I think my husband may secretly wish Pinterest was never invented…
Over the course of our extreme farmhouse remodel process, I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve said, “Oh! You won’t believe the idea I just found on Pinterest.” And then I usually receive “the look” from him which is best described as a raised eyebrow with a little bit of eye roll thrown in. 😉
What can I say? There’s nothing I love more than fresh inspiration and big ideas and sometimes I go a little crazy with my pinning and planning. Thankfully, his practicality usually keeps me somewhat grounded. Ahem.
On the flip side, he’s pretty darn talented when it comes to building and creating, and I feel quite spoiled in how he’s been able to bring many of my more realistic Pinterest dreams to fruition.
Take those gorgeous laundry room tub sinks, for example.
They’re all over Pinterest, and in my house dreaming, I was bound and determined there would be one in my remodeled laundry room.
It took us a while to figure out the layout and logistics, and I’m pretty sure our plumber thought we were weird, but it was totally worth it.
I’m in love.
Here’s how we did it.
DIY Galvanized Tub Sink
(this post contains affiliate links)
The Tub:
There are many options when it comes to the tub/sink basin itself. My original idea was to use an antique wash tub with legs (like this one), but I ran into some problems with that:
- I had an extremely hard time finding laundry tubs on a stand that were meant to be used as a sink. Many of the reproductions out there are for decorative purposes only, or are meant to be planters– they are not watertight.
- The legitimate antiques I found were too fragile for regular use and they leaked.
- I needed a single tub (due to the space in our laundry room), not a double. The only place I could find selling single, watertight reproduction tubs was completely sold out.
So I had to readjust my sails and come up with a different plan. I scoured our local antique stores for an old tub, but struck out repeatedly, as anything I found was either the wrong size or had rusty holes in the bottom. So we finally settled on a $24 galvanized tub from our local farm store. Not necessarily my first choice, but now that it’s in, it’s perfect.
The galvanized tub we chose is 22″ in diameter and I don’t have to worry about leaks since it’s new. We also chose to set it on top of the counter, instead of setting it inside. I love the exposed look and wanted people to be able to see the whole tub.
We drilled a hole in the middle of the bottom of the tub, purchased a drain for it, and opted for chrome pipe underneath, instead of PVC, since the plumbing is exposed.
Would I have this as my main sink? Probably not. Because it’s not designed to be a sink, the bottom doesn’t taper, so it doesn’t drain perfectly. However, it’s perfect for washing veggies from the garden, milk jars, or fresh eggs. And it’s so preeeetttty.
The Stand:
I’ve seen some lovely antique tables-tuned-wash-stands on Pinterest, and that was what I originally wanted. However, we needed a very specific dimension to fit between our washer/dryer, and I couldn’t find any antique table or cabinet that’d fit there. (Not to mention I had a bit of heartburn about cutting a big hole in the top of an antique.)
Instead, Prairie Husband built a custom stand with some leftover rough cut cedar we had hanging around.
For the counter tops on the washer/dryer cubbies and the counter top under the sink, we lined 3/4″ sheets of plywood with copper sheeting. I adore copper, but I wasn’t brave enough to put in on my kitchen countertops (I’m too rough on stuff when I cook…). Therefore, putting it in the laundry room was a nice compromise.
I love living finishes that age and mature over time. *swoon*
The Faucet:
I definitely wanted a vintage-y faucet to match the feel of the rest of the room, so I splurged on this vintage-look faucet from Amazon. The sprayer was especially important to me, as I wanted to have flexibility if I was washing something awkward (like a small dog…) or needed to rinse out the bottom of the tub after washing a bunch of muddy carrots, or something like that.
The Rest of the Room:
The laundry room might be utilitarian, but I still wanted it to be pretty in a rustic sort of way. I don’t really care for knick-knacks and prefer that my “decor” be functional items stored in beautiful ways. The open shelving we chose works perfectly for that. I am SO HAPPY I finally have a dedicated spot for my milk bucket and jars.
The white plank shiplap (custom built by the Prairie Husband, of course) and salvaged corrugated steel panels add to the rustic feel of the room.
This is an old headboard I nabbed at a garage sale for $1. I dressed it up with a bit of chippy white paint, galvanized steel panels, and vintage knobs to give it a second life as a message center.
