Artistic patinas and finishes for our copper sinks. top (Meet Lori, our patineur)
 

Below, find links to the optional patinas available on the Apron portion of our sinks.

Copper interior bowl finish: Self Healing Naturally Weathered Patina (Inside of all bowls - Standard)
       
All interiors of Rachiele copper sinks will have our self healing naturally weathered patina included in the price.

Most copper sink manufacturers do not understand the natural patina process that copper goes through, nor 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 are antimicrobial, and they will self-heal. Scratches, removal of the patina, etc, will all be rendered virtually invisible when the natural patina returns on its own in a matter of days.  

EPA CLARIFICATION STATEMENT: "Only uncoated, EPA registered copper alloys can make health claims.  Lacquering and artificial patina processes are classified as coatings under EPA.  Natural tarnishing and oxidation is fine however. (Our weathering process is considered a natural oxidation)

The interiors of ALL of our copper sinks are naturally weathered - self healing and Antimicrobial.*
(Read more and watch a video on our medical division web site)
    Our sinks pass the penny test. (Read more)
Copper naturally wants to turn to the color of an old penny. Why other copper sink companies fight nature (with poor long term results) is a wonder to me.
If you would like a sample, please order below. Price includes Free overnight shipping. Sample is 6" square. This sample will show the color range of the interior of our sinks along with the thickness and strength of our copper. You will receive the same material we use to build our sinks.

$25.00

 Basically the interior of our sink is the color of an old penny. Trust me... any other color will be a problem down the road. This process is accomplished by our patineur, who uses only household vinegar to accelerate the natural aging process of the copper. No matter what you do to the interior of our sink, it will eventually naturally weather back to this general color. Any sink you see on the market that is not this color range, is artificially aged or has a faux finish. Once you cut through the artificial faux finish, it will turn to the color of an old penny - making the sink look like it has a permanent blemish. My sinks are the ONLY copper sinks on the market with a lifetime transferable warranty and NO disclaimers about use and care. Just wash with dish soap - no other care is necessary. Read about what "other" brands of copper sinks require - you will be stunned.

This is a typical Rachiele copper sink weathered self-healing interior: (Click image for detail)

The interiors of our copper sinks:

• Are easy to care for (Unlike many others on the market)

• Will self heal if you disturb the patina (do nothing - just use the sink normally)

• Will hide scratches as the patina grows back - making them impossible to see (Yes, I said impossible) Read more

• Will not turn green

• Are antimicrobial (we know of no other residential sink manufacturer who can legally make that claim)

Scroll way down the page. There are many patinas to choose from, and most are priced for your convenience.
Most copper sinks on the market look alike. Your Rachiele copper sink is distinctly unique, unmistakably yours.
Unparalleled quality, design and ergonomic function.

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

A quick word on lacquer... All of the apron portions of our sinks are lacquered. This is a multi step process designed to protect the patina on the apron. In no case do we lacquer the bowl of a sink. After several coats of lacquer are applied, the finish is sanded, hand rubbed to a smooth texture and then is waxed and buffed. This process gives a rich depth appearance to the apron of the sinks.

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

  A bit confused about selecting a patina? Once you make a purchase, send me a photo of your kitchen cabinetry and I  can superimpose up to 6 different patinas on your cabinetry. Click on the image to the left to get an idea of what I mean.
I just received a photo of the sink we sent to the customer to the left. They picked weathered/lacquered patina - middle picture on the left. Here is the photo they sent of their sink installed: (on the right) This is a free service.

 Dino,

Thought I'd share a picture with you--absolutely gorgeous.  I'll send more pictures after everything is competed.  It looks exactly like the picture you sent us with the sink digitized in it--very helpful tool for those of us who cannot visualize! Cheryl C.

 Weathered with a clear  lacquer  $120  All of our apron fronts are lacquered on the vertical surface only.

