Restaurant Welding & Repair
Our services
Custom Stainless Steel Design, Fabrication, Installation & Repair
I’m Pete Adams, Owner of American Welding and I would like to help you with your project. We specialize in affordable fabrication and mobile welding repair, both on location or at our shop. Anytime 24×7, day, night, weekend, and holidays.
We serve municipal, commercial and residential sites in Chicago, the Chicago Suburbs, and the Midwest.
Projects range from equipment repair to custom railings, to ornamental pieces. We do aluminum and stainless fabrication and equipment repair for companies large and small. We are able to accommodate projects of any size. American Welding will accommodate any project quickly and efficiently. Call me at any time to discuss your ideas or needs.
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Why Choose Us
Experience
American Welding has served thousands of customers over our 38-year history. All types of welding techniques in all types of applications. We offer workmanship that will last.
Integrity
Our business is conducted with integrity. Every job is built as if we are building it for ourselves. We do what we say and we live by our reputation and word.
Worry-Free
American Welding strives to over-deliver on every job. We never use low quality weaker materials. On-time, built well, with attention to detail. Our workmanship is guaranteed and we further protect you with our warranty.
Responsive - Day or Night
Call us day or night. Emergency, over a Holiday or Weekend – No Problem. We are flexible and can work when you need us to. Our prices are always fair and will not take advantage of the situation.
Restaurant Stainless Steel Welding & Repair
Cracked prep table leg during the dinner rush?
Hood failing inspection on Thursday?
A broken chain grill, with metal fatigue binding the chain drive gears?
Restaurant kitchens can’t afford downtime, and stainless steel doesn’t repair itself.
Restaurant Stainless Steel Welding & Repair in Chicago and the Suburbs
A working kitchen runs on stainless steel. From prep counters and exhaust hoods to sinks, dish tables, and walk-in racks, every shift puts pressure on every weld. When one cracks, splits, or rusts through, the kitchen loses time, fails inspections, or worst case, has to close.
We specialize in stainless steel welding, food-service repair, and fabrication for restaurants, bars, breweries, hotels, and commercial kitchens throughout Chicago and the suburbs.
We weld food-grade stainless steel on-site, after hours when needed, with welds clean enough to pass NSF and health code standards.
What Is Restaurant Stainless Steel Welding?
Restaurant stainless steel welding is the specialized repair and fabrication of food-service equipment, such as prep tables, hoods, sinks, ovens, and racks, using welds clean enough to be safe in a food environment.
The right welder uses TIG (also called GTAW) with high-purity argon to make smooth, slag-free welds that resist rust and won’t trap food particles. Done right, the repaired surface is as sanitary as the original equipment.
This isn’t shop-grade welding with sparks and slag. Kitchen welds need to look clean, withstand daily cleaning chemicals, and meet the same food-safety standards as the equipment itself.
Restaurant Equipment We Weld and Repair
After nearly 40 years on the job, we’ve welded just about every piece of stainless steel a kitchen runs on.
Common food service repair and fabrication jobs include:
- Prep tables and counters — cracked surface, bent legs, broken cross-braces
- Stainless sinks and dish tables — cracked basins, leaking drains, broken pedestals
- Exhaust hoods and ductwork — split seams, dented panels, rusted edges
- Walk-in cooler and freezer racks — broken welds, bent shelves, snapped supports
- Steam tables, bain-maries, and warmers — cracked liners, broken frames
- Backsplashes and wall flashing — split seams, missing corners
- Stainless cabinets and shelving — broken legs, cracked welds, dented panels
- Bar tops and ice bins — leak repairs, custom resizing
- Pass-through windows and shelves — built and installed to fit
- Custom fabrication — prep stations, hoods, shelves, splash guards built to spec
If it’s stainless and it lives in a kitchen, there’s a strong chance we’ve welded one before.
Why Stainless Steel Needs a Specialist Welder
Stainless is unforgiving. Wrong heat melts it. The wrong rod contaminates it. Wrong shielding gas turns the weld brown and porous. A bad weld doesn’t just look ugly; it traps food, fails inspection, and rusts within weeks.
Most kitchen stainless steel is either 304 or 316 grade:
304 — most common, used for prep tables, sinks, hoods, and shelving
316 — higher corrosion resistance, used near salt, chlorine, or acidic food
We weld both, match the right filler rod and shielding gas, and grind and polish the bead so the joint blends back into the surface.
TIG Welding for Food-Grade Stainless
TIG welding is the only process that delivers truly sanitary welds on food-grade stainless. It runs cooler, slower, and cleaner than MIG or stick — no spatter, no slag, minimal heat distortion.
