How Our Copper Sinks are Made – The Artisan Process

The Artisan process for making our beautiful copper sinks starts by melting down recycled copper (plumbing pipes, electrical wires, etc.) and then pouring the liquid copper into molds in order to create copper sheets. The size and the thickness of these copper sheets depend on the size, design and thickness of the final copper sink to be produced. Our artisans start heating (keeping the copper malleable) and repeatedly hammering these sheets to the specified sink shape and design until a truly handcrafted work of art is created.

To produce the final finish the surface of the sink is then treated to accelerate the copper aging patina, this process is called “patinado” and it is done under heat giving the surface of the copper basin its characteristic color and durability. Depending on how often the copper piece is heated and cooled, the metal oxidizes and the patina ranges from a deep rich red to a copper brown. However, the finish can be left just as natural. The master artisans work carefully to create a particular shade that gives their work a distinctive finish. An artisan works on a piece over a series of days and in some cases weeks.

Copper is man’s oldest metal, dating back more than 10,000 years and this tradition of copper crafts and artwork has been handed down from generation to generation by the families of our artisans since 1538. Our copper sinks and tubs are created entirely by hand using the same ancient “martillado” (hammered) technique; a typical sink takes up to 25,000 hammer strikes. Due to our handcrafted process each piece is unique and one of a kind reflecting their own character, tonality and consistency of the hammer mark indentations.

Copper sinks are more sanitary than most other basin materials, because copper is a natural antibacterial product. Science has shown that bacteria can live for days on a stainless steel surface, but for only a matter of hours on copper. Copper is non-porous and very resistant to bacteria.

The thickness in these works of art is measured in Gauge numbers. The lower the number the thicker the piece; a gauge 14 piece will be much thicker than a gauge 18 piece.

We are environmentally friendly and we recycle both the copper and wood used as a source of energy.  We do our best to ensure that our copper sinks are created in an eco friendly and sustainable way.