Installing belfast sink
 

Hi All

I'm about to fit a belfast sink in my kitchen and as the base is not
perfectly flat I'm assuming that this needs to be bedded down on
something. Someone mentioned something called 'plumbers mate', is this
what I need to use and if so where would I get this?

Many thanks
Mat.

nemofish wrote:

Hi All

I'm about to fit a belfast sink in my kitchen and as the base is not
perfectly flat I'm assuming that this needs to be bedded down on
something. Someone mentioned something called 'plumbers mate', is this
what I need to use and if so where would I get this?

Many thanks
Mat.

No. I used a very thick layer of silicone sealer both to bed it down and
to seal the worktop to the underslung sink.

Plumber maite is too soft and doesn't really ever set.

For a solid job use car body filler :-)

On Wed, 08 Sep 2004 11:53:54 +0100, nemofish wrote:

Someone mentioned something called 'plumbers mate',

"Plumber's Mait", AFAIR. You'll be wanting some of that for putting
the plughole outlet in anyway. You should find it anywhere plumberish.

IMHE, the best thing for levelling a Belfast sink is a strip or two of
roofing lead.


(or a nice big sledgehammer - I don't like the things).
--
Smert' spamionam

Thanks for the replies. If I were to use Plumber's Mait would I be able
to adjust the position of the sink slightly once the worksurface has been
fitted?

Thanks
Mat.

On Thu, 09 Sep 2004 02:39:01 +0100, Andy Dingley
wrote:

On Wed, 08 Sep 2004 11:53:54 +0100, nemofish wrote:

Someone mentioned something called 'plumbers mate',

"Plumber's Mait", AFAIR. You'll be wanting some of that for putting
the plughole outlet in anyway. You should find it anywhere plumberish.

IMHE, the best thing for levelling a Belfast sink is a strip or two of
roofing lead.


(or a nice big sledgehammer - I don't like the things).



--
Using M2, Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/m2/

"nemofish" wrote in message
...
Hi All

I'm about to fit a belfast sink in my kitchen and as the base is not
perfectly flat I'm assuming that this needs to be bedded down on
something. Someone mentioned something called 'plumbers mate', is this
what I need to use and if so where would I get this?

Many thanks
Mat.

I wonder if this is what I know as a buttlers' sink?

I have nine in the garden ...

Mary

On Thu, 09 Sep 2004 09:22:32 +0100, nemofish wrote:

Thanks for the replies. If I were to use Plumber's Mait would I be able
to adjust the position of the sink slightly once the worksurface has been
fitted?

Depends what else you use.

Plumber's Mait is squishy and takes a decade to even think of curing.
This makes a good seal for plugholes, but a poor locator for sinks
(and why I don't use it). It's probably a good way to stop minor
wobbliness in the feel of the sink, but you need something else to
stop the whole thing sliding sideways if nyone happens to bang into it
by accident.

I'd fit the sink, making sure it's level, then fit the worktop to
suit. Level other bits to suit it if necessary.

What is the worktop BTW ? You need solid timber with a Belfast sink
(or else some sort of stonework) because one of these Happy Shopper
chipboard jobbies will only last about 6 months before the ends are
dank and festering (why I would never use a Belfast sink myself)
--
Smert' spamionam

"Andy Dingley" wrote in message
...

What is the worktop BTW ? You need solid timber with a Belfast sink
(or else some sort of stonework) because one of these Happy Shopper
chipboard jobbies will only last about 6 months before the ends are
dank and festering (why I would never use a Belfast sink myself)

When we moved in here the house ws twenty five years old, it had belonged to
my aunt from new.

The 'butlers'' sink - a large, deep, pot one, had a wooden (solid, pre
chipboard) grooved draining board which sloped towards the sink and drained
into it. The end grain next to the sink was darkened, rotten and smelly. I
couldn't wait to replace it with a ss sink and integral draining board.

Mary
--
Smert' spamionam

On Thu, 9 Sep 2004 21:42:21 +0100, "Mary Fisher"
wrote:

The end grain next to the sink was darkened, rotten and smelly.

If I _were_ to install a belfast sink in a countertop, I'd use teak,
and it would be sealed with clear epoxy on the end grain and any
exposed rebates. Even then I wouldn't be too fond of doing it.

