I don't know if I regret my purchase of about 10 years ago when we completely remodeled and expanded our kitchen but yes, small chips have appeared and we're really careful, and I don't mean recently. I started noticing them maybe 6 months after installation. Crazing under the surface of the glaze is on-going. I kind of like a crazed/crackle finish so if it doesn't affect the durability, that's ok. To replace it would require disrupting the counters, backsplash etc which would cost thousands of dollars to replace even if I could find the same materials to replace it with.

"To replace it would require disrupting the counters, backsplash etc which would cost thousands of dollars to replace even if I could find the same materials to replace it with."

Fortunately you're wrong, Jennifer. I replace sinks for a living and have never had to pull a stone top to do so. Your top and backsplash are safe.

Ok, but with a farmhouse sink, don't you have to replace it with a sink of the same size and configuration, which pretty much limits you to the same thing from the same manufacturer? In this case, the manufacturer denies any defects in its sink, which I think is untrue but if the manufacturer is sincere in its position it also means that the manufacturer hasn't done anything to fix the problems. So, you would be investing in a replacement without any idea that you're solving the problems. This would only make sense, perhaps, if the manufacturer would both supply a new sink free of charge and pay the costs of replacing it, which in general I don't think they are prepared to do.

The big problem with replacing a shaw sink is that each sink is a tad bit different in size, its all in how it was molded, so your apron cut may not be an exact fit on new sink. Even the drain could be right side or left in different spot. Mine has right side drain but many are left. It is a big issue to refit properly I think even if you get past counter issue. That is why I am very hesitant to reorder a $1000 sink and then have it not fit into cabinetry the same as previous one. For this price, and tender care w/grid protection, I should not be seeing hairline cracks all over the place. I use my dishwasher for most things and have been very careful w/sink, this is really unacceptable and I am really unhappy about the whole issue. But, I remind myself all the time that these are 1st world problems and if you don't stare for the defects, it still looks pretty amazing from afar.

Built a luxury home and designer said you have to have the Shaw Farmhouse sink - so we did.

Beautiful sink BUT the bottom is not angled enough to have the water/food flow to the center hole with the garbage disposal. We have to chase the food all around the sink with the faucet to get it into the disposal.

Our Shaw sink is almost 5 years old. We love the look, but sink is a disaster otherwise. It has many chips despite our constant use of a sink protector. It does not drain at all so I have to waste much water after each use to rinse dirt and scraps toward the drain.

@Martha Alvarezz - Whats the marble trick?

You put marble in sink and make sure it rolls properly into drain to indicate sink is pitched right for water to flow.

I've had a Shaw's farmhouse sink for 5 years now. About 6 months in we noticed chipping. I have a plastic mat in the bottom (not the Shaw's mat). And about a year ago noticed the grey lines you're talking about. Now they are all over the bottom and working their way up the sides. Also have a problem with water draining away and have to chase it around the bowl. I love the look, but wouldn't do it again. And my sink was my one "absolutely must have" for my new kitchen. So I'm a little disappointed. Glad I chose to go with an undermount installation, as I'm guessing I'll have to replace it before my granite countertops.

We built our house in 2015 and had the Shaw farmhouse sink installed. The decision was based on the many favorable reviews. The decision to go with this sink was a huge mistake. Not quite sure where all these favorable comments are coming from. Within the first two weeks of installation there were a couple of chips in the bottom of the sink. My wife and I are not hard on our things so I was convinced we had a defective product. Since the sink was new we asked the manufacturer to replace it and figured we would pay for the installation. The manufacturers rep said replacement was not an option and sent us a kit we could use to patch our new sink. Four years later the sink continues to chip. The bottom of the sink is flat. It is a constant battle to move the food particles to the center drain. Since we are in a drought state (California) we try not to use water to chase the food particles around the sink. It is a constant project. The chips in the porcelain are stained and never get quite as white as the rest of the sink. Around the drain is a different finish that never quite gets clean. It is a different color than the rest of the sink.

In short, if customer service is not important, you enjoy the additional maintenance of cleaning away food particles at the end of every meal, chips in the porcelain finish don't matter and you enjoy spending a premium price for an inferior product this sink is the one for you.

