was soapstone, but it looks exactly like his pix. How do I know if it concrete or soapstone?

 

[Bipper's girl]

I have one just his pix. How did you identify yours as being soapstone?

 

[bigredmf]

The soapstone ones I have seen in the past are multiple pieces of soapstone bolted/fastened together
The bottom would be one piece along with the sides divider and back being separate pieces

They are not ornate but basically a soapstone box with no lid

I have never seen a carved soapstone sink

Red




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[jd_1138]

Interesting to see how things used to be. I remember as a kid in the 1970's seeing one of these old timey washing machines on someone's back porch. Kinda weird to see one all shiny and new and being used.

 

[bigredmf]

http://www.archantiquities.com/plumbing/80976223Photos-024.jpg.php

http://www.recyclingthepast.com/i616-Soapstone-Laundry-Sink.aspx




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[mikegt4]

I have one, it was original to the house that I grew up in which was built in 1956. They are great, much better than what is available today. I can't tell you how many engine parts I washed in it, after a through de-greasing of course. Tough as nails and BIG compared to today's cheap plastic tubs. Sadly the drain rusted when the AC installers ran a condensate drain into it. Someday I will fix it, currently it serves as a storage unit.

I remember my Mom using a wringer washer just like jd_1138 posted, and pumping the dirty water out into the very same concrete double wash tub.

UGLY? It sounds like a person who has to have the latest fad and will change it out when the next fad comes along.

 

[RivennHewn]

I had one of those sinks in my basement.

One side was for peeing in, the other for washing your hands.

It worked great!

 

[jwh]

If it's a concrete sink you have, painting with concrete floor paint will work, atleast it did on the sink 2 houses and 30 plus years ago. That's a real find, since I haven't seen a double tub fiberglass one in Home Depot - Lowes - etc.
EVER!

John

 

[Gmclowsierra]

I have on in my basement. the only issue I have with mine is one side leaks. It has a crack in it and it runs into the drain of the one side. I would love to fix it but have no idea on what would work to seal it.

 

[77thor]

We get those all the time doing De-construction for Habitat ReStore,
but there is no market for them... can't even give them away.

 

[66HertzClone]

Wow, does that picture bring back memories, I remember one that looked exactly like that in the basement of the house my parents had when I was born. My dad's parents house also had one in the basement, both of these homes were in the Chicago area.

 

[Stevie-Ray]

Interesting to see how things used to be. I remember as a kid in the 1970's seeing one of these old timey washing machines on someone's back porch. Kinda weird to see one all shiny and new and being used.

Got my fingers caught in the ringer of my Grandmother's washer in 1960. I wasn't the first, and probably not the last.

 

[skidozer670]

My parents had one in there post WWII home 1959. I remember my dad smashed it with a sledge hammer when plumbing was changed for city sewers. He replaced it with plastic.

 

[y'sguy]

Good score. I grew up with one of those! Just use it like it is for cry'n out loud it doesn't need "improvement". It's original and I'd love to have one.

 

[Jess]

They were once common in houses built in the '50s and '60s around here. Once the smooth finish on the bottom goes, they are difficult to clean. The one in my first house was prone to plugging up because of slow drainage allowed buildup inside the steel pipe lateral and the cast beyond. I was happy to see the last of it as soon as we could afford a decent deep stainless steel laundry sink. It went out in bits after the sledge hammer got at it.

 

[Beemer533]

I had one of these in my house (built in 1915) until last year when I re-did the basement laundry room..

They are pretty cool when cleaned up, but mine was leaking and in pretty rough shape..

I ended up breaking it down with my SDS drill which worked pretty well and then busted the pieces up smaller with a small sledge to carry it out in (many) 5 gallon buckets.. What a pain...