How to Make a Bathroom Ceramic Sink

Beautiful ceramic sinks can be made with clay on a potter's wheel. They can be glazed almost any color imaginable or painted simple or intricate designs with a brush. Another popular method of decorating ceramic sinks and sink bowls can include spraying a repeating paper or border on the piece prior to the high fire. The ceramic sinks created can fit into a sink cabinet or they can be the high end expensive bowl sinks that are usually available under special order that sit on top of a stylish bathroom sink vanity. Ceramic sinks that fit into a cabinet can have beautiful scenes or images painted inside the bowl, while sinks that sit on top of counters can have patterns on the inside and outside of the ceramic bowl sink.

Things You'll Need

• Pottery clay
• Potter's wheel
• Basic pottery tools
• Bisque kiln
• Glaze
• High fire kiln

Instructions

Create the Clay Bowl Form

1. Knead and pound a large piece of clay to get all the air bubbles out. Size of the clay piece should be about 12-inch by 12-inch by 12-inch or 16-inch by 16-inch by 16-inch, depending upon the moisture content and projected shrinkage after firing.

2. Slam the large solid piece of clay onto the potter's wheel. If it is off center, pull it off, knead again, and try again.

3. Turn the wheel on and create a large bowl. This bowl will need to be 15 percent to 20 percent larger than the finished product you desire.

4. Remove the bowl from the wheel by removing the plate. Leave it on the plate so you don't have to actually move the bowl.

5. Let the clay become leather hard. This can take 12 to 48 hours depending on the humidity, moisture in the clay and other conditions. Set the sink in a cool place away from the sun to decrease the chance of it cracking, splitting or drying to fast.

Trimming the Sink

1. Gently flip the sink upside-down and place it on a new clean smooth plate. Place this on the wheel. Turn on the wheel.

2. Trim the bottom of the bowl to the shape (flat or tapered) that you need in order to attach water pipes.

3. Using a ruler and a cutting tool, cut a hole in the bottom of the sink for drainage. Make sure to cut the hole approximately 15 percent to 20 percent larger than needed to account for shrinkage.

4. Place the bowl in an electric bisque kiln. Run the kiln according the directions to bisque the ceramic sink.

Glaze and High Fire the Ceramic Sink

1. Dip the ceramic sink in a large container of glaze, or pour glaze over the sink as needed. Remember to leave an area free of glaze on the ceramic sink so that it will not stick to the kiln shelves during high fire.

2. Wipe the areas clean with a rag and water where the ceramic sink will sit or touch a shelf to remove any splashes. This will help prevent those areas from "cooking" on the shelf or dripping during the high fire process.

3. Place the ceramic sink in a high fire kiln, and follow the directions for the kiln operation to high fire the ceramic sink.

4. After firing is complete and the sink has cooled, unload the ceramic sink out of the kiln. Clean off any dust with a soft cloth and a little water.

Tips & Warnings

• Ceramic sinks are not a beginner's project. Work with a professional if you have never bisqued or high fired anything. Enrolling in a ceramics course or a fine arts program in your local community can give you access to the clay and kilns needed to make a ceramic sink or ceramic bowl sink. It might be necessary to enroll in several basic ceramics courses such as wheel throwing ceramics. It's also a good idea to throw several hundred cups and bowls before mastering a ceramic sink or ceramic bowl sink.

• Follow all directions for the kiln to avoid a fire or explosion. Enlist another person to help watch the high fire kiln since this process takes many hours. Some sinks might bust or crack during the bisque or high firing process due to bubbles in the clay, too much moisture, uneven moisture levels or just natural loss. It might take several tries to get a great ceramic sink and for the drainage hole to be the right size to fit standard plumbing.

References

• Stetson University Fine Art Courses