--
Smert' spamionam

"Andy Dingley" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 9 Sep 2004 21:42:21 +0100, "Mary Fisher"
wrote:

The end grain next to the sink was darkened, rotten and smelly.

If I _were_ to install a belfast sink in a countertop, I'd use teak,
and it would be sealed with clear epoxy on the end grain and any
exposed rebates. Even then I wouldn't be too fond of doing it.

Nor would I. This was the original 1937 sink and draining board. We moved in
in 1963.

Mary

--
Smert' spamionam

Thanks for the reply.

The sink is now installed ready for the worksurface. In the end I opted
to bed the sink on Plumber's Mait just to level if off and stop the
wobbles and then seal round the edges with a good quality silicone
sealer. The worksurface will be granite so I'm not worried about the rot
issue but I have to say I'm a little worried about all the negative views
of this kind of sink. I personally like the look of the sink and we have
chosen a fairly small one, I just hope that it will be more practical than
the responses seem to suggest.

cheers
Mat.

On Thu, 09 Sep 2004 19:51:43 +0100, Andy Dingley
wrote:

On Thu, 09 Sep 2004 09:22:32 +0100, nemofish wrote:

Thanks for the replies. If I were to use Plumber's Mait would I be able
to adjust the position of the sink slightly once the worksurface has
been
fitted?

Depends what else you use.

Plumber's Mait is squishy and takes a decade to even think of curing.
This makes a good seal for plugholes, but a poor locator for sinks
(and why I don't use it). It's probably a good way to stop minor
wobbliness in the feel of the sink, but you need something else to
stop the whole thing sliding sideways if nyone happens to bang into it
by accident.

I'd fit the sink, making sure it's level, then fit the worktop to
suit. Level other bits to suit it if necessary.

What is the worktop BTW ? You need solid timber with a Belfast sink
(or else some sort of stonework) because one of these Happy Shopper
chipboard jobbies will only last about 6 months before the ends are
dank and festering (why I would never use a Belfast sink myself)



--
Using M2, Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/m2/

"nemofish" wrote in message
...
Thanks for the reply.

The sink is now installed ready for the worksurface. In the end I opted
to bed the sink on Plumber's Mait just to level if off and stop the
wobbles and then seal round the edges with a good quality silicone
sealer. The worksurface will be granite so I'm not worried about the rot
issue but I have to say I'm a little worried about all the negative views
of this kind of sink. I personally like the look of the sink and we have
chosen a fairly small one, I just hope that it will be more practical than
the responses seem to suggest.

I'm not negative about the sink itself, my issue was with not being able to
have a continuous, smooth, unbroken line with the draining board. I'm not
keen on marble and the like anyway (I've tried it!) and, again in my
experience, silicone sealants which are frequently wet go black and have to
be replaced.

I suppose if your granit is black it might not show .. :-)

I'm not keen on stainless steel units either but they're the best I can
afford.

Possibly, given the wherewithal, I'd have a porcelain sink with continuous
(i.e. all in one) porcelain drainers on each side. But we never had tht kind
of money and it's not worth it now. Eventually you realise that things
aren't as important as practicality.

Presently we're watching designer son make his run down but new to him house
just right for him. While in a way I admire his dedication, such as getting
every handle making an exact line (who else would notice?) I don't think
it's worth his aggravation when things don't go well. Life's too important
to waste it on millimetres.

Mary

cheers
Mat.

On Thu, 09 Sep 2004 19:51:43 +0100, Andy Dingley
wrote:

On Thu, 09 Sep 2004 09:22:32 +0100, nemofish wrote:

Thanks for the replies. If I were to use Plumber's Mait would I be
able
to adjust the position of the sink slightly once the worksurface has
been
fitted?

Depends what else you use.

Plumber's Mait is squishy and takes a decade to even think of curing.
This makes a good seal for plugholes, but a poor locator for sinks
(and why I don't use it). It's probably a good way to stop minor
wobbliness in the feel of the sink, but you need something else to
stop the whole thing sliding sideways if nyone happens to bang into it
by accident.

I'd fit the sink, making sure it's level, then fit the worktop to
suit. Level other bits to suit it if necessary.

What is the worktop BTW ? You need solid timber with a Belfast sink
(or else some sort of stonework) because one of these Happy Shopper
chipboard jobbies will only last about 6 months before the ends are
dank and festering (why I would never use a Belfast sink myself)



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