DO NOT BUY!!!

TOTALLY REGRET the Shaw sink we just installed 5 months ago.

Background: We bought the Shaw 30 inch in 2010 with our last remodel and it didn't have a chip, scratch or crack in several years of hard use.

This sink was purchased about one year ago (2018) for our new house, and is a completely different animal: It chips if you even look at it. After spending all that money, and time installing, it's heartbreaking!

That's why you see the good reviews for the older purchases, and bad reviews for Shaws purchased more recently, in my opinion.

You may be right, but I have not checked the dates on good/bad reviews. We bought our Shaw sink in 2012 and it has chipped like crazy even though we have gone out of our way to try to protect it from doing so. I am surprised that any reputable outlet still carries it -- it's that bad.

john23 and rundog:

The good news is that your sinks can be replaced with a different material sink without removing the tops:

Joe,

My plumber told me that it would be extremely difficult to change the faucet to the Shaw's Farmhouse sink. I would love to change out this sink, too.

Next time you have a call to change out the sink, can you take pictures of your process. I'd be interested in seeing what is involved.

Thank you all for the feedback and insight! What other options would I have for farmhouse sinks that don’t have these issues?

Kohler's cast iron enameled Whitehaven apron front sink is a possibility. This sink has legions of fans here.

Then there are other fireclay options: Julian, Franke (Villeroy & Boch makes theirs,) and Blanco.

Add to the list the slingranite ones from Blanco and others.

And lastly you can get a stainless apron front form BLanco, Franke, Rachiele and Kohler.

NB Of course there must be many more options, these are just some that I considered.

My Shaw's sink is more than 10 years old and still in great condition, but I did get the grid rack, which really does protect it. I only use Bon Ami to clean it and cook three meals a day with mostly la Creuset cookware. This sink sure looks great with my 3 oven AGA pewter colored cooker. Had a stainless steel sink in my last house and was glad I chose the Shaw's.

Someone else made the point that it seems the older sinks are fine and that most of the problems are with the newer sinks, e.g., those made in the last 5-6 years or so, even with using the grid rack, as most of us have done. It seems there may have been some change in materials, manufacturing processes, etc. since you bought your sink. Your comment is consistent with that observation. The newer Shaw sinks are so bad that I think they should be removed from the market.

STAY AWAY from the Shaw farmhouse sink!! We have been using ours for just 3 weeks, and it already has crazing, chips, and a hairline crack!! We had a rubber mat on the bottom, but obviously, this did nothing. We have been very careful with this sink but to no avail. We paid $1500 for it; nevertheless, we have decided to replace it as soon as possible as we just cannot imagine what it will look like a year from now! Ugh! I just wish I would have read these reviews 2 months ago!

Chips

If I were you, I would demand that Shaw refund your money in full, so you can apply it toward a replacement sink. Some people have gotten replacement sinks from Shaw by complaining, but the problem is that the sinks are handmade and the precise configuration/shape of each one is slightly different; your sink probably was custom fitted to your cabinet and the next one won't exactly match that fit. An even bigger problem, in my view, is that a Shaw replacement sink is likely to suffer from the same problems as your existing one, so it may not solve your problem anyway. Shaw has known about this problem for years and apparently done nothing to fix it. The amount involved probably is within the jurisdiction of the small claims court in your area, wherever you live, so you don't need to hire a lawyer and Shaw probably can't use one at the hearing either. Sue the dealer who sold you the sink as well. I can almost guarantee you that Shaw will initially resist -- taking the position that if there are chips it is because you abused the sink (as they did with me) -- but as a retired lawyer I can almost guarantee they will settle up with you as the court date nears due to the risk of bad publicity if and when they lose. You can subpoena their records to show the number of reported problems they have had and their failure to deal with it. I didn't sue them back in 2015 solely because I only had a few small, repairable chips and I didn't want to go through the hassle of replacing the sink because it was built into expensive custom cabinets and marble countertops. Good luck.

One further thought: Sue Shaw (actually, Rohl) not only for the cost the sink but also for the cost of replacing it, which could be substantial. You should be entitled to it, and it gives you more negotiating room.