We ordered this elegantly simple 15-pane window door from our local building store and stained it to match the doors and trim in the rest of the house (stain is Jacobean by Minwax).
This room will take a lot of abuse from muddy Prairie Children, so we went with wood-look tile instead of real hardwood.
I found this crazy cow head on DecorSteals.com and it instantly caught my eye. It’s kinda quirky and off-beat, which is exactly why I love it. I think I might put some greenery around it, or maybe an old chipped-paint frame. I named her Wilma.
All in all, I’m head-over-heels in love with this room. Believe it or not, it actually used to be our dining room– complete with no windows, a very short, uneven ceiling, and barely enough room to have 4 people sit around the table. It’s a much better laundry room, I think. I still hate doing laundry, but at least I have Wilma to keep me company while I’m in there.
The rest of our house tour will be coming soon– stay tuned!
I love this laundry room. Very functional and rustic at the same time. I could see myself talking to Wilma–of course when no one else is around.
Me to
Wilma should have a straw hat with a vintage price tag hanging from it and a flower wreath around her neck…
She sort of gives me that Minnie Pearl vibe…
me too 😉
Sooooo stinking cute!!! Love it!
Thank you sooo much for posting!!! You have helped me out more than you know! I have been struggling with this for a month! Now I know what to do thanks to you! My sink will also go between my washer and dryer. I already have a wooden table with a butcher block top. Now for my tub and faucet and pipes. My question is, how tall is your stand with tub? Thanks!
Miss Wilma needs a hat!
Lovely room!
yes she does!
Or a lovely halo of silk wildflowers!
That is seriously cool. My laundry room is shoved into the far corner of the porch that is full of everything you could possibly need in a small porch……some day I will have a very cool, functional laundry room. Someday.
AWE, I love every bit. especially Wilma!!
Really nice work, but I do agree with weird.
I love the corrugated steel. We are planning to put some by our wood stove. And I want to put in a water trough for a bath tub. You are totally my style, can’t wait to see what else you do in your remodeling.
I can’t wait to show y’all the rest of the house!
Did you do anything to the courrigated steel to seal it? In case it gets water on it or just to be able to wipe it down. I planning on doing some in my kitchen . Thanks for sharing.
I have one of these in my remodeled bathroom and it does need sealed. I don’t know that I’d do this as a kitchen sink. It’s fine as the guest bathroom or this laundry room sink but a kitchen one…. don’t do it. Anyway, I just used clear bathroom caulk smeared about to seal the bottom of mine and taper it a bit. Worked.
I LOVE your laundry room. I’m so excited I scored an antique enamel laundry sink with legs. It’s sitting in our laundry room now just waiting to be plumbed in. Your sink is a great sink too! I especially love the corrugated siding too!!
Oh, how fun! What a great find!
This is so adorable! I love Pinterest too. I’m actually kind of obsessed about it.
I love this idea!!! Love the sneak peeks of your laundry room, too. Pinning this for future reference (and then it will be my husband’s turn to hear about the idea I found on Pinterest!)…
This is very cool – But I want to also say I love the trim around the windows and the detail with the hardware is fantastic. You must be very excited to see all this come together, Thanks for sharing! You’re going big with your home which makes sense and now that we’re empty nesters we’re getting ready to go smaller. I would say fun times for both. Enjoyed!
Thanks Carole! I can totally see the appeal to downsizing– less to clean and maintain!
Love it! We need a “before” picture of your old laundry space. And a full view picture of the entire new room. You know us wanna-be homesteaders are living vicariously through you. ?
I do need to put up a before pic! 🙂
where – oh – where did you find the wood look tile??? that is exactly what i need to finish my new addition.
We got this stuff at Lowes!
Beautiful! We are homesteading in South Africa. Bought some land last year and took the leap of faith into homesteading:-) will be checking out your ideas!
I LOVE the pinterest inspiration look! My husband AND son will give me the same look when I tell them what I have seen and would like done. Oh, and Wilma, well, she is fantastic! Beautiful room.
Love, love, love the washtub sink. That corrugated tin is so farmhouse delicious. And those tile floors are going to be so practical. Your laundry room is wonderful! Can’t wait for the full tour. I’ve got to say I admire you for taking on the extra with a new baby. Awesome!
Thanks Peggy. 🙂 There have been times I’ve questioned my sanity, but it’s worth it now that it’s almost done!
