How to Build a Floating Sink

Study the dimensions of floating sinks at your local home improvement store. Take measurements regarding height and bowl diameter. Measure the counter where you plan to install the sink, to be sure the bowl you make will fit in the spot you've selected.

Wedge your clay, about 6 or 7 pounds, as you normally would when preparing to work on the potter's wheel. Gather your tools, including a measuring tape, and place them in easy reach of your wheel.

Throw a clay pot on your wheel. Start with a cone to bring the walls of the clay high, then flare the shape so your bowl is shallow and wide. A common example of a floating sink is approximately 14 inches wide at the top and 8 or 9 inches deep. At some point early on in the process, use a needle tool to check the thickness of the pot on the bottom. It should be slightly thicker than 1/2 inch. Use tools such as a sponge and a rib tool to create spirals and textures inside the pot as desired.

Keep a measuring tape on hand to periodically to check the dimensions of the pot. Work with the pot until it matches the approximate dimensions that you're looking for.

Spin the pot gently and soften the edge of the bowl with a wet sponge.

Remove the bowl from the potter's wheel. Slice it off the bat by scraping a wire loop tool along the bottom of the bowl, then pick it up with your open hands on either side of the bowl, and transfer the bowl somewhere that it can dry.

Allow the bowl to dry until it's leather hard. This is a term that means the clay is somewhat hard to the touch and difficult to manipulate, but still a long way from completely dry.

Turn the bowl upside down and center it on a potter's wheel.

Hold a measuring tape open over the bottom of the pot. With the pot spinning gently, use your needle tool to draw a circle in the bottom of the pot. Use the measuring tape to be sure the circle is 1.25 inches in diameter. Stop the potter's wheel and hold the measuring tape to the circle you drew in the bottom of the pot. If the circle matches the dimensions specified, spin the potter's wheel again and use the needle tool to cut all the way through the bottom of the pot to remove the 1.25-inch circle.

Allow the sink to dry completely, approximately 2 to 3 weeks. Dry it slowly, in a dark place, to prevent the clay from cracking. You'll know the clay is bone dry when it's room temperature and the surface has a powdery feel. When it's completely dry, fire the clay. Since the firing temperature will depend entirely on the type of clay you used, refer to the manufacturer's instructions for the appropriate temperature. Terra cotta clays and low-fire earthenware clays, for example, will fire around 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

Glaze the pot as desired, then fire it again. Stay away from matte-finish glazes to make your sink easy to clean. Refer to the glaze manufacturer's instructions for the temperature of the firing. The sink is ready to be installed after it has been glazed.