Stainless Steel Darkroom sinks

Arlen Anderson · Jun 9, 2025

Hello my analog photography friends. I would like to install a stainless steel darkroom sink in my darkroom hopefully for an upcoming Winter project. It has to be 24" X 48" in dimensions. Arkay has a cheaper 20 gauge stainless steel sink and stronger 18 gauge stainless steel sink. The latter (18 gauge) costs more and shipping has to be paid, The 20 gauge one is cheaper and free shipping. My question to everyone is: Do you think there would be a big difference in the 2 different gauge steels sink for film and print (black and white / color development) ?

Alan9940 · Jun 9, 2025

I would guess that the lighter gauge steel would be fine for that size sink. I have the heavier gauge, but my sink is 30X96" (inside dimension.) It sits in a steel support structure, also made by Arkay. It has served me well for 40 years.

koraks · Jun 9, 2025

A thinner material sink can be augmented with a more rigid support structure to compensate for the less of rigidity in the material.

DREW WILEY · Jun 9, 2025

That's rather small, so the lighter gauge would probably be fine. You should support it well from underneath anyway. The bigger question is what is the grade of stainless? I should be something like 303 or preferably 316. Cheaper marine or kitchen grade stainless won't hold up as well.

koraks · Jun 9, 2025

Any 'stainless' steel sink will need to be cleaned periodically, otherwise it will stain in a typical darkroom environment - especially if you're of the experimenting species of photographer. Ask me how I know. Now, I don't mind the pitting here and there; it adds to the patina of my 'stainless' (LOL) sink. It takes pretty long for it to rust through anyway.

Arlen Anderson · Jun 9, 2025

Thank you everyone for your replies! The 20 gauge one is 316 and the 18 gauge one is listed as 316L. The fact it can't be too big will make it easier to make a stronger support for it. I think I would like to just build the support out of wood to make the whole sink area blend in with existing cabinets. They do mention the 18 gauge would be easier to retain a temperature if filled with water for a water bath. I dont know this would come into play since I would be using a Cinestill heating unit if needed. I know the sink would be small, but that is what I can handle in the constraints of my darkroom area.

koraks · Jun 9, 2025

I wouldn't worry about the heat retention; it's steel, so thermally conductive and therefore it'll dissipate heat anyway. Your Cinestill sous vide stick will still keep up though. Personally, I just keep the sous vide stick in a plastic tub of an appropriate size, but there's no reason a sink couldn't be used (although I find it inconvenient as you can't use the sink as a sink at that point!)

Building a support structure out of wood would be perfectly fine and straightforward.

DREW WILEY · Jun 9, 2025

Normally you want to put some kind of thermal insulation panel beneath any SS sink, so that it won't "sweat" with condensation. For the same reason, any wood adjacent to it should be reasonably sealed from moisture intrusion.

In terms of thermal retention, no kind of stainless is suitable. Temp stable water baths should be made of plastic instead, even a thick plastic developing tray placed inside your main sink.

MattKing · Jun 9, 2025

Consider a used hard sided picnic cooler sitting in the sink if you are worried about heat retention for film development.

Arlen Anderson · Jun 9, 2025

koraks said:
I wouldn't worry about the heat retention; it's steel, so thermally conductive and therefore it'll dissipate heat anyway. Your Cinestill sous vide stick will still keep up though. Personally, I just keep the sous vide stick in a plastic tub of an appropriate size, but there's no reason a sink couldn't be used (although I find it inconvenient as you can't use the sink as a sink at that point!)

Building a support structure out of wood would be perfectly fine and straightforward.

Yes a plastic tub is what I have used too. Just having a nice sink would be a big upgrade for me. Stainless sinks are expensive however you buy them, but it looks like I can save a lot by getting the 20 gauge vs the 18 gauge. The difference looks like $635.95 less for the sink and also free shipping for the 20 gauge sink. The shipping cost on the 18 gauge is $259.00. A grand total of $894.95 more for the 18 gauge sink. I'm glad that the 20 gauge sink will work for me.

Alan9940 · Jun 9, 2025

koraks said:
Any 'stainless' steel sink will need to be cleaned periodically, otherwise it will stain in a typical darkroom environment - especially if you're of the experimenting species of photographer. Ask me how I know. Now, I don't mind the pitting here and there; it adds to the patina of my 'stainless' (LOL) sink. It takes pretty long for it to rust through anyway.

When I lived in central Vermont, the house was fed by a spring and there was something in the water that caused colored crescent shaped impressions all over my stainless sink. I was, of course, concerned about my family drinking this water so I had it tested on multiple occasions over the years. Nothing of concern in the water. Anyway, a couple of industrial water filters eliminated any more "damage" and I used a caustic, powerful acid to remove the stains; not something I'd recommend to anyone...it was bad stuff!

mshchem · Jun 9, 2025

Lighter sink will work fine. I use a bit of Barkeepers Friend and a soft cloth on my SS sinks. BKF has a little oxalic acid cleans and helps to passivate the surface. Never ever use steel wool

Arlen Anderson · Monday at 9:52 AM

Thanks to everyone for your responses, much appreciated! I'm just curious for those of you that have a darkroom sink if your sink is the ideal size or would you change it if given a chance? Can you share the dimensions of your sink and how satisfied you are with the size?

loccdor · Monday at 10:19 AM

Disclaimer: I don't do large format or use the sinks for printing.

This is similar to what I have and it suits me fine. A double sink of about 0.5 * 0.5 meters on each sink with about 0.2 meters of depth. I do B&W, C-41, and E-6 with a Paterson 3 reel tank for 35mm and 120 no problem. Having the double sink helps for color, you stopper one side and use it to keep the bottles at temperature, while doing your development in the other side.