I think Wilma needs a cowbell!
You are right– she does!
I love it! Your faucet with the spray hose is genius. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve needed a spray hose in the utility sink! My husband kinda wishes Pinterest didn’t exist either but I heard him telling someone the other day that I come up with great ideas. hehe
I am constantly showing my handy hubby Pinterest ideas! Lol! We just renovated a secondhand chicken coop and there were many times I’d haul out my phone while standing in the coop with him to show him something I pinned and wanted. He did a great job! I love your laundry room.
Got to love those handy husbands!
Oh my….I do love your laundry/mud room. I love all things rustic. Yes, Wilma needs a cowbell with her name on it and a little straw hat with daisies. I really like her and may have to hunt her down.
Love, love your new room. A pleasure to do laundry there. Love the cow head and thanks for naming her after me! I agree that a hat would be fun. You could change it for the seasons. You are my hero.
A seasonal hat! 🙂 I love it!
Perfect for the “tiny home”!
I may have missed this, but how did you secure the tub on the counter top so it doesn’t ever move?
We silicone it around the bottom. 🙂
Love your laundry room! We planned a half bath around setting a galvanized pail from Lowe’s on an old vanity – now that we’re at installation point, our plumber says it can’t be done. It’s leaking where the drain goes out through the bottom of the pail – he suggested pail bottoms are too thin to hold drain attachments securely. I hoped silicone could solve this – do you have any suggestions? Thanks!
Hmmm… We did use silicone around the bottom of ours. I imagine it depends on the bucket, though?
I never would have thought to “design” my laundry room. Other than specific needs like shelving, it truly just never crossed my mind. Great job! Inspiring as well, thank you for sharing!
Yes, laundry rooms inspire me, for some reason. 😉
I’m thinking a strand of pearls for Wilma. Just sayin……
I had the same crazy idea and now have a livestock trough with I drain in it. How did you attach your “sink” to the countertop? Ours is a 2x4x1 livestock trough so just the plumbing fitting isn’t enough to secure it. I’d love to hear what you did and if it worked for you.
We siliconed it around the base.
We are building and doing this type of sink in our laundry room as well. Have you had any issues with yours leaking or getting mildewed?
No problems yet!
I am wanting to do this type of a sink in my kitchen, but can’t find any information on if I should put some seal or coating on the bucket. Any ideas?
We didn’t use any coating on ours– although we aren’t using it daily, either.
Hi!! We are wanting to use galvanized sinks in our kitchen also. Have you installed yours yet? How are they working? Did you seal them? I have picked out the double galvanized on a stand that already has the drain pipe in place. Please let me know how your’s are working.
I have this info my kitchen, although mine is bigger and oval shaped. I did not put any sealant on it and wish I had. The bottom on the inside has turned black. I don’t mind the rustic look, especially since I basically only use it to catch dirty dishes, but it will never look shiny and clean again. I have no idea what you could use to seal it that won’t come off and that is food safe. Maybe some sort of epoxy?
I did use a thicker, pour-on clear epoxy for the wooden base that the tub is attached to. Similar to a finish you would see in a restaurant bar. I have not regretted it. I’m constantly wiping it down, and it still looks brand new. I’ve had this setup for 4 years.
I want to put one of these sinks in my laundry room in the house we are building. Do you know if it will pass inspection if it does not have a drain hole?
So funny that I commented the first time you posted this!! We’ve been in our house for a little over a year now and I LOVE my galvanized mud room sink, but as you mentioned, it doesn’t drain perfectly and has rusted the bottom. Any suggestions on how to combat that short of wiping it out every time…? Who has time for that?!
What a great idea!! And I’m with you on knick-knacks. They have to serve a purpose for me they don’t cut it.
We are also now empty nesters but not ready to move/downsize, however, we are very much into minimalist thinking so we are getting rid of lots of stuff. Amazing how much you acquire over the years!
Yes it is– we’ve only been married for 10 years, and I feel like I am CONSTANTLY purging!
Jill, your tastes are impeccable! I enjoy sharing your blog with my daughter, 35, raising our only grandchildren. She and her hubby can’t wait to have a ‘homestead’ of their own in central Oregon, where they already reside in Redmond. We have our homestead, and encourage our children to get their own! She adores pinterest and I pass on your ideas to her! Your laundry room is gorgeous and practical!!