After the weld, we grind the bead flush, polish it to match the original finish, and passivate the joint per ASTM A967 to restore the protective oxide layer. The result is a repair that meets NSF International sanitation standards and won’t fail the next health inspection.
All TIG work is performed in accordance with American Welding Society (AWS) procedures for food-grade stainless steel.
What Is 308 Welding Rod Used For?
Picking the right filler rod is half the job in stainless welding. Use the wrong rod, and the weld looks fine for a week; then it rusts, cracks, or fails inspection.
The most common rods for kitchen work are 308, 308L, and 316L.
ER308 / 308L
The standard filler rod for welding 304 stainless steel. It matches the chromium and nickel content of 304, resulting in a clean, corrosion-resistant weld that withstands daily kitchen cleaning. The “L” stands for low carbon, which prevents weld cracking and rust at the joint.
ER316L
Used when welding 316 stainless (the higher-grade alloy used near salt, chlorine, or acidic foods). It carries molybdenum, which protects the weld in harsh, corrosive environments.
For most food service repair and fabrication jobs, prep tables, sinks, hoods, and shelving, 308L is the right rod. We carry all three on the truck and match the rod to the metal before the first arc.
The wrong rod means rust within months.
The right rod means the weld outlasts the equipment.
After-Hours and Emergency Kitchen Welding
Most kitchens can’t shut down during service. That’s why we work around your schedule; early mornings, late nights, weekends, and holidays. The kitchen is yours during business hours; the welder shows up after the last cover.
For true emergencies like a broken sink mid-service, a cracked hood before inspection, or a failed weld on a walk-in rack, we respond same-hour or same-day across Chicago and DuPage County—no after-hours surcharge.
The job gets done before doors open.
Common Challenges and Solutions in Restaurant Stainless Welding
Welding food-grade stainless steel inside a working kitchen comes with its own set of problems. Years of food service repair and fabrication on real job sites teach you how to handle them.
Here are the most common ones we see and how we fix them:
Heat warping thin stainless panels
Thin gauge stainless (under 18 ga) warps easily under MIG or stick heat. Solution: TIG weld at low amperage in short staggered passes, with backing plates and clamps holding the panel flat.
Brown or rainbow discoloration after welding
Caused by oxygen contaminating the weld zone, traps bacteria and fails NSF inspection. Solution: high-purity argon shielding, back-purge enclosed joints, and pickle/passivate the bead after welding.
Rust appeared weeks after the repair
Caused by carbon contamination from grinding wheels or brushes used on regular steel. Solution: stainless-only flap discs and brushes, plus ASTM A967 passivation to restore the chromium oxide layer.
Pitting or pinhole leaks in a sink basin
Common on older 304 sinks exposed to chlorine cleaners. Solution: cut out the affected metal, weld in a 316 stainless patch, grind flush, and polish to match.
A weld that won’t blend into the original finish
Solution: match the original brushed or polished grain by stepping through grits (80 → 120 → 220 → Scotch-Brite) until the weld is invisible.
Welding near gas lines, fryers, or grease
A real fire risk in any working kitchen. Solution: shut off the gas, cool the fryers, set out fire-resistant blankets, maintain a fire watch, keep an extinguisher on standby, and never weld near uncovered grease.
Repair scheduled during operating hours
You can’t shut down the kitchen for a half-day repair. Solution: schedule food service repairs and fabrication after hours, overnight, or on closed days so the kitchen runs uninterrupted.
Knowing where the trouble hides is what separates a clean kitchen weld from one that fails inspection three weeks later.
Industries and Customers We Serve
- ✓Independent restaurants and chains
- ✓Bars, breweries, and tap rooms
- ✓Hotel and resort kitchens
- ✓Catering and banquet kitchens
- ✓Hospital, school, and corporate cafeterias
- ✓Food trucks and ghost kitchens
- ✓Bakeries, butcher shops, and delis
- ✓Commissaries and food processors
Service Areas We Cover
Based in DuPage County, our restaurant’s routes run through:
- Chicago and the surrounding city neighborhoods
- DuPage County — Naperville, Wheaton, Downers Grove, Lisle, Oak Brook, Aurora, Wayne
- Cook, Will, Kane, Kendall, McHenry, and DeKalb Counties
- Larger food-service projects across the wider Midwest
Not sure if your address is covered? Please call us if we can help; we will.
Why Choose a Specialist Welder for Your Kitchen
Most general welders don’t run TIG, don’t carry food-grade rod, and don’t know how to finish a stainless weld so it passes NSF. The right specialist saves you money, time, and the headache of a weld that won’t hold.
