Copper interior bowl finish: Self Healing Natural Patina

All Rachiele copper sinks will have our self healing natural patina included in the price unless noted otherwise.

Most copper sink manufacturers do not understand the natural patina process that copper goes through. No matter what happens to natural copper in a normal home usage, copper always wants to turn a rich caramel color, just like the color of an old penny (when they made them of real copper). We use only vinegar to accelerate the patination process. You can be assured that our sinks will not only kill bacteria, but they will self-heal. Scratches, removal of the patina, etc, will all be rendered virtually invisible when the natural patina returns. 

       Our sinks pass the penny test.
   Weathered

Apron Patinas - these are only available for the apron of a sink or for a hood. They are not appropriate for sink interiors or countertops.

                                       Make sure you click on the images for a close-up view!

 Weathered with a clear matte lacquer for protection I wholeheartedly recommend a lacquer on the apron of a sink. An accidental drip of dish soap can take a portion of the patina off the sink. Because the interior of a sink gets quite a bit of use, the patina will regenerate quickly and hide a drip mark. This is not the case on the apron of a sink. Our lacquer has been specifically designed to be repairable in the event of damage. We put up to 8 coats of lacquer on the aprons of our sinks. The lacquer is virtually invisible and has no gloss. We have had only one customer require repair to the lacquer in over 10 years. Their contractor accidentally scratched the apron when installing. We simply sent a spray can in the mail and the repair was done quickly and easily.

Hammered copper: Well, I am not a fan of hammered copper for several reasons. First of all, the vast majority of mass produced imports are all hammered. Why would you want your sink to look like that? Secondly, hammering the bottom of a sink leaves areas where water can stand - not a good thing in any kind of sink. That all being said, I do like the look of a hammered apron. Our hammering looks nothing like the hammering on the imports. Our copper is far to hard to hammer it with such depth. We use a ball peen hammer, not a machine (like many use). This is truly done by hand. So if you like it, we can do it! (You will have to click on the image to see the detail required)



This is a hand hammered apron with a dark patina on the apron. I really like this one. This would be our normal hammering. The above sink shows a light hammering. Make sure you click on the image for detail.

Six examples of Fire and Ice patina (with a clear matte lacquer for protection) Here is how it works.. You explain how you would like the finish to look and we do our best to accomplish your request. Then we email a photo prior to the topcoat process for your approval. We can easily modify the look to have more or less movement, more or less coloration and even eliminate or add colors. It is all your choice!

We use a repairable lacquer so you don't ever have to worry about scratching through the lacquer. We use about 8 coats, so it is very unlikely you will ever scratch through the finish. We have had only one instance over the 10 years or so. An installer scratched the lacquer off a portion of the apron. We sent a repair product and the sink was fixed in a jiffy!

Northern Lights  (with a clear matte lacquer for protection)

NEW - Oil Rubbed Bronze patina on apron - a good choice to go with the new Jenn Air Oil Rubbed Bronze appliances.

Linen Patina (with a clear matte lacquer for protection)

Flamed (with a clear matte lacquer for protection) Please note, this photo was taken prior to weathering the interior of the sink.

Tiger Eye  (with a clear matte lacquer for protection)

Rustic Patinas can vary quite a bit, and you get to pick options such as: color, pattern, intensity, etc. We will work with you to assist in getting just the right finish. For example, this is a photo of a slate tile sent in by a customer. Our patineur achieved a wonderful color palate that compliments the slate tile perfectly, Rustic patinas are accomplished by using natural minerals (a bit of a secret). The results are somewhat predictable, so we can give you quite a variety of options in colors and patterns. This is becoming my favorite finish.

1- Another rustic patina where the customer sent a slate tile for us to coordinate with.

2-Rustic Patina (with a clear matte lacquer for protection)

3-Rustic Patina (with a clear matte lacquer for protection)

4-Another Rustic Patina (with a clear matte lacquer for protection)



5-Another Rustic Patina (with a clear matte lacquer for protection)

6- The rustic patina is getting very popular!

7.  Am I allowed to have more than one favorite? I just love this one. It was finished by our amazing Lori today,  July 19th 2010. It will be heading to its new home in the morning. The colors in this sink are so rich.

8. This is a very nice looking rustic patina with a matte lacquer. Shipping today (July 23) Adopted by a good home.

Video of a Rustic patina.

 

  Stencils done with patina, then lacquered. We can make custom stencils for you. The one to the right was done for a client to match the pattern in her tile.

I thought I would show you the process we go through with our customers with the Rustic patinas and the Fire and Ice. First, we discuss what you would like to see, such as colors, designs, etc. Then Lori does her best to accomplish what you are looking for. Once she gets to that stage, she will call me to take a quick photo of the sink. We have to wet the patina so it will look similar to what the sink will look like with a lacquer. We email the photo to you. This is the photo we sent to a recent customer. They liked it exactly as Lori had finished it. This is the finished product after about 9 coats of lacquer. As you can see, the lacquer has a deepening effect on the colors. 

Lori Sabina is the patineur who does all of the patina and artistic work on our sinks. She is always eager to please, so don't be bashful about requesting something very custom. If you like, I can even make arrangements for you to speak with her about your project just as she is about to begin working on your sink.