2k to switch it.

I have had an issue with my Shaw sink for some time and that is the crazing. They told me these are natural and will not affect the sink. Well, it does In appearance. Luckily the grid covers it from full view. As far as the grid goes, I need a new one and have for some time. It peeled in spots and rusted in those areas. I have to bite the bullet to get a new one because they are ridiculously expensive. They take advantage. I love the looks of the sink and like someone else said, I would have to remove my granite counter to replace it. So we are stuck. I just hope it doesn’t create any leaks in the future.

What is BKF that someone mentioned about cleaning the sink?

I found out what BKF is. Whoever uses it do,you recommend the powder or the liquid? Also, has anyone used Clorox cleanup spray on their sink?

I'm sure that when you bought the sink that no one told you that crazing might occur but that you shouldn't worry about it, otherwise you wouldn't have bought it! Here is what Rohl says on their website: "These beautiful apron front sinks resist acid, alkali, scratches and impact, making them as versatile and durable today as they were a century ago." No mention of chipping, cracking or crazing. No suggestion that you need a grid or mat to protect your sink. In fact you would conclude the opposite from what they say.

How long ago did you buy it?

I believe someone on here said that these sinks could be replaced without disturbing the countertops, though if that is so I am sure it is an expensive and non-trivial job. I think you would have to be careful about who you hired to do it.

We have a stainless steel grid with plastic/rubber feet and bumpers to keep it from marring the sink, so the grid has not given us any problems. Maybe you should consider something like that, or a rubber pad.

I occasionally use a little Clorox Cleanup to whiten the sink (and clean up the chips in it) when the mild scouring product we normally use doesn't quite do the job. It doesn't seem to have harmed the sink. But keep it away from the caulking between the sink and countertop because it may dry out the caulking and cause it to crack and leak. My wife doesn't like Clorox, but mostly because of the environment I think.

"But keep it away from the caulking between the sink and countertop because it may dry out the caulking and cause it to crack and leak."

That caulk is topical only. The caulk that is preventing leaking is between the sink flange and the bottom of the stone. You aren't getting any Clorox on that.

I think we are talking about the same caulking. I am not sure what other caulking there would be. All I know is that when the original caulking job by the installer dried out and cracked, I had water leakage between the sink flange and the bottom of the stone that damaged the inside of the cabinet under the sink. My contractor said he thought that it was the result of using Clorox on that caulking. [I subsequently concluded that the installer may not have used the correct caulking and redid it myself.] I specifically asked my contractor if that caulking was the sole barrier preventing water from leaking through to the cabinet below. He said it was. As a result, I only clean the sink flange area with a non-bleach cleaner and everything is fine so far. That's my experience.

Your flange has no silicone. Yours is topical in nature only. 100% silicone does not dry up and crack from bleach.

The older models are great. We had ours since 2002 and just renovated. Sad to see it go. I hate my new Blanco SteelArt sink. Scratches and high maintenance to dry all the time.

@Warveen Mosa: I am seeing a similar thing on my sink. I have had it for 4 years and we are super careful. Did you find out what the issue was?

The issue is cracks which are the nature of this beast becoming contaminated from use which makes them appear gray. No practical cure except replacement.

@Joseph Corlett, LLC : Thanks for the response. Makes sense. 1. Does this mean that the cracks were present from the beginning and that contamination caused it to be visible? 2. Is this inherent with all Shaw and/or Fireclay sinks? Or is this just a defective piece that we happened to get. 3. How easy is to swap out without damaging the counter top and cabinet below.

I was a trendsetter with my first shaw kitchen sink in 2000. loved it and have just purchased one for our new home in fla. no issues of discoloration, cracking, etc. yes I used a liner for the first one. I am in process of looking into a white grid.

"1. Does this mean that the cracks were present from the beginning and that contamination caused it to be visible?"

No and yes.

"2. Is this inherent with all Shaw and/or Fireclay sinks?"

No.

"Or is this just a defective piece that we happened to get?"

Probably.

"3. How easy is to swap out without damaging the counter top and cabinet below?"