Thanks so much Elizabeth!
I love every single thing about your laundry room. Love sink and the copper! Great job.
I couldn’t help but notice your clothespins and wonder if they are foreign-made. Most are. If you’d like superior, sturdy, American-made, hand-made clothespins made by Herrick Kimball in his shed, go to classicclothespins.blogspot.com, and if you’d like an equally sturdy, beautiful, American-made clothespin bag, go to ladyandthecarpenter.com. His orders are usually backed up several months, they are so in demand. Lady and her carpenter also make the same clothes pins, and might be more quickly shipped. They got their start from Herrick Kimball.
OMGeee LOvE your new laundry room!! Great job!! 🙂
Thanks Michelle!
Your sink is awesome; I thank you, but my husband may not!
Ha! Yes, I can be a bad influence in that regard. 🙂
I LOVE your laundry room! I’m with you on using functional items stored in pretty ways for decor. That’s what I did too when we made our laundry room last year. Wilma is a nice touch though!
Thanks Shelley!
Wilma definitely needs a garland wreath around her neck!
I finally got her one! 🙂
I love your laundry room. I have a question: is the tub a bit low? How would you wash in it without bending way over?
It is a little lower than I usually prefer– however– it’s not a huge issue as it’s not my main sink.
Where did you get the copper sheet for the counter tops! We are building a Landry room addition and doing the galvanized sink but love the copper too!
What steps did you take to get it to where the drain does not leak? I have one but obviously have done something wrong it’s leaking around the drain HELP!!!! Please email me!!!!!!!!!!!
I love your pictures and information you shared. I have wanted to do something similar for a bathroom in our new pole barn.
Terriffic redo for a rustic lifestyle,functional and fun. The tub sink is especially great. Wish I had space. I hate washing eggs and cleaning veggies from the garden in the kitchen sink. Excellent redo!
Thanks Jeannie!
soooo looking forward to seeing the rest of the remodeling job 🙂 🙂 🙂 it has been so much fun watching your progress !!!
Jill,
I wish you had my cowbell from Germany. My mother-in-law brought it to me when she and my step-father-in-law made a trip to visit his roots (in the 80’s.)When I find time I’ll send a picture. My purple cow collection would have made you an interesting collection. I had to get rid of most of them when I moved. Oh, my wouldn’t my red, white and blue cow look cute on your wall. Even the photo of my dad milking his Missouri cow–with my now 50 year old children looking through the gate (when they were age 2 and 3). That’s inside a very fancy piggy frame my husband gave to me as a present years back. I must not forget the purple cow basket my sister made for me. Why not have a history with your wall? Gelette Burgess and The Purple Cow is a good start. Every generation needs to know that 1895 poem. Life goes better with knowing that poem.
What a special treasure! 🙂
Love it! I have a farmhouse and ‘decorated” a functional laundry room. Really like the idea of the countertop space over the dryer. I also have ‘the cow head” – in my bedroom. We just moved a large bookshelf from my husband’s office and I now keep my DIY cleaning products (made with EO!) and other ‘pantry type’ items on it. Look forward to seeing the other pictures!
Love this laundry room. Great job Jill and hubby! Because I know you have sooo much extra time on your hands (sarcasm font), would it be possible to post a few pics from farther away? The extreme close-ups are nice, but it’s hard to get the overall feel of the laundry room. This could be one of your projects during those 10am-3pm HOT hours when we hide inside. I’m totally with you! 🙂 Let the Texans laugh at us all they want. My 2 months of southwest Montana summers are all I can take! 🙂
What kind of products do you use to clean your sink I love this idea
Agree How do you clean What kind of products do you use to clean your sink Was wondering for bathroom sink
LOVE your laundry room! It’s very similar what we’re building. Could you share the dimensions of your sink stand?
Jill,
I love your blog but I have a question about the DIY galvanized tub. You had said you had found a company that’s sold waterproof tubs but they were sold out. Do you by chance remember the the website you found the waterproof galvanized tub?
Did you do anything to seal the tub so it doesn’t rust? I want to do this in my farmhouse bathroom but I’m worried about longevity of the tub.
This is fantastic. We’re fixing up a house and I was wondering how on earth to make a utility sink out of a galvanized tub from Lehmans! Thank you!
I see tin around your sink basin. Did you age it yourself or a lucky find? I need to age some for our “updates.”