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I hope somebody can help! My wife and I have a Kindred stainless steel double kitchen sink. The underside sound-deadening coating stinks very badly.
We had the sink installed about 12 years ago. It was installed when we had granite counters put it -- so the sink is installed sandwiched between the plywood countertop and the granite countertop that sits on top of the sink's mounting edges or flanges.
The underside of the sink is coated with a thick layer of sound-deadening sprayed on material. That coating is white with a tough non-porous pebble-like rough surface.
The coating began to STINK horribly in the past year, for no reason other than age (nothing else has changed). And the stink IS coming from the sink's sound-deadening coating: If you put your nose against it, you think you'd pass out from the sweet, stale, chemical odor that gives us headaches.
We have to keep the cabinet doors below the sink closed, and have used Arm & Hammer's Moisture and Odor Eliminator, which doesn't help.
There's no mold, garbage, sink back-up, drain, sewer, or other problems. It's _definitely _the underside of the sink.
The coating that stinks is hard and can't be scraped off. And the sides and back of the underside of the sink can't be reached anyway since they are nearly in contact with the walls of the cabinet.
I've phoned Kindred (located in Canada, I live in the U.S.). They claim that since the sink is about 12 years old, no one is there now from that long ago who can tell me anything about the coating that they used at that time. They recommended trying to paint the underside with an odor-blocking paint. I asked them about Zinsser B.I.N. shellac-based stain and odor-blocking primer. They said that sounded like the best thing to try.
So I've now applied multiple coats of Zinsser B.I.N. (waiting for each coat to dry thoroughly for several days). I can only paint the bottoms of the double sink, and only a few small areas where there is space enough for a small roller or brush.
And the odor is still incredibly bad.
We can't remove and replace the sink because the granite countertop would have to be removed and probably have to be replaced in the process. The granite is custom-cut and custom-fitted to other sections of granite which are epoxied together.
We feel that the manufacturer needs to be responsible, but how to accomplish that when they are a Canadian company and we're in the U.S....
Any recommendations to solve the overpowering smell problem would be appreciated!!!
Years ago the “tar/asphalt” type pads were used- those certainly would drive some people absolutely crazy!
Then manufacturers started using the off-white spray-on vinyl coating to eliminate odors from the sink sound-deadening. I suspect that since yours has an odor that has just started after 12yrs, something had either gotten on it or under it and caused some type of chemical reaction.
There may have been a simple solution, but now that it’s been covered with shellac I’m not sure that’s the case anymore. As I previously mentioned, the coating was vinyl- heating up with a heat gun would have softened it enough to scrap off. But, I certainly wouldn’t do that now with the shellac.
Considering the circumstances, I think sealing the sink’s under surface with a “water-tight” material may do the trick. I would be willing to try a spray can of Flex Seal. It’s a rubber product that’s water-tight. Once cured, I would think it would seal all the present coatings- and so, sealing in any odors. It may off-gas for a few days, but should cure to a no/low odor of rubber.
Other than that, you can always save up for a kitchen remodel!
AngryTaxPayer - There's no way to burn it off with a torch since there's only about 1/2 inch space between the sides of the sink and the wood walls of the cabinet. The wood would be burned and easily catch fire.
Kl'ledgeBld - Same problem as above: there's no space to use a heat gun. And not enough space to spray up into the narrow space with something like Flex Seal. I might get the lower inch or two sprayed, but the empty space between the cabinet walls and the sink's sides and back is deep, about 12 inches.
Threerun - There's no physical way that I can think of to cut the sink out because of the narrow space between the sink and the walls of the cabinet. The cabinet would have to be torn out to get to the sink's flanges.
Oh ye of little faith!
The spray is what gets you into those small areas. Flex also comes in a can so you can brush or roll if needed.
As for cutting out the sink- you wouldn’t do it from underneath- just a cut-off wheel on an angle grinder- DONE! Doesn’t matter how neat it is- just gonna cover it up with a drop-in!
