The Sinks Gallery offices are located on a beautifully rural Pacific Northwest island named Whidbey, a place where the landscape and architecture often complement one another. From the sheep farms to the shipyards, the residents of this community show their admiration of local timber with traditional Craftsman style homes, timber framed cabins, and zen-inspired wooden spa retreats. In any of these environments, we're seeing an abundance of unique designs that all include artisan wood sinks.You might be more accustomed to seeing wood used artfully in framing, cabinetry, tables and chairs - but wooden farmhouse sinks, vessel sinks, and even wooden bathtubs have a long history of use in the home. Wood sinks and tubs are a great way to display the beautiful grain of wood, while also feeling good about your purchase of a sustainable, responsibly sourced, long-lasting fixture.The trick is in finding an artisan who is able to create a beautiful piece that can withstand the daily rigors that a sink endures. The wooden sinks listed on SinksGallery.com are sourced from artists whose products have been vetted to be functional works of art that you'll enjoy in your home every day.In many cases, teak wood is used for sinks and tubs because of its natural waterproofing characteristics. For this reason, it is a wood that is commonly found in the marine industry. We are particularly attracted to teak because it also boasts antiseptic properties, darkens over time, and is reclaimed to ensure sustainability in the industry.Wooden sinks can be crafted in a couple different techniques, including solid wood construction and laminated construction. Solid wood sinks are made from a single piece of wood, cut into a rough blank and then turned on a lathe into the desired shape. The next step, drying, is critical to the quality of the sink, and if not completed properly can result in warped or cracked unusable wooden sinks or bathtubs. A wooden sink that is constructed with laminated wood can come as few as two, to more than a hundred pieces. With an artful process of gluing and stacking, a wooden sink or tub is slowly built to the desired specifications.Sinks on SinksGallery.com by artisan William Garvey are finished with a proprietary TeakSeal treatment that combines the benefit of polyurethane lacquer and teak oil, which virtually eliminates all need for regular maintenance. Most other wooden sinks and tubs, such as SoLuna rustic teak sinks, do benefit from regular maintenance. Gently clean these models with mild soap and a soft cloth, and apply a light coating of teak oil every four months or so.
