Can a chipped ceramic basin be repaired?
Localised cosmetic chips on a sound ceramic basin can often be rebuilt and refinished. Damage through the full thickness of the item, or around the waste, is replacement work.
Kitchens & washrooms
Sink & Sanitaryware Repairs
Sinks, basins and vanity units are usually built into a run of cabinetry or a solid worktop, so replacing one damaged item often means disturbing everything around it. Where the item and the damage are suitable, we repair localised cosmetic damage in place.
Sinks and sanitaryware are material assessed first. Ceramic, vitreous china, composite, acrylic, enamelled steel and stainless steel each need different handling, and some finishes are not viable to repair at all. We identify the material from your photographs and tell you honestly which category yours falls into before recommending anything.
Scope
What we repair
- Ceramic and vitreous china basins and sinks
- Composite and granite-effect composite sinks
- Acrylic and solid-surface basins and vanity tops
- Enamelled steel sinks and suitable stainless steel finishes
- Vanity tops, splashbacks and integrated bowls
- Washroom sanitaryware and cistern casings where damage is cosmetic
Damage
Typical damage we see
- Impact chips on rims, edges and around taps
- Scratches and scuffing on composite and steel finishes
- Localised cracking in one area of an otherwise sound item
- Tap and waste change damage during plumbing work
- Cut-out and cabinet edge damage around the bowl
- Trade and transit damage on fit-out and new-build sites
How it works
Our repair process
- 01
Assessment
The item is identified from your photographs — ceramic, composite, acrylic, enamel or steel — because material determines whether a repair is viable at all.
- 02
Preparation
Surrounding cabinetry, worktop and tiling are masked and protected, and the damaged area is cut back to sound material and cleaned of limescale and sealant residue.
- 03
Repair
The damaged profile is rebuilt in layers and shaped to follow the original edge, rim or bowl contour.
- 04
Finish
Colour, sheen and texture are matched to the surrounding surface as closely as the material allows.
- 05
Inspection
The repair is checked with you in natural light, the area is left clean, and we explain curing time and aftercare before the sink is used again.
Where we work
Settings we support
Homes & properties
- Kitchens, utility rooms and cloakrooms
- Homes being prepared for sale or valuation
- Letting and managed property between tenancies
Commercial premises
- Office and workplace washrooms and tea points
- Hotel bathrooms and guest washrooms
- Retail and hospitality customer washrooms
Public & care settings
- Care, education and healthcare washrooms
- Student accommodation and HMOs
- Managed estates on planned maintenance
Sinks, basins and sanitaryware we assess
Ceramic basins, WC cisterns and pans, composite and stone-effect kitchen sinks, and coated pressed-steel sinks all take cosmetic damage in slightly different ways. Ceramic loses glaze in a sharp, defined chip; composite sinks scuff, dull and mark around the drainer; coated steel loses its finish where cutlery and pans land repeatedly.
Cosmetic damage is the scope here. Anything affecting water containment, waste connections or the fixing of a unit to the wall is a plumbing question and needs the right trade first.
- Chipped basin rims, tap holes and overflow surrounds
- Scratched, dulled or stained composite sink bowls and drainers
- Chipped WC pans and cisterns where damage is cosmetic
- Cloakroom and en-suite sanitaryware in high-turnover property
Assessment and on-site work
The first check is whether the damage is wet-side or dry-side. A chip on the outer rim of a basin behaves very differently from one inside a bowl that holds water several times a day, and we set expectations accordingly.
Repairs are carried out in place with the surrounding tiling, worktop and fittings protected. The area is prepared, rebuilt and finished to blend with the surrounding glaze or composite colour. Where a bathroom or kitchen is in daily use, we explain the point at which the fitting can go back to normal service.
Repair or replacement
Repair suits a single chipped basin in an otherwise complete bathroom suite, damaged sanitaryware in a discontinued colour, and rented or managed property where a full swap means a plumber, a decorator and a void day.
Where a basin is cracked through, where a composite sink has degraded across its whole surface, or where the fitting is loose or leaking, replacement is the sensible answer and we will say so before quoting.
Before you enquire
Photographs that help us quote
Photographs of the damage and the whole fitting are usually enough to confirm suitability.
- A close-up of the chip, scratch or worn area
- The whole basin, sink or pan photographed straight on
- A photograph showing the material and colour under normal light
- Whether the damaged area sits inside the bowl or on an outer face
- Tell us if the item is discontinued or part of a matched suite
Honest advice
Suitability and limitations
Every surface is assessed before work is agreed. Where a repair is not the right long-term answer, we will say so.
- Some materials and finishes are not viable to repair, and we will say so rather than attempt it.
- Damage through the full thickness of a ceramic item, or anything affecting the waste seal, is replacement work.
- Highly polished stainless steel and mirror finishes can be difficult to match convincingly.
- We do not carry out plumbing work; any disconnection or refitting must be arranged separately.
- A repair is a close blend, not an invisible restoration.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Do you repair composite and stainless steel sinks?
Composite sinks are frequently repairable. Stainless steel is assessed case by case, as highly polished and mirror finishes are much harder to match.
Why is the material assessed first?
Because ceramic, composite, acrylic, enamel and steel all behave differently. Identifying the material is the only honest way to say whether a repair is appropriate.
Do you disconnect the tap or waste?
No, we do not carry out plumbing work. If access requires disconnection, that should be arranged separately and we will flag it at assessment.
Can a chip inside a basin bowl be repaired?
Often yes, where the ceramic body is sound and the chip is localised. The bowl is a wetter, harder-working area than the rim, so we will explain what to expect and how to look after it rather than overstating the result.
Do you repair sanitaryware in occupied rented property?
Yes. Work is carried out in place with the room protected, and we agree access and timings with the letting or property team so the bathroom is out of use for as short a period as possible.
Related
Related services
Coverage
Where we cover
We are based in Bolton and work across Greater Manchester and the North West, with wider coverage available for commercial work.
Areas we cover for this service
Office enquiries are answered Monday to Friday, 9:00am–3:00pm.
Helpful next steps
Useful reading before you enquire
- See genuine completed repairsBefore and after photographs of real Surface Magic work, not stock imagery.
- Repair or replace: how we judge which is rightThe questions we work through before recommending a repair rather than a replacement.
- Surface repairs for homes and propertyWhat repair work looks like for homeowners, landlords and letting agents.
Surface Magic Repairs
Why Replace When You Can Repair?
Send photographs of the damage and we will advise on the most sensible route — repair where it is suitable, honest guidance where it is not.