I have to replace a monobloc tap in my kitchen. It seems to me that the
easiest way to get at the tap is to remove the sink from its hole in the
worktop by undoing the clamps (after disconnecting the sink tails, of
course); less lying around under the sink with pongy waste bin close to
head ;-). That means for sure that the squidgy (TM) sealing strip on
which the sink top is bedded will need to be replaced. (I did the
kitchen originally so I know where everything is).

I've Googled this group and gathered (a) that a new squidgy strip will
be hard, probably impossible, to obtain; and (b) that a good alternative
is to use silicon sealant.

I need to get all this done in one go so I'm trying to visualise in my
mind the sequence of things to do; I'm having trouble working out how
the sealant should be applied. So to the questions:

1. The existing squidgy rubbery strip is compressed by the sink top
but still has some thickness between the steel and the laminate; do I
apply a bead of silicon in place of the rubber and let it solidify
in order to get the same effect? Or do I just lay down a bead of
silicone and let the steel press right down through it, so there is
effectively nothing between the "joint face" of the steel and the
plastic laminate? I hope this is understandable.

2. Once the sink's down and the sealant has dried, do I trim it off
tight to the steel? In my mind's eye that would result in more or
less no thickness of silicone either under the steel or at the edge,
except where small imperfections in the laminate surface had been
filled up by equally small amounts of silicone. In other words
there's almost none left except _inside_ the sink Is that right?

3. Is the silicone just "kitchen and bathroom sealant" like the stuff
you apply with the sub-machine-gun round the edge of baths and
sinks and so on? Or is it some more capable stuff specially made for
bedding down sink tops?

All other comments on my proposed method also gratefully received.

--

Henry Law Manchester, England