[StephenWong]

My Philippina maid has broken my kitchen sink made of Corian type material. Does anyone have the experience to have it repaired? Thx

[Lammarite]

Why mention the Philippina housemaid? You could just say it was broken and be done with it. There is a great letter in the SCMP today about the way Philippina maids are treated in HK.

I don't know what Corian is so can't help you- sorry. You could try Wanchai and the bathroom shops.

*On 2nd thought, isn't Corian a work surface material?

[rani]

Doesn't Corian have a 10 year warranty? Can you contact the people you bought it from? Or Dupont Corian directly

http://www.corian.com/corian/c/en/h/Home/index.html

[StephenWong]

Lammarite

Must mentioned 'cos I now have a Corian sink (built in the kichten working top) with a big hole caused by the unusual carlessness of THE Philipina maid. Must mentioned my anger because she told us one day after the accident.

I have over 100 personal and business friends and have nothing against Philippino/Philippinas but cultural differences and living habits make Philipina maid a necessary eveil in Hong Kong. I have the best living condition (a maid's room with toilet) for my maid but she keeps breaking and losing my household items - ivory chopsticks, ceremaic pots and more.

BTW, I cannot find the great letter in my son's SCMP subscription copy, please englighten me.

Rani

Many thanks for your advice but would like others to share similar experience apart from the 10 year warranty.

Stephen

[KnowItAll]

I don't think many people will have Corian sinks. They're so #$% expensive and I doubt many landlords will be adding them to flats they're going to rent out.

[dropdedfwed]

Originally Posted by KnowItAll

I don't think many people will have Corian sinks. They're so #$% expensive and I doubt many landlords will be adding them to flats they're going to rent out.

yeah, and maybe there is a moral lesson behind the ivory chopsticks... (sorry, couldn't help but gasp wen saw someone admitting to eating with some other poor creature's ivory)

re Lammarite and the question of the need to mention the race of the maid, i agree - the point stands - there are clumsy people from all walks of life - skip the racial labels.

re the sink - i have no idea what they are made of either (acrylic, i think), but i'd hazard a guess that if it really is a hole, and not just a chip, ur sink is stuffed (ur sink is sunk?)

damage due to "abuse" or accidental damage will likely not be covered (most things are covered for normal wear and tear, and have a nice little clause excluding any "abuse", which generally includes wear and tear )

good luck

[DavidHK]

highly unlikely that it will be proper corian unless your flat is in the top bracket (not that likely even at the top end, there is nothing a developer likes doing more than saving money). Its probably going to be a china sourced substitute, of which there are many and various. I've never seen that type of material repaired but I know that it can be bonded together with some type of propriety epoxy product as complex shape vanity tops for wash basins tend to have front panels bonded on rather than cast in one piece to save money.

Therefore I guess the damaged sink could be bonded back together if you have the bits, otherwise it may be possible to cut out a section to replace. I very much doubt either of these will give a satisfactory finish with the crack being visible, a magnet for dirt and of dubious water retaining ability.

Time for a new one I think.

Goes away for a look under the sink

Actually looking at the one in my flat you may be lucky. The sink part of the corian type counter (Actually it is corian which I'm suprised about) is a separate peice bonded on (Thinking about it, they all will be like that as the casting would be tricky in as a single time). If yours is the same then you will only have to relpace the sink bit rather than the whole lot.

[JaredHK]

Ask any Corian dealer in Wanchai to fix it for you. They can get you a piece and fuse it into the hole. While you are at it ask them to gloss or finish the entire piece for you.

[Lammarite]

Originally Posted by StephenWong

.....but cultural differences and living habits make Philipina maid a necessary eveil in Hong Kong......

I'm sorry- what?

[StephenWong]

Thank you all for the interesting responsses - from my heart really - because I never thought about sink/kitcken top materials other than Corian.

I did say cultural difference and living harbits make Philippina maid a necessary evil in Hong Kong because THE best choice for domestic helpers for Hong Kong Chinese family should be from local or neighering cities. But the government has forbidden the import of domestic helpers from mainland China ever since and domestic helpers are either Philippina or Indonesian, right?

One of you spotted THE ivory chopsticks and that is exactly what I am talking about - cultural difference - like Chinese families in Hong Kong eat frogs and eels. French eat hares, etc. I can tell you that ivory makes good eating instryment and it can stand for a long long long time.

Once again, thank you all for sharing ideas..