What you get with a specialist mobile kitchen welder:
- ✓TIG welding on food-grade 304 and 316 stainless steel
- ✓Sanitary welds that pass health inspection the first time
- ✓Full food service, repair, and fabrication — repairs, custom builds, and one-off pieces under one roof
- ✓After-hours service so the kitchen stays open during the day
- ✓Polished, passivated finishes that match the original equipment
- ✓Fast response across Chicago and the suburbs
- ✓Artistry guaranteed — if a weld we made fails, we come back and make it right
- ✓Honest pricing — repair costs are a fraction of replacement costs
A clean weld on a $4,000 prep table or $8,000 hood beats a full replacement every time.
How to Get Work Done?
Please call or text (630) 927-3030 and describe the equipment; if possible, send a photo.
Free quote; clear pricing, no surprise trip fees
Schedule the visit; after-hours or before opening when needed
On-site safety check: gas, fire, and electrical lockout
TIG weld, grind, polish, and passivate; finished to a food-safe standard
Final inspection with you; surface clean, sanitary, ready for service
Artistry guarantee: written warranty on every weld
You stay in the loop at every step. No surprises, no upsells, no rushed jobs.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What is food-grade stainless steel welding?
Food-grade stainless steel welding is the process of joining or repairing 304/316 stainless steel equipment using TIG welding, followed by grinding and passivating the joint to meet food-safety and sanitation standards.
Can you weld stainless steel in a working kitchen?
Yes, but it’s almost always scheduled after hours, so service isn’t disrupted. We work around your hours, set up fire and fume containment, and finish the job overnight or before opening.
What’s the difference between 304 and 316 stainless steel?
304 is the most common kitchen grade, used for prep tables, sinks, and hoods. 316 has better corrosion resistance and is preferred in areas exposed to salt, chlorine, or acidic foods. We weld both.
What rod is used to weld 304 stainless steel?
ER308L is the standard filler rod for welding 304 stainless steel. It matches the chromium-nickel content of 304 and produces a corrosion-resistant, food-safe weld.
What is the best welding process for stainless steel kitchen equipment?
TIG welding (GTAW) is the best process for food-grade stainless steel. It produces clean, slag-free welds with minimal heat distortion and meets NSF sanitation standards after polishing and passivation.
Can a cracked stainless steel sink be welded?
Yes. Most cracked sinks, prep tables, and dish stations can be TIG-welded, polished, and passivated for a fraction of the cost of replacement.
Is welded stainless steel food safe?
Yes, when the weld is TIG’d with the correct filler rod, ground flush, polished, and passivated. Every joint we finish is brought back to NSF and health code standards.
How much does it cost to repair a stainless steel prep table or sink?
Most repairs are quoted at a flat rate based on the equipment and the damage. We always give a clear quote before any work starts — no surprise fees.
How long does a kitchen weld repair take?
Small repairs (cracked sink, broken bracket, hood seam) typically take 1–3 hours on-site. Larger custom jobs are scheduled in stages so the kitchen never closes.
Do you work after hours so we don’t have to close?
Yes, most restaurant work is scheduled overnight, early morning, or on a closed day — no after-hours surcharge.
Will the weld pass a health inspection?
Yes. Every joint is polished smooth and passivated to meet NSF and health department sanitation standards.
Ready for a Welder Who Won’t Shut Your Kitchen Down?
Whether you’re prepping for an inspection, recovering from a mid-service breakdown, or planning a custom kitchen build, American Welding is the call to make.
📞 Call or text: (630) 927-3030
✉️ Email: pete@americanwelding.us
🛠️ Service area: Chicago + suburbs + the Midwest
✅ NSF-quality welds. Artistry guaranteed.
Service Areas Covered Across Chicagoland
This service is available throughout the six counties below. Click your county for the full list of cities and towns we cover and answers to local questions:
- DuPage County — Pete’s home county — Naperville, Wheaton, Downers Grove, Oak Brook, Lombard, Glen Ellyn, and 30+ more municipalities
- Cook County — Chicago + 130+ suburbs (Oak Park, Skokie, Schaumburg, Cicero, Arlington Heights)
- Kane County — Aurora, Elgin, and the Fox Valley Tri-Cities (St. Charles, Geneva, Batavia)
- Will County — Joliet, Bolingbrook, Plainfield, plus the I-55 / I-80 logistics corridor
- Kendall County — Yorkville, Oswego, Plano, Sandwich
- McHenry County — Crystal Lake, Algonquin, Cary, Woodstock, McHenry, Huntley
Browse all coverage on the Service Areas index or check the complete services list if you need something different.