Faucet height and sink depth can matter if you are using a particularly tall developing tank.

This came with my house. It's sitting inside cheap (70s? 90s?) counter cabinetry made of fiberboard which at this point is close to needing to be replaced due to water damage. The water damage was unrelated to film development.

Darkroom chemicals have never hurt the sink, but using chlorine bleach has caused some minor pitting around the drain.

I clean the sink with dawn soap and a rough scouring pad. Once in a while I will use oxalic acid but it doesn't need much maintenance.

Mice used to like to come up from where the pipe went into the floor, but that's another story, and a mostly solved problem for now... they've moved on to the walls and attic.

Arlen Anderson · Monday at 11:38 AM

loccdor said:
Disclaimer: I don't do large format or use the sinks for printing.

loccdor said:

Disclaimer: I don't do large format or use the sinks for printing.

This is similar to what I have and it suits me fine. A double sink of about 0.5 * 0.5 meters on each sink with about 0.2 meters of depth. I do B&W, C-41, and E-6 with a Paterson 3 reel tank for 35mm and 120 no problem. Having the double sink helps for color, you stopper one side and use it to keep the bottles at temperature, while doing your development in the other side.

Faucet height and sink depth can matter if you are using a particularly tall developing tank.

This came with my house. It's sitting inside cheap (70s? 90s?) counter cabinetry made of fiberboard which at this point is close to needing to be replaced due to water damage. The water damage was unrelated to film development.

Darkroom chemicals have never hurt the sink, but using chlorine bleach has caused some minor pitting around the drain.

I clean the sink with dawn soap and a rough scouring pad. Once in a while I will use oxalic acid but it doesn't need much maintenance.

Mice used to like to come up from where the pipe went into the floor, but that's another story, and a mostly solved problem for now... they've moved on to the walls and attic.

Click to expand...

This is similar to what I have and it suits me fine. A double sink of about 0.5 * 0.5 meters on each sink with about 0.2 meters of depth. I do B&W, C-41, and E-6 with a Paterson 3 reel tank for 35mm and 120 no problem. Having the double sink helps for color, you stopper one side and use it to keep the bottles at temperature, while doing your development in the other side.

Faucet height and sink depth can matter if you are using a particularly tall developing tank.

This came with my house. It's sitting inside cheap (70s? 90s?) counter cabinetry made of fiberboard which at this point is close to needing to be replaced due to water damage. The water damage was unrelated to film development.

Darkroom chemicals have never hurt the sink, but using chlorine bleach has caused some minor pitting around the drain.

I clean the sink with dawn soap and a rough scouring pad. Once in a while I will use oxalic acid but it doesn't need much maintenance.

Mice used to like to come up from where the pipe went into the floor, but that's another story, and a mostly solved problem for now... they've moved on to the walls and attic.

Thank you for your reply! I like the idea of a dual purpose of the divided sink, however I do printing as well and would like to utilize my 16"X20" trays more for bigger prints when I get a chance. I just have the basic laundry scrub tub basin that you would see in a laundry room and would like to update,

Kilgallb · Monday at 9:19 PM

My home made plywood sink is 6’ x 2”. Just right for 4 trays for 16x20.

It holds my Jobo processor and sous vide bath just fine.

F4U · Tuesday at 12:35 AM

Never had a 'darkroom sink'. And 24 x 48 isn't much different from a single-bay ordinary SS kitchen sink. Can't put any trays in it. So what's the point? Any sink at all in your darkroom is better than hauling water to the first linen closet you can turn into a darkroom, which is what a lot of us have ever had. 20 gauge is pretty flimsy metal, but it'll do fine, I'm sure. If I had the room, i'd keep my eye out on an old BIG sink from a print shop darkroom, that will hlod 3 or 4 huge trays.

Arlen Anderson · Tuesday at 1:55 PM

Kilgallb said:
My home made plywood sink is 6’ x 2”. Just right for 4 trays for 16x20.

It holds my Jobo processor and sous vide bath just fine.

Thank you for sharing! Kilgallb, about how much did you spend on making your plywood sink?

Arlen Anderson · Tuesday at 2:03 PM

F4U said:
Never had a 'darkroom sink'. And 24 x 48 isn't much different from a single-bay ordinary SS kitchen sink. Can't put any trays in it. So what's the point? Any sink at all in your darkroom is better than hauling water to the first linen closet you can turn into a darkroom, which is what a lot of us have ever had. 20 gauge is pretty flimsy metal, but it'll do fine, I'm sure. If I had the room, i'd keep my eye out on an old BIG sink from a print shop darkroom, that will hlod 3 or 4 huge trays.

I have a laundry tub sink, not a single bay sink. I can not put trays in the tub, just on the counter. 24X48 would be small, but could squeeze 3 bigger trays in. I have decided I would need to a bigger than 24X48 sink. Used ones seem to be real hard to come by and if you see them they have a new price on them, but I'm looking.

Kilgallb · Tuesday at 5:53 PM

Arlen Anderson said:
Thank you for sharing! Kilgallb, about how much did you spend on making your plywood sink?

I spent about $100 Canadian on lumber and $30 on this epoxy paint designed to refurbish bathtubs. I had the drain and faucet already from the previous laundry tub. It has lasted me ten years already.

It is 8'x2' mostly because that is the length of my dark room. If my room was 10 feet long it would be 10' x 2'. Two foot wide holds 16x20 trays. 30 inches wide would hold 24x20 trays, but my darkroom s too small for that type of work.

I misquoted the size, it is 8'x2'. My darkroom s 6' x 8'.

DREW WILEY · Tuesday at 7:46 PM

The cost of plywood has gone way up in the US; most of it is imported from China. If you can build the whole support structure from 2X4's, the cost won't be as much. Everything should be well sealed.

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