Is it a sewer type stink or cat pee stink or wet rag type moldy stink, sour stink? A chemical like stink?
If you are absolutely sure that it is definitely a coating..
Usually they use rubberized pad or PU foam/mat for sound deadening:if the latter when it gets moist/wet it emits cat-pee like smell or fungal toenail like smell
It doesn’t have to be actual moisture but a water vapor in enclosed space, just dampness
The moisture could have came from the faucet seat, the sink basket attachment to the drain pipe - they may get loose sometimes or some faucets seat o ring, etc if you have those needs replacement or some condensation from the supply pipes?
If the disposal is nearby or dishwasher drains supply opens into the under sink cavity check all that as well
Investigate to make sure all is in order and no moisture of any kind is involved by wrapping newspaper around those things and check the next day if the newspaper is dampened
Try to remove everything and put a small heater under the sink to increase the temperature and dry things out.
Stay safe and watch your small heater.
Once bone dry -the PU smell - if that what you have - will go away, but solve your dampness/moisture problem if you find it.
Other than that - I have nothing.
If it was a rubberized coating - it could break down, but I don’t think it could smell that bad they way you describe, unless moisture is somewhere and invisible mold growing on rubber? It could grow on rubber
There are absolutely chemicals that you could use to remove and replace the offending underlayment but I understand your space limitations.
If there is a will- there is a way.
Perhaps there are things to encapsulate - by spraying - but with the shellac applied - you may have created another headache before you solved the actual problem? but do make sure everything is dry.
That is where I would start looking first
Btw, flex seal spray - I am pretty sure has PU in it
As you just recently applied shellac and if you may want to remove it - denatured alcohol should work.
Another reason I think that moisture might be involved - is that shellac is damaged by moisture, water - that could explain why the stench still there after the application?
Last edited by L00k4ward; 07-25-2023 at 02:14 PM..
Oh ye of little faith!
The spray is what gets you into those small areas. Flex also comes in a can so you can brush or roll if needed.
As for cutting out the sink- you wouldn’t do it from underneath- just a cut-off wheel on an angle grinder- DONE! Doesn’t matter how neat it is- just gonna cover it up with a drop-in!
Yup. Although I wouldn’t recommend a newbie with a cutting wheel. 10 minutes in the right hands and out she comes!
Thanks, Look4ward, for taking time with the thoughtful suggestions. --There's no moisture problem or mold. The source of the odor is definitely the sound-deadening material that was sprayed on the underside of the twin sinks. When you bring your nose close to the material, it knocks your brain for a look, it's so potent. Even if you hold your palm against it for a minute and then smell your palm, you find the odor on it. The material is a nearly stone-hard white granular material.
I tried to scrape some off at the beginning of this project. With a hammer and chisel with difficulty I could knock off a quarter to half an inch of area, but it looked like if I tried to continue this, I'd end up with dents in the sink tha would show up inside.
After a lot of research about sealing in odors, the Zinsser B.I.N. product looked like the best choice. It is, though, very unpleasant to apply: You have to wear a respirator, the manufacturer warns the fumes are toxic. Fortunately, it dries in about 45 minutes, total cure in a couple of days. -- But, unfortunately, it didn't solve the problem.
Your suggestion, K'ledgeBldr, to cut out the sink is probably going to be our last resort. I'd try contacting granite countertop installers to see if they can do this work, perhaps even lifting up the long granite panel (without breaking it?) to access the sink. We have a ”custom” kitchen, all remodeled, so hope to avoid a drop-in sink, but that may turn out to be the easiest solution.
The big problem with this is that the cut-out shape in the granite is a kind of ”free form” curved shape to match the ”designer” sink. So I don't know if we can even find another sink that will match the granite cut-out shape.
The granite countertop extends on three sides of the kitchen. So trying to match that would be a MAJOR $$ expense!
It really is a bad dilemma.
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