Having just (about) completed installation of a new wash-hand basin none of
my worries about plumbing the hot and cold water supplies were realised.
However, I now find that there is a leak from the basin waste outlet. This
is a metal tube with the "plug hole bit" at one end and a thread at the
other. It came complete with a plastic nut. I put a bit of sealant round
the plug hole bit but just tightened the big plastic nut as much as I
dared. It is around this nut that the leak is occurring.
What is the approved method of sealing this sort of thing? Sealant, ptfe
tape and a few plastic washers are lying around ready to used. Are any of
these appropriate?

TIA

Frank [ the slightly less tentative plumber]

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Frank Stacey wrote:

Having just (about) completed installation of a new wash-hand basin
none of my worries about plumbing the hot and cold water supplies
were realised. However, I now find that there is a leak from the
basin waste outlet. This is a metal tube with the "plug hole bit" at
one end and a thread at the other. It came complete with a plastic
nut. I put a bit of sealant round the plug hole bit but just
tightened the big plastic nut as much as I dared. It is around this
nut that the leak is occurring.
What is the approved method of sealing this sort of thing? Sealant,
ptfe tape and a few plastic washers are lying around ready to used.
Are any of these appropriate?

TIA

Frank [ the slightly less tentative plumber]

Use a large washer, with some Plumbers Mait spread on its upper surface,
under (or, strictly, *above*) the nut. Why is the nut plastic? A brass one
would be far better.
--
Cheers,
Set Square
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"Frank Stacey" wrote in message
...
Having just (about) completed installation of a new wash-hand basin none
of
my worries about plumbing the hot and cold water supplies were realised.
However, I now find that there is a leak from the basin waste outlet.
This
is a metal tube with the "plug hole bit" at one end and a thread at the
other. It came complete with a plastic nut. I put a bit of sealant round
the plug hole bit but just tightened the big plastic nut as much as I
dared. It is around this nut that the leak is occurring.
What is the approved method of sealing this sort of thing? Sealant, ptfe
tape and a few plastic washers are lying around ready to used. Are any of
these appropriate?

TIA

Frank [ the slightly less tentative plumber]


A ring of silicone around the flange at the plug hole end and on top and
bottom of the rubber washer before putting the nut on. Make a sandwich
between all the waste outlet parts and the basin. These leaks are very
common when the water seeps passed the waste outlet and down around the
thread. The best thing to use as sealant is gutter seal, but this is black
and very messy to work with so keep a damp cloth handy to wipe everything
over once you squeeze the excess out. But normal silicone works just as
well.


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However, I now find that there is a leak from the basin waste outlet.
This
is a metal tube with the "plug hole bit" at one end and a thread at the
other. It came complete with a plastic nut. I put a bit of sealant round
the plug hole bit but just tightened the big plastic nut as much as I
dared. It is around this nut that the leak is occurring.
What is the approved method of sealing this sort of thing?

The best method is a large conical rubber washer that fits over the metal
waste replacing your current arrangement. It is compressed by the nut (and a
supplied washer) and seals the waste in the same way as the less substantial
(but similar in cross-section) rubber washer in a compression (or Universal)
waste pipe fitting.

Plumbers merchants rarely seem to sell them but they are stocked by
Homebase.

When I don't have one to hand, I tend to use Plumbers Mait (a non-setting
mastic that comes in tubs, also useful to set the basin on the pedestal)
between the lip of the grate and the basin, and a bead of decent silicone on
bothe sides of the washer before doing up the nut. Some people partially
tighten the nut, let the silicone cure to a beautifully fitting custom
washer and then fully tighten the next day but I have never found this to be
necessary.

HTH
Adrian

On Wed, 10 Nov 2004 17:58:47 -0000, "Set Square"
wrote:

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Frank Stacey wrote:

Having just (about) completed installation of a new wash-hand basin
none of my worries about plumbing the hot and cold water supplies
were realised. However, I now find that there is a leak from the
basin waste outlet. This is a metal tube with the "plug hole bit" at
one end and a thread at the other. It came complete with a plastic
nut. I put a bit of sealant round the plug hole bit but just
tightened the big plastic nut as much as I dared. It is around this
nut that the leak is occurring.
What is the approved method of sealing this sort of thing? Sealant,
ptfe tape and a few plastic washers are lying around ready to used.
Are any of these appropriate?

TIA

Frank [ the slightly less tentative plumber]

Use a large washer, with some Plumbers Mait spread on its upper surface,
under (or, strictly, *above*) the nut. Why is the nut plastic? A brass one
would be far better.

Hi,

Also some goop like Boss White and maybe a little hemp under the
flange on the basin side would stop water getting to the thread and
wicking down.

The other way is to use some silicone, tighten it a bit, leave it to
set then tighten fully. But use a thin layer of vaseline, wax polish
etc on the basin to make it easy to dismantle again.

cheers,
Pete.

"Adrian Berry" wrote in message
...

The best method is a large conical rubber washer that fits over the metal
waste replacing your current arrangement. It is compressed by the nut (and
a
supplied washer) and seals the waste in the same way as the less
substantial
(but similar in cross-section) rubber washer in a compression (or
Universal)
waste pipe fitting.

Plumbers merchants rarely seem to sell them but they are stocked by
Homebase.

When I don't have one to hand, I tend to use Plumbers Mait (a non-setting
mastic that comes in tubs, also useful to set the basin on the pedestal)
between the lip of the grate and the basin, and a bead of decent silicone
on
bothe sides of the washer before doing up the nut. Some people partially
tighten the nut, let the silicone cure to a beautifully fitting custom
washer and then fully tighten the next day but I have never found this to
be
necessary.

HTH
Adrian



Thanks - Hombase's conical rubber bung seems to have worked a treat!

Frank