I'm sorry SusieQusie! I have nothing constructive to offer, but I am crossing my fingers for you that this is a very easy, simple fix!

Ah no. I was back in your post this morning admiring your space and thinking how lucky you are to have. Just a little bump which is hopefully easily fixed.

blfenton - from your lips to God's ears!!! But I'm not feeling really positive about it. My husband spoke with Blanco this morning. I'm not sure exactly what info he gave them, but they e-mailed us the information we need to provide to get a new, replacement sink. We have to take some photos, have our sales receipt and a couple of other things. They are saying they will replace the sink, but they don't cover any labor costs. I can't even begin to think about how you replace an undermount granite sink! Is it possible, and if so, what kind of costs are involved?

So as of right now, my husband wants to just do whatever we need to do with Blanco to see about a new sink, and then we'll take it from there. Anyone have a similar situation with an undermount Silgranit sink having to be replaced?

SQ

SusieQusie -- this just stinks! I've read how much you love your sink!!! And I have the same sink in the same color sitting in my garage! Fingers crossed for you. You can bet I'll be checking mine even closer.

I have the same sink too. It's supposed to be installed with my counters next week. Now I'm scared! I hope it's a lot easier to replace than you think :(

I'll be the first to admit I have never faced this issue but if I had to deal with it, before I'd lift the granite, I'd consider doing the replacement from underneath.

I know it sounds nutty, but if you were willing to sacrifice some, or all, of the sink base cab, then I think you could extract the cracked sink and reinsert a new one from below more easily than taking up counter tops.

1) Remove all removable sections of the base cab: inserts, doors, facia, etc.

2)Disconnect plumbing and drain assembly

3) Do what ya gotta do to break the seal and connection between the sink and granite and wiggle it out. Sacrifice cab parts rather than granite where a choice is necessary.

4) Study the situation to determine if smaller base cab was the issue and figure out a way to minimize those stresses while staying with same size cab you have now.

5) Order replacement pieces for any visible parts of cab that are damaged in the process. Be prepared for some on site carpentry work to repair the invisible parts.

6) Reverse process for reinstalling, with perhaps adding a floor that the sink sits on within the cab so as to minimize chance of it happenning again.

Professionals may have faced this issue before and think this is a ridiculous way to go about it, but to me the most easily replaced unit in this assembly is the sink cab, largely because it's wood and mostly invisible whereas a crack counter top is a big-time, big bucks issue.

Your cabs haven't been in long enough so that the finishes of adjacent cabs will have aged/oxidized to an different color already. Or at least if they have a little bit, any new pieces will quickly catch up.

HTH,

L

Thanks guys....I'm printing these responses to show my husband. We will see what happens. I appreciate the good thoughts coming my way.

(PS: I still do love my sink. Can't say my hubby feels the same way.)

SQ

SusieQusie - can you provide a little more background (I'm sorry, I might have missed an earlier thread where you gave more detail) - such as how long have you had the sink installed, and where did you buy it? If it needed a 36" base, and you have it in a 31" base, how is it being supported? I am only asking so that other potential Silgranit sink buyers can learn from your experience.

Shannon - happy to provide more details:

The sink was installed about 2 weeks ago, and it's been "working" for about a week. I got the sink from a plumbing supply house. I paid a little more than on-line, but I wanted to be sure there were no delivery-damage issues. (hahaha, huh?)

We ordered a 36" base cabinet. We also asked for a bump-out on the sink. WITHOUT telling us, the cabinet guy used a 31" base with the bump-out bringing it to 36". He never changed our drawing, and no one ever told us this. I KNEW all along we needed the 36" cabinet. Our builder told us we could install the sink in the 31" cabinet - he would have to cut-it out a little (it turned out to be quite a bit actually.) When speaking with him last night he told me he had put some type of supports in there as well. The granite guys basically "installed" the sink in the granite. Our plumber did all the pipes, etc. I also confirmed last night that the crack is leaking.

My real question to all of you knowledgeable GWer's out there: Is there any way to REPAIR rather than replace the sink? My husband is working with Blanco right now to see about a replacement. I just don't think there is any way to get the old one out without doing terrible damage to the granite and/or cabinet. I honestly don't care if I see the crack repair. I just don't want it to leak, or continue to crack further. There must be something out there to repair a crack in granite, isn't there?

Any advice would so be appreciated. Thanks!! - SQ

sayde's DH replaced their cracked fireclay farm sink from underneath their marble. It is different because they could slide it out the front with only a little cutting of the cab. Since he built the cabs, he knew how to fix them. But it did work.

SQ, your carpenter should be able to cut the seal between sink and granite countertop (it's just silicone caulking). The supports he put in can be unscrewed and removed, then he can slice out one of the sink cabinet walls in order to shimmy the sink out from below. Can't say for sure without pictures or professional expertise, of course, but that's how I'd do it. It means replacing a cabinet wall (and using 2x4s or something to support the granite while you're slicing it open), but it can most likely be done and all damage will be invisible when the wall is repaired.

Courage!

Wow - would it ever make my hubby happy if what you say can be done circuspeanut!!! Thanks for the suggestion. Once again, this post will be printed and shown to the guys. If anyone else has anything else to suggest I'm all ears!!

Once again, most of the people I'm chatting with here about this situation (my family, co-workers, etc) totally think I'm crazy, but - I STILL LOVE MY BLANCO SINK! Can't help it.

SQ

My in-laws also had their cracked undermount sink (fireclay in their case, but not apron front) successfully removed and replaced---it was a pain and I don't know the details of how their contractor did it (except that it was also from within the sink cabinet, and they were impressed with his creativity!) but somehow he did, and in their case I think they even had to modify the granite for a new sink opening. Not easy or fun but definitely possible! I'd get the new sink regardless, and if they don't require you to send the old one back you could maybe try epoxy or some other sort of fix, and then have the new one waiting in the wings if it really isn't possible to fix. But if you try a fix without the new sink and it fails in a year or two, you might be SOL (or at least have to do more legwork to get the sink replaced at that point!) Good luck!

Well SusieQusie60 ...whatever is to be done make sure it is done by either the same company who had installed the links or get it done from a real professional who can fix things without adding more expenses to your pocket.....All the best.

Here is a link that might be useful: Granite Worktops

I'm thinking that the best outcome would really be for Blanco to send me a new sink, but NOT require me to send back or some other way return the old, cracked one. That way, I could try to repair it, see how long it lasts, and have a brandy-new one "waiting in the wings" as artemis said.

Well, yesterday we got an e-mail from Blanco thanking us for getting them our pictures and a copy of the sales receipt so quickly. (My husband sent everything via e-mail.) They are arranging to have a new sink shipped out to us.

Wow - that's pretty darn good customer service! It looks as though my husband is definitely on the same page as I am with the issue. We are going to investigate how we can fix the sink we have. See what we come up with. We'll have the new sink as our back-up.

SQ