Having been popular for more than a century, a Belfast sink is a distinctive, traditional centrepiece in any kitchen. Though their size and unique shape are among the reasons for their enduring popularity, these attributes also mean they aren't suitable for every kitchen. If you decide that your Belfast sink is no longer appropriate for its current home and you replace it with a new sink, you might wonder what to do with your Belfast. It's a shame to see them go to waste, given how enduring they are, so here are some of our top uses for an old Belfast sink.
If you want to simply get rid of your sink without reusing it yourself, you can always sell or donate it. A high quality Belfast sink can survive in pristine condition for decades if cared for properly and many people who are renovating a traditional kitchen would probably be glad to buy one second-hand. Alternatively, you could consider donating your sink to a charity, who will either sell it to raise funds or send it to one of their projects to be reused. Sites such as Freecycle can be used to find your nearest donation network for your sink to be reused, a far nicer prospect than throwing it into a skip and having it end up in landfill.
If your sink is damaged to the point of being unusable, it might still be useful as recycled porcelain. Crushed porcelain can be recycled into asphalt, letting it become part of a new road. It might also be recycled into other materials such as concrete and tiles, meaning your sink can have a second life as a beautiful new bathroom or kitchen feature. While you can't really know where the porcelain will end up if you recycle your sink, you can rest assured that there are multiple uses for the material and that it will probably end up being used in a constructive way. Some recycling groups will be able to collect your sink from your home, while others might require you to drop it off at a nearby recycling centre.
If you choose to sell your sink, there are plenty of options open to you. Selling online is easy thanks to reliable sites such as Ebay or Facebook Marketplace. Simply take some photos of your sink, measure it and post the details to your chosen website. You're unlikely to get a great deal of money for your sink, unless it's a particularly sought after model, but it's better than losing it for free and you can put anything you receive back into your DIY fund. You should probably also make your listing available for collection only, as sending a heavy sink by courier could cost more than the sink itself.
Even if you're replacing your kitchen sink, it doesn't mean you need to remove your Belfast sink from your property entirely. It's a good idea to take a moment to look around your home and consider whether it's worth replacing any of your other sinks with your luxurious Belfast sink. The generous size of Belfast sinks makes them a great choice for utility rooms or cloakrooms, where they can be used while hand washing clothes and other tasks that require a more spacious sink. If there's nowhere indoors that would benefit from the addition of your sink, you might want to consider placing it outside in your garden.
Placing a Belfast sink beneath an outdoor tap gives you a useful space for potting and soaking plants, somewhere to clean your wellies and garden tools and adds a beautiful, timeless piece of ceramic decoration. They can also be a great help in getting clean after a trip to the beach or if your children are messy after playing in the garden. If you run a hot water supply to your sink, it can be very useful for cleaning while cooking outside, for example if you're enjoying a summer barbecue. If you grow your own fruit and vegetables, an outdoor sink provides a great place to clean your harvest before taking it inside. Even if you don't have a tap in a convenient location, you can always use a hose or watering can to fill it. If nothing else, you'll be offering a nice bath to any birds that visit your home.
Your old sink can also make a fun play area for children. A large enough sink can be filled with sand or water, letting them enjoy some of the fun of the beach in gardens too small for a sandbox or pool. By adding an adjacent shelf for toy storage, you can convert your old sink into a very sturdy water table.
In the end, whether you want to get rid of your Belfast sink or reuse it is entirely up to you but, given the number of recycling schemes and resellers available today, it's rare that your old sink will need to be simply disposed of. Selling or donating your sink can help somebody who might otherwise be unable to afford a Belfast sink, or you might be able to give it a second life in another part of your home as an extra sink. Maybe you want to give it a new role as a play area for children. Whatever you decide to do, there's no reason your Belfast sink shouldn't provide many more years of service beyond its initial life in your kitchen.
If you're looking for a brand new Belfast sink we offer a selection of beautiful pieces at highly competitive prices.
