This post is long overdue. But many of my frequently asked questions are around the Kohler Brockway Sink with the brass fixtures from our old home’s bathroom renovation. (You can see the full reveal here.) That sink was truly a labor of love and I want to help you guys anyway I can to get your own. I want to be able to answer all the questions you have below. I am answering some of the most frequently asked questions below.
What kind of faucet did you use?
The Kohler Brockway sink only has two faucets options. There is the Cannock and the Chicago. The Kohler Cannock comes in two colors Chrome and Nickel. When we got ours there was only one option, Chrome. Thankfully Kohler is catching on and introducing new options. because this sink was originally intended to be a service sink, make sure you purchase brand new faucets. The model that was previously offered – Cannock double lever faucet K-8892- is a service faucet. It is not residential and is not lead free. So they should not be utilized for drinking that includes using them in your bathroom where you brush your teeth.
Instead, I purchased the Kohler Triton Bowe Cannock Sink Faucet which says in the spec sheet that it is a “bathroom sink faucet” that is “low lead-safe drinking water act (SDWA) compliant”. You can also opt for the Chicago Faucets which is so chic with its gooseneck and seems to have the same compliance. Though as always if you have questions, I recommend consulting Kohler or your plumber if you have questions.
I’ve found the most affordable place to buy both Cannock and Chicago faucets to be Amazon but if you are Amazon adverse they are both multiple places on the internet including Houzz and Build.com for pretty competitive prices.
How did you get brass fixtures?
Isn’t this just the million dollar question? We just talked about the Kohler faucet only coming in two colors chrome and nickel, at least at the time of me writing this post. So how did I get brass Cannock faucets? There are two ways.
The body of the Cannock Faucet is bronze and brass material. That means you can send them off to brass plater to be stripped down to the raw material. Or you can have them brushed brass. You can have them finish it with a wax coating so they patina over time. One caveat here is that the handles are not actually made of brass. So if you just strip them down to the raw material and don’t brush them in brass, they tarnish much faster than the body of the faucet. You can see that even in our reveal photos.
The other option is to just have them brass plated. So instead of stripping the faucet down, you can have it built up where brass is coated over the chrome. If the handle wear irritates you, this may be your option. You can find someone to do it by looking up “brass custom plater” and giving them a call. They do not have to be local and many folks will allow you to ship right from Amazon to them with a note in the box.
Be mindful when looking for faucets, that some platers will want you to break the faucets down into the components and then some will have no problem with you sending the whole faucet. Be sure to ask what the process is if you’re interested in going this route.
I will not share who we used. We were unhappy with the service and I hesitate to send more business in their direction. Even though, the end product is lovely.
How much did the brass finishing cost?
I received five quotes total for this project. They ranged from $900-$1500 range to strip down and wax all of the pieces. That includes the 2 faucets, the soap dish, the p-trap and the drain.
What about the P-trap?
You’re going to want to spend a little more and get a beautiful Kohler p-trap if the bottom of the sink is exposed. The p-trap is tricky because for some reason the one that Kohler includes in the specs didn’t work for us in our home. We also had to use an extender because our pipes came out of the side of the area instead of directly under the sink.
If mismatch coloring on the ptrap will bother you, I recommend sending it off at the same time to be plated! For ours, we went with a non-Kohler ptrap in brass (because I ordered the wrong size the first time) and two extenders. Our plumber trimmed one of the extenders.
But what about the drain and soap dish?
Did you hear me? Send it off at the same time! Throw it all in the box. I did used the drain that Kohler recommends (Kohler K-8820-CP Sink Strainer) which you will absolutely need to do since this drain is 3″. You will also have to use the soap dish because there are little holes in the sink for it.
What about the supply lines?
For some odd reason, Kohler does have brass supply lines and I highly recommend going with the Kohler version due both to fit and color. If you have an exposed bottom of the sink like we do here, then you may want to go with the color option since they are way more attractive. (Kohler K-7606-P-PB Pair 1/2″ Npt Angle) I also ended up using it for supply lines. I purchased brass supply lines waaaaay prettier than if I would have gone with the chrome. Deep sighs at the cost adding up here.
What kind of paint did you use to paint the base of the sink?
We used Valspar Anti-Rust Armor paint, a direct to metal paint for the base of the sink. It’s an oil-based enamel so it adheres well to appliances, wrought iron, and you guessed it, sinks. It’s great because it’s rust resistant, scrubbable and stain resistant. You’re absolutely going to want to open some windows and have ventilation due to the vapors. If your local Lowe’s doesn’t have this brand, several other brands sell a direct to metal paint.
We had it color matched to Sherwin Williams’ Privilege Green and applied two coats to avoid streaks.
How did you mount it?
You must must must brace this sink! the Kohler Brockway sink when full can weigh around 300 lbs. You don’t want to leave that to chance and your drywall. So when the wall end open a horizontal beam was added across the wall to support the weight. From there, the sink was attached to this beam using the hangers that come included when you purchase the sink new.
So there you have it. That’s how we installed sourced and installed the Kohler Brockway Sink. It’s definitely a labor of love but to date, it is still one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. Okay, what did I miss? What else do you need to know?