Artisan applied Patina Options for fronts of our Copper, Brass and Bronze Farm Sinks

We can apply colorful patinas on copper, brass and bronze farm sinks. We can also apply a true black or gunmetal patina on stainless farm sinks. We apply proprietary patinas on our farm sinks. All of the vertical portions of our aprons on our farm sinks have a very durable topcoat (see video top right). We offer the option of a Semi-Gloss or High Gloss finish. The default will be Semi-gloss unless you specify High Gloss (mirror finish). (There is a small premium for the High Gloss finish) No portion of an apron front sink is more critical than the front of the apron. One must have extensive patina experience (we have over 22 years of experience) and we been improving our topcoat regularly over the years. You should consider the experience factor here. There are some companies who have just entered the patina arena with far less experience. Trust me, top-coat application is critical. Knowing how to use it and what to use has taken us more than a few years to perfect! Quality isn't inexpensive and second best is not an option! The curing time for our topcoat can range from 3-5 days depending on weather conditions. Call and ask me about our amazing topcoat! 407-880-6903

Schedule a personal phone discussion to design your sink here.

Rachiele copper sinks... the undisputed finest copper sink in the world.

Below, find links to the optional patinas available on the Apron portion of our copper farm sink.

Weathered $210 A simply elegant patina and the fastest option for production.
Weathered ll $360 Much more character and takes a bit more time.

Photos do not do this patina justice. This Weathered Patina is achieved using merely household vinegar. It will have a rich caramel brown coloration with the most uniform patina of all options. Weathered ll takes a bit more time and will have quite a bit of character and different shades of caramel browns. We cannot match these photos as the weather has a great deal to do with the outcome. I can assure you however, your patina will be stunning.

Weathered

Weathered ll Weathered ll

I wholeheartedly recommend a protective topcoat on the apron face of a sink only. Topcoats should never be used inside a copper sink. Sadly, most of the Chinese imports topcoat the entire sink. In spite of their claims, there is no topcoat that will not hold up on the inside of a sink. We have experimented with all kinds of finish top coats and have found all to be a problem down the road when used inside a bowl. That is why we never topcoat the inside of our bowls nor the top of the apron.

Our weathered patinas will be unique on every sink. Slight tone variations and patterning will designate your sink as a one of a kind. No two are quite alike.

Our experience tells us that our finish is quite durable. That being said, no top coat is indestructible. Much like a car finish, you can scratch it on day one, or you can go 10 years without a scratch. Scratches would not be under warranty with the car factory nor with my sink. 90% of past apron damage has been caused by tool belts used by workers in the home. The rest of the damage comes from constantly leaning on the apron, most often due to a faucet with a short reach. NOTE: Never use any type of tape on the topcoated portion of the apron in an effort to protect the apron during construction. I have seen painters tape remove topcoats off of flooring!

Hand Hammering

Light Hammering

Hammered copper - shown with a weathered patina: Well, I am not a huge fan of hammered copper as seen on the imports. The hammering on many imports do a great job of hiding imperfections and the hammering rarely looks like it is done by hand. 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. Hammering a copper farmhouse copper sink can take upwards of 4 solid hours. So if you like it, we can do it! (You will have to click on the image to see the detail required) We cannot hammer a sink after it is produced, therefore you cannot add that option after your sink is in production.

This a good photo of one of our hammered copper under mount sinks. Make sure you click on the image for detail. Due to the gauge and hardness of the copper we use, the hammering is much different than the imports.

Typical Hammering. This is a NexGen™ hammered copper apron front sink with a weathered patina.

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 - but to me it looks like it was done by machine.

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 any 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.

Northern Lights $695

This is one of the patinas that I do myself fairly regularly. We send photos prior to top coating for your approval on this finish. This is a very difficult finish and can be very wild. The end result, however, can be spectacular. Please note - this is a very busy finish. I do not suggest this with a counter, floor or cabinet that has a lot of movement in the design. We send a photo to you before top-coat. Keep in mind, the top-coat has a tendency to mute the colors a bit.

Oil Rubbed Bronze $400

Oil Rubbed Bronze patina on apron of our workstation farm sinks (with a clear topcoat for protection) The sink on the right happens to be hammered on the apron and has a light finish. Please note: we can not hammer a sink that is already made, therefore, our stock sinks can not be hammered. The sink on the left is one of our NexGen™ copper farm workstation sinks featuring a standard Oil Rubbed Bronze patina. Simply let us know what you prefer when you order and we will do either version.

Autumn Patina $450

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 topcoat. We can not send photos prior to top coating, as the copper will continue to age in a matter of minutes and must be top coated quickly.

The top photo is our Autumn patina on a "Signature Series" copper apron front sink. This is a lighter version. Keep in mind, patina is a natural process and can not be totally controlled. We do our best to send you a good facsimile of what you see here. The bottom photo is our NexGen series and is a darker version.

Two of our customers was kind enough to send in photos of their copper apron front sinks featuring an autumn patina.

Linen Patina $550

The patina will vary a bit. That is why I have several photos for you to see. Click on the photos for detail. We do not send photos of this patina prior to shipping.

CUSTOM/RUSTIC COPPER PATINAS: $895

An original work of art naturally formed. Now one of our most popular patinas. These patinas can take 1-3 weeks to accomplish - after the sink has been built. See More Custom/Rustic Choices.

Take a look at this video. It will explain the process of obtaining your original custom patina.

CUSTOM/Rustic Patinas ($895) are exclusive to Rachiele. No other company has the knowledge and experience we have to accomplish such amazing patinas on our copper sinks. This is an organic process insuring you will have a unique on-of-a-kind form of art to display in your kitchen. You may choose options such as: color, pattern, and intensity, etc. I will work with you to assist in achieving just the right patina. This is truly an organic process where mother nature reacts with the copper to achieve the different patterns and colors. The results are somewhat predictable, so we can give you quite a variety of options in colors, and intensity. Keep in mind, this patina can take a week to as long as three weeks produce. The process we use to achieve these colors is very expensive and very time consuming. There are very few artists in the world (if any) that have the ability to control these patinas as well as we do. The end result is magnificent and truly a one of a kind work of art. We will send you an initial photo for approval or to discuss changes. If changes are required, additional photos will be sent.
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. It is very important that you reply to your patina photo emails quickly, as the patina may continue to change and the photo may no longer be a representation of what you saw in the photo. If you alter your choice(s) after we begin the patina process, we do have to charge a change fee. I highly recommend a Waterstone extended reach faucet if you are selecting this patina. The unique 11" reach of the faucet will keep you from rubbing against the apron constantly while working at the sink.

The Basic Custom Palettes:

You may have variations of these options. Rest assured, I will be talking to you to get a good feeling for what you would like to see.

To see a more varied selection, CLICK HERE.

Muted Earth tones

Vibrant Verdigris

Green, Black, Brown

Black, Earth tones

Green, Earth tones

Blue, white, Black, Earth tones

Our Custom Palettes are somewhat time-consuming and take a great deal of talent to achieve.

If you would like to see a larger selection to choose from: CLICK HERE. On that page, the patinas are numbered. Select one, two or three numbers and let us know your choice. We will do our best to produce a one-of-a-kind masterpiece for you.

Stencils $525 plus base patina

You can have a custom stencil - a one of a kind. We send photos prior to top coating 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 pattern and photoshop it on a sink to give you an idea of the size and shape. You will be working directly with us. All stencils are cut based on a design you and we come up with. Pretty much anything goes. All of the stencils shown would be in the $525 price range. Stencils generally look best on our weathered patina, which is $210 additional. If we have to do a great deal of research to find a design, and the design is elaborate, the fee may increase.