Copper sink drain/strainers

18 years ago

I've been searching for copper drains & strainers for our hammered copper farmhouse kitchen sink and bar/prep sinks with little luck. One online store that does sell real copper claims that all other stores sell only coated plastic or base metal. The photos they display of competitors' products with the finish worn off look a lot like ours. Is there a reason, other than cost, for using another metal with a copper look finish?

The drains/strainers in our new house began to lose their finish after just a few months of use. I noticed last month that the edges of the strainer basket on the disposal side had worn through to a shiny silvery base. Then I saw what looked like thick paint peeling off the lower edge of the drain, which now is missing about 1/3 of its finish.

The builder first insisted that he bought real copper drains/strainers, then later questioned whether such a thing exists. Having discovered that he cheaped out on quite a few other things, it would not surprise me if a supplier told him that he could buy faux copper for a fraction of the cost and he eagerly jumped on the savings.

So for those of you with copper kitchen sinks, are your fittings also copper? If not real copper, have they lost any of their finish? Or did you choose to use some other metal or finish in your copper sinks, including stainless steel, and accept/appreciate the contrast? Thanks for your help.

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Comments (3)

claybabe
18 years ago
I have a copper sink that ended up with a stainless flange for the disposal because the solid copper one I ordered (that was ReeeEEEaaaAally expensive) was too soft to hold the disposal, and bent/would have leaked. I intended to put a black one in (powder coated or something durable) but haven't gotten around to it. I think the site you mention may be the only place that does solid copper (probably for a reason!), and I didn't like the faux finish of any of the copper finishes I saw. I don't even notice it anymore, so probably I would have been fine with anything!

I wonder if your guy just didn't know the difference? Maybe they were electroplated, although it doesn't seem like that would fail. Hmmmm.

Anyway, be aware that the gorgeous solid copper pieces are soft, probably ok for a drain only but not for a GD.
rockmanor
Original Author
18 years ago
Thanks, Claybabe. I hadn't considered that copper may be too soft for that application. The last thing we need is a leak at the disposal connection - this house has had enough leaks already.

Do other folks use ORB finished drains/strainers or electroplated SS or ? How about sink accessories? Have you found sink mats/grids in copper or in a spanish bronze finish? Or do you use SS or black instead?
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Helen
7 years ago
I had the same issue when I purchased my copper sink. Most of the copper drains are just coated and I wanted one that would have the same living patina as my sink.

You can get a solid copper drain from Havens Metals where I purchased my sink. They sell the model for garbage disposal and non-garbage disposal.

I think mine was about $165

Haven's Metal Copper Drain

I have a copper sink in my guest bathroom and I didn't get care about it being solid copper because it gets very little use. I just made sure that my housekeeper knew that she wasn't supposed to use anything abrasive on that sink. Actually I don't keep anything that could damage any of my finishes in the house to make sure no one makes any mistakes.