100% Recycled Aluminum and 90% Recycled Bronze Kitchen and Bath Sinks
General Information
Eleek's cast metal sinks are innovative and
timelessly beautiful. Their double-sided prep/bar sinks have built-in
colanders for washing produce or holding ice, a patented design that
you can't get anywhere else. The lavatory sinks can be topmounted or
used as vessels. The farmhouse kitchen sink boasts an optional
drainboard attachment. Oil-rubbed bronze is warm, dark and emanates an
old world charm. Recycled aluminum is tumbled to a soft silver glow and
powdercoated for a finish that is food-safe, nonreactive and
unbelievably durable. Powdercoats can be clear (matte or gloss) or just
about any color imaginable.
About your Eleek Sink
Each
Eleek sink is a sand casting with its own unique fingerprint. Small
irregularities on the surface of each sink are to be anticipated and
appreciated as signs of character and authenticity. Also, the sinks may
vary in size by 1/8" in any dimension. Do not cut holes without a
template (available from Natural Built Home, Inc. or directly from Eleek, Inc.).
All bronze finishes are "living finishes" and must be properly
maintained. Please see the care section below.
Artist Patinas
Aluminum
sinks may be given an 'artist patina' before they receive a clear powdercoat.
Eleek's artist patinas are applied by hand and torch by one of eleek's
talented patina artists. Each artist patina is a unique piece of
handmade art; therefore, expect slight variations in color and pattern
from any samples you may have seen. Artist patinas for aluminum are
'antique silver', 'golden amber', 'masala red' and 'antique black'. Not
all Eleek aluminum sinks are available in all finishes. See the
description page for each sink style which details finish options.
Care
Powdercoated Finishes
If your sink's final finish is a powdercoat, you can clean it with any
non-abrasive cleanser (Bon Ami, for instance) and a cloth or
non-abrasive sponge (if it's a scrubbie sponge, make sure it says it is
safe for non-stick surfaces or 'non-scratching'). Rinse well with clean
water.
Living Finishes
If your sink's final finish is wax, you must be more careful with it.
Clean with a soft cloth and a gentle liquid soap (like dish soap) as
needed. You will need to replenish this 'living finish' frequently by
rewaxing it. How often you need to rewax will depend a lot on how you
use it. A kitchen sink might need to be rewaxed more frequently than a
bathroom sink. A sink that gets a lot of use will need to be rewaxed
more frequently than a little-used sink. In the beginning, you may want
to start by rewaxing your sink every two to four weeks. See below for
waxing instructions.
Raw Bronze Finishes
If your bronze sink is naked as the day it was born, you can do just
about anything you want with it. It will patina naturally as you use
it. If you are trying to build a natural patina, clean it using the
'living finishes' instructions above. If you are trying to keep it
newer looking, clean it frequently following the 'powdercoated
finishes' instructions above. If it gets to a point where you like its
patina and want to preserve it, you can coat it with wax (and then
rewax it occasionally on a regular basis). See below for waxing
instructions.
Waxing Bronze Finishes
Any non-colored, wax-based polish will work to wax (or re-wax) your
Eleek sink. We recommend Johnson's Wood Floor Care Paste Wax which is
readily available at grocery stores and hardware stores. Before waxing
your Eleek sink, first clean it following the instructions above
specific to the type of finish you have and then dry with a clean,
soft, lint-free cloth. Apply wax with a soft cloth until it is coated
inside and out, but not so thick that it is visable. Allow to air dry.
Questions?
If you have questions or problems, please call Natural Built Home, Inc. or feel free to call Eleek, Inc. at 503-232-5526.