I wholeheartedly recommend a lacquer on the apron of a sink. Lacquer should never be used inside a copper sink. We will produce any copper sink without lacquering at no additional charge, however I do not recommend doing so.  An accidental drip of dish soap can take a portion of the patina off the apron portion of the sink. It will eventually darken, but the drip mark will be somewhat noticeable. I speak from personal experience. This is what I have in my home. I would not do it again given the choice.  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, and then hand rub it with paste wax. Again, this is only done on the vertical apron portion of the sink. The lacquer is virtually invisible and has a very low gloss. We have had only two customers require repair to the lacquer in over 10 years. Their contractor accidentally scratched the apron when installing and a customer managed to scratch the apron during use. In both cases the repair was done quickly and easily. Back to top

Hammering -  $175 for apron only, $320 for apron and bowl (only available on custom sinks - it is not possible to hammer our stocked sinks.)

Hammered copper - weathered (Light hammering): Well, I am not a huge fan of hammered copper. 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) We suggest not hammering the bottom, as water might pool in the dented areas. We cannot hammer a sink after it is produced, therefore our stocked or ready-made sinks can not be hammered.



This would be our normal hammering (weathered). The above sink shows a light hammering. Make sure you click on the image for detail. The finish on this is weathered.

Hammered with oil rubbed bronze patina.

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A note on hammering. Our hammering is done by hand with a ball peen hammer. Many of the imports use a process that I am unfamiliar with. They generally refer to it as hand hammering. Take a look at the photo (to the right) of one of these sinks.
The interesting part of the internet is that many companies do not give close up detail photos. The photo to the right was the ENLARGED version. Wonder what they are hiding? Take a look at the video below and you will see.

Take a look at the imported (from China) brand of sink in a close up video I took. You won't see this kind of detail online from many of the imports! In fact, most web sites do not tell you where the sinks are made. You might notice that when you click on our photos, you get a nice close up detail view. We have nothing to hide.
 

Imported copper sink manufacturers produce more sinks in a week than we produce in a year. I deliberately keep my company small in order to offer personalized custom service. Your sink will be unique - unlike any other we have produced. We only produce a few hundred sinks a year.

Fire and Ice $265 We send photos prior to lacquering for your approval on this finish.  F                        
 













1

A

BC (Sink "C" I took close up photos to show the detail that is lost in a full photo. Picture and B are both taken from sink C. As you can see, the Fire and Ice patina has a great deal of artistic flavor. These sinks have a tendency to have an iridescent look to them that can only be captured in a photo by taking a close up picture like photo A and B. The sink (C) looks far better in person than the photo does. 

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                             5                                       6                                           7 (Photo taken prior to finishing interior)
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Examples of Fire and Ice patina (with a clear lacquer for protection)

Let me explain how we work with you. You will tell me, by phone,  how you would like the finish to look and we do our best to accomplish your request. Choose finishes from this page or others on our site to give me an idea of what you are looking for. Once your sink is produced, our artist does her best to match your choice. Then we email a photo prior to the topcoat process for your approval. At that time, 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 very durable lacquer so you don't ever have to worry about scratching through the lacquer. I am often asked if belt buckles will scratch through the finish. So far, we have not had one person indicate that has happened.  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! Back to top

Northern Lights $495 n  (with a clear  lacquer for protection) This is the only finish that I do myself. It is done exclusively with two torches (at the same time). Yep, one in each hand.  We send photos prior to lacquering for your approval on this finish. Since I do this finish myself, please allow me a week or more to finish your sink. This is a very difficult finish and I have limited time. The end result, however, can be spectacular.

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Oil Rubbed Bronze $275 (Plus hammering $175) patina on apron - a good choice to go with the new Jenn Air Oil Rubbed Bronze appliances.  (with a clear  lacquer for protection) This sink happens to be hammered on the apron. Please note: we can not hammer a sink that is already made, therefore, our stock sinks can not be hammered.

