Feather Finish Over Sink? I DID IT!

3 Materials
$40
4 Hours
Medium
Well folks, I did the unthinkable! That question I have seen so many times and even searched for myself! Feather finish/skimcoat over the bathroom sink! We purchased our home a year ago in August. It's outdated, to say the least: when I look around, there is so much to do, it's impossible to pick a place to start. I have done some random things- the cornices, my dining table and have painted some rooms, experimenting with colors: I really have nothing to lose. I wanted to try feather finish counter tops, but we are replacing ours with quartet... so I did my mother-in-law's. She loves them. Instead of tearing out our shower, I thought about using the feather finish- but... everyone and everything that I have read, advises against it. I can't help but think... I'm positive the first person that covered their counters with this stuff was likely told "this product is not recommended for that application" and they did it anyway. So.... I thought- why not? I'll try it in my sink. My counter-top was recently replaced by my future son-in-law. His family has a counter-top business and we are fortunate enough to get the leftovers! He put in a beautiful slab of "Brazilian dream" quartzite- but the sink was just a standard, plain white bathroom sink. I figured if the sink can handle water on a daily basis, toothpaste, soap, grime, etc., the shower should be able to handle shampoo and soap/water.
So... here we go!
Everything I have read about feather finish says to start by sanding the surface. I didn't. This tutorial is FULL of shortcuts! I wanted to skip steps and make this as easy as possible- I cleaned the surface with alcohol. Made sure there was no dirt/grime, mixed up the feather finish, (I used some color) and layered on the first coat. I know from other projects, not to worry even a little, about how the first coat looks. It ALWAYS looks bad: finger lines, white peeking through, etc. just put on a thin coat and let dry. (About 20 min)
After two coats and paint on faucet
I didn't remove the faucet- after the first coat of feather finish, I put paper towels all around and used tape. I sprayed the faucet and didn't worry about getting paint on the sink. I knew it would be covered with my second coat of feather finish. If you let the stuff sit for about five minutes after it's mixed, it thickens up enough that you can literally use your hands and fingers and just mold it all around. Again, don't worry about finger marks. As it begins to set, you can take a sponge and smooth all around. This pic was after the second coat dried.
Sanded, sealed
i used the cheapest sealer I could find, for masonry. I first sanded with a block sander, 120 grit... then used my orbital sander in places it would fit, with 220.
I used a sponge and wiped wax first (antique wax from Michael's- its brown... then a barn-wood wax that was slightly grey). I did another wax rub using clear wax...then I sanded again. This really got it to absorb the wax. Finally, I poured the sealer on my sponge and rubbed it all over. It almost has a neon color to it while its wet- it dries with a beautiful, clear sheen.
Dap around drain
I used some silicone to seal around the drain and added a bit more feather finish to dull the gloss. I sealed until it beaded up, repelling the liquid.
I let dry overnight!
That's it!
I brushed my teeth and washed my face this morning and it was perfect! I will follow up in a few months and let you know how it's holding up!
Before- orig. sink and counter top
Suggested materials:
  • Henry Feather Finish   (Home Depot)
  • Rustoleum oil rubbed bronze   (Lowe's)
  • Masonry sealer   (Home Depot)
Jessica Hoffman
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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  • Rossanna Givens Rossanna Givens on Aug 13, 2017

    I think it looks STUNNING. The contrast & colors work beautifully together..


    Did you redo the stink while being on top of the counter, or can you or did you do it separate outdoors then placed on top of the new marble counter?

  • Marsha Marsha on Oct 01, 2017

    Can you do this on the counter top as well as the sink?

  • Shelly Birch Shelly Birch on Jan 29, 2021

    How long has it been now and is it still holding up?


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  • Janice Janice on Nov 08, 2019
    This is great! I sure want to try it! I need to replace my facet fixture, should I do that first? It sort of seems like I would need to, but I’m not sure. And I’m definitely going to look for your UTube video! Thanks for showing us how this is done!
  • Teresa D. Teresa D. on Aug 26, 2021

    Gorgeous

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