I do it regularly. The cabinet and top are in little danger. The top does not get removed for sink replacement.

@Joseph Corlett, LLC : Thanks for the response. Still not clear if cracks were present from beginning? Or did they slowly happen and contamination made them more pronounced or did something I did cause the cracks? ROHL has agreed to send me a new one. They said it happens to 2% but I think most people dont notice. I am still debating whether or not to swap it. What if the new one is also defective. My contractor said same thing as you. He can take it out without destroying counter.

The cracks were probably not there from the beginning. They slowly happened and the contamination made them more pronounced. You did not cause the cracks.

I'd advise your contractor to tap the cabinet front off and install the sink with a Pete's Sink Mount Kit.

@Joseph Corlett, LLC Thanks :)

Our Shaw sink is about five years old. It is still in very good condition. We have a grid. I clean it with a bit of Vim for kitchen and a scratch proof sponge. I only scrub to get a bit of stain off. Then I use some bleach and hot water and flip the grid upside down so that it also get lightly bleached. I plug it and let the mild bleach and hot water sit for 10-15 minutes. Comes out clean and sparkling. Hope it lasts a long time because changing it out of a nice granite counter will be very expensive!

We purchased our house two years ago and it has a Shaw Original fire clay farmhouse sink. I noticed a few little cracks which has since turned into a huge web of hairline cracks I now know is termed ’crazing’. There were also about five tiny chips in the finish. This number has grown to 17 and now there are too many tiny ones appearing to count. It is susceptible to stains and if I clean with gentle dish soap and a sponge as instructed the stains do not come out. There is no question that we will have to replace this sink. So disappointing. Will definitely never buy another Shaw/Rohl sink. We love the farmhouse style sink but this is not worth it and they are very expensive to replace.

Old Shaws good, new Shaws bad.

We bought one in 2010 that we loved and never had a problem with. Unfortunately, we moved.

The new one (purchased 2017) chips if you so much as drop a fork in it. Multiple chips now. Very unsightly, but since the installation was custom (due to the custom, irregular nature of the sink's shape), too expensive to replace. We're living with it.

Oh, and the new one we have also doesn't drain properly. You literally have to push the water to the drain to get the sink to completely empty. IMO these new Shaws should be pulled off the market.

I purchsed my sink in August 2016 the first crasing patterns and chips apeared in 2018 . I definetilay can confirm that it is not worth to buy that sink . It is a crap product.

I regret it. They state that all sinks are within a 2% tolerance, which means one corner of the sink can be an inch lower than the other three and it is within tolerance. Stay away, they do not stand behind their manufactoring defects.

I too am very disappointed, having the same issues with my Shaw; chips, hairline type cracks under(crazing) and doesnt drain properly. One section of the sink creates a little pool that keeps the water from draining, although the sink is level. We have a metal grid, but chips were developing even with that. I rarely use it now because it is too difficult to get the water and debris from under it. Bar keepers Friend is helpful. I occasionally make a little paste and let it sit a few minutes before wiping-I find the powder and liquid to be great. Also Mr. Clean Magic eraser is very helpful especially on the grey surface cracks and around drain. Love the look, but this has been frustrating. I've had it since around 2009 I got no help from the manufacturer.

I bought a house with the Rohl Shaw white apron Fireclay sink. It has many chips and I put a rubber liner over it to protect it but more so to hide the ugliness. It would be costly to replace it because of the quartz countertop. It is hard to believe the company would continue to sell a product that is prone to chipping and crazing that they know is a functional item for a kitchen that gets a work out daily.

Is it possible to get it resurfaced in place?

No. You'll set money on fire no matter what the resurfacing people say. The sink can be replaced without removing your countertop; that's my business.

In England where I'm from the crazing is considered by most people to be an attractive feature that adds character. Chips and stains are less popular, but are accepted as part of a fireclay sink. The crazing and chips are purely cosmetic - they won't leak. The flat bottom is annoying, but a spray hose makes it easy to wash the debris down the drain. Kitchen sinks get lots of abuse and often limescale. If you want a fireclay sink to look perfect forever, don't use it.