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NEW - Autumn Patina $120

This patina is similar to our weathered patina, but shows hints of natural copper, giving a warm feeling while showing off that natural color of copper before it ages. This patina has a clear  lacquer.  We can not send photos prior to lacquering, as the copper will continue to age in a r of minutes. We have to lacquer this patina within two or three minutes in order to lock in the look.

This is the new autumn patina on a "Smarter" copper apron front sink

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Linen Patina $275 (with a clear  lacquer for protection)

You can have a light or dark version of this. Just ask.

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Flamed Patina $400 (with a clear  lacquer for protection) Please note, this photo was taken prior to weathering the interior of the sink. Back to top

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Tiger Eye Patina $400 (with a clear  lacquer for protection) Back to top

RUSTIC COPPER PATINAS - now our most popular patina. $400 We send photos prior to lacquering for your approval on this finish. R Back to top
2-22-12 Due to unfavorable weather for creating this patina, we are behind schedule. Plan on at least 3-4 additional weeks for a sink with this patina.

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. Keep in mind, this patina can take a week or so to produce. The materials we use to achieve these colors are very expensive and this process is very time consuming. We will send you an initial photo for approval or to make changes. We must get a rapid response, as the patina will change in a r of hours. Since this is an organic process, we can not match a photo exactly, however, we can get quite close to the essence of the photo. Your sink will be distinctively unique from all other Rachiele sinks.

New for Autumn 2011. This is a gorgeous Rustic Patina we call Sunset. It features rich and deep reds, oranges and blacks. This is a patina you will want to just stare at. I keep a sample in my office to look at every once in a while. It is breathtaking! 
This is a variation called Smokey Sunset:

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

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

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

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



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

6- This mellow rustic blend of muted colors reminds me of autumn in New York.
This sink and #8 and #12 are quite similar. We can not guarantee your sink will look exactly like any of these photos. These are a guild to help us understand the "flavor" of color, design and intensity you would like to see on your sink.

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  lacquer. Shipping today (July 23) Adopted by a good home.

9. This gorgeous Rustic patina was requested by a customer who said she wanted a finish something between photos #5 and #7

10. The Rustic patina can take as little as 2 days or as long as a week or more to produce. We use mineral oxides to produce some of the colorations. Each color must sit over night on the copper to produce the correct color. It is important that we can reach you quickly during this process so that we can get your feedback. If a sink sits too long without a lacquer on the apron, the colors can change significantly causing us to have to start over.

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11. Rustic patina on a sink for Mark Jones ( a local customer)

Gorgeous!!!

12. Rustic copper patina - muted colors.

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This Rustic Patina was  for a customer who wanted a very rustic look. I have to say, I am fond of it!

13A
Very similar to the one above, just with a bit more color. The 13's are getting very popular!

13 B
This is an example of a match to 13. We can never duplicate a natural patina, however, we get very close. You always get photos during the process so you can guide us to exactly what you would like.

14.

This rustic patina has a deep infusion of organic colors. The photo to the right was the picture we took just prior to lacquering and interior weathering. You can see the lacquer adds depth and richness to the patina.

15.
Very rich rustic patina showing just about every color possible. There are deep reds, oranges, blues, greens and black.

16.This beauty shipped to Israel. We are expecting installed photos from our customer shortly.

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See sinks in the process of receiving a patina, as well as a "Smarter Sink" just prior to getting a patina.

Videos of  Rustic patina on our copper sink and countertop..

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Stencils $350 and up We send photos prior to lacquering for your approval on this finish. You can describe what you are looking for, or use one of these designs. We first come up with a paper pattern and lay it on a sink to give you an idea of the size and shape. You will be working directly with Lori. All stencils are hand cut based on a design you and Lori come up with. Pretty much anything goes. All of the stencils shown would be in the $350 price range. If we have to do a great deal of research to find a design, and the design is elaborate, the fee will increase. .

The sink is first patinated. The stencil is custom designed, and hand cut by Lori. The stencil area is darkened with a patination agent and 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.
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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 constantly amazes me with her attention to detail and her artistic talent. She is a graduate of Perdue University with a minor in art. 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.

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