What is 304 Stainless Steel?
Nantucket Sinks are made from 304 stainless steel. To be classified as 304 stainless steel, it must contain 18% Chromium and no less than 8% nickel. What does the chromium and the nickel do you might ask? When chromium mixes with oxygen it forms a chromium oxide bond called the passive layer. When stainless scratches and it will, that layer will quickly bond back over the scratch preventing corrosion. The nickel used in conjunction with chromium adds an additional level of corrosion resistance.
What Does the Gauge of the Stainless Steel Mean?
The gauge is the thickness of the stainless steel. Here is the confusing part. The higher the gauge, the thinner the steel. 16 gauge is thicker than 18 gauge. The majority of our product lineup is 16 and 18 gauge. What is the difference you might ask? Besides being thicker steel, our 16 gauge sinks offer increased durability and sound deadening properties as a result of its density.
NEVER USE BLEACH, CHEMICALS, OR ACIDIC CLEANERS.
This may cause pitting or discoloration of your sink. Water with a high mineral content may cause spotting or discoloration.
NEVER USE STEEL WOOL
This may cause scratching or “Surface Rust”
Will my Stainless Steel Sink Scratch?
All stainless steel will scratch with use. Overtime those scratches will blend into the sink.
Does Stainless Steel Stain?
As they say, stainless is called stain-less not stain proof. Any of the cleaners mentioned above may stain your stainless steel sink. In the event of staining or to restore the shiny luster of your Nantucket stainless steel sink, we recommend Bar Keepers Friend©. You will notice that your stainless steel sink has a grain. Make sure you always clean in the direction of the grain.
What is on the Underside of My Stainless Steel Sink?
Nantucket Sinks are sprayed to insulate for water temperature retention. Rubber Pads are applied for sound deadening. People who are sensitive to the smell of rubber can remove the rubber pads by filling the sink with very hot water. Allow for the glue to become loose and peel the pad away from the steel. Be aware that this will result in your sink having a different sound quality when the water is flowing and will also diminish its temperature retention.
How do I install my undermount sink?
Click here for detailed instructions on undermount ceramic or stainless steel installation.
Preventative Maintenance
Before initial use, it is recommended that you use a superior quality Carnauba paste wax to seal the finish before use. We also recommend repeating this process every 6 months in order to further protect the living finish.
Care & Maintenance for Specialty Metals?
Particular care is needed in the cleaning and maintenance of your item. Our items are considered to have a living finish. In other words, the finish will patina over time and develop its own unique character. This finish is not guaranteed for the life of the sink. The finish will however last a very long time with careful care and preventative maintenance. Your sink can and will be directly affected by environmental and personal maintenance factors. Factors include, water quality, air temperature and personal care products.