I've been following this thread closely because I'm facing a similar issue with a cracked sink in our guest bathroom. I was initially leaning toward the DIY epoxy kits because, well... budget. But after reading your experiences, I'm starting to reconsider.
The thing is, I've done minor plumbing fixes around the house before—leaky faucets, replacing showerheads, that sort of thing—and usually it's worked out fine. But sinks seem like a different beast altogether. A friend of mine tried one of those epoxy kits last year and said it looked great at first but started peeling after just a few months. Now he's stuck either redoing it or calling someone in anyway. Seems like a waste of both money and time.
On the other hand, professional reglazing sounds promising, but I'm curious about durability over the long term. Does anyone know roughly how long a professional reglaze typically lasts before you start seeing wear again? I mean, if it's only going to buy me an extra year or two compared to DIY, maybe it's not worth the extra upfront cost. But if we're talking five-plus years without issues, that's definitely something I'd consider investing in.
Also wondering if the type of sink material matters much when deciding between DIY and pro reglazing. Ours is porcelain, but I've seen some posts mentioning acrylic or composite sinks being trickier to refinish properly.
Anyway, appreciate all the insights so far—it's helping me narrow down my options quite a bit.
"Seems like a waste of both money and time."
Yeah, you nailed it there. Porcelain sinks can be tricky—seen plenty of DIY epoxy jobs fail prematurely. Pro reglazing usually holds up 5+ years if done right... worth the peace of mind, IMO.
"Pro reglazing usually holds up 5+ years if done right... worth the peace of mind, IMO."
Yeah, I'd agree with that timeframe. Have you looked into replacement costs, though? Sometimes reglazing can run close enough to the price of a new sink that it's worth considering just swapping it out entirely. I've had tenants crack porcelain sinks more times than I'd like to admit, and honestly, after a couple reglazes, replacement ended up being the smarter move long-term. DIY kits are tempting because they're cheap upfront, but how much is your time worth when you're redoing it every year or two? Plus, if you're renting the place out, tenants aren't exactly gentle on fixtures—trust me on that one. Have you factored in downtime or inconvenience if the DIY fix doesn't hold? Just something else to think about before diving in.
Good points, but honestly, I've seen DIY kits hold up surprisingly well if you prep the surface properly. The key is sanding thoroughly and applying multiple thin coats instead of one thick layer. Did a friend's sink about three years ago, and it's still looking decent. Sure, pro reglazing or replacement might be safer bets long-term, but if you're careful and patient, DIY can definitely buy you some time without breaking the bank.
Interesting take, I've been tempted by DIY kits myself but always worried about durability. Did your friend's sink get regular heavy use, or was it more of a guest bathroom situation? Curious if daily wear and tear makes a big difference...
