Kitchen Sink - Is this right?
Discussion
We have had a new kitchen installed and I am wanting to know whether I am over thinking this or not. Our kitchen sink is not "joined" or bonded to the quartz, instead it sits just below it on two plinths that form part of the cabinet.
I thought that the fact there was a gap was odd, as water could splash into the cupboard area all be it I accept the gap is very small and water doesn't tend to travel sideways or upwards. But I don't know how it should be so don't know what I am comparing it to.
They have used a sealant - "sticks like s
t" or similar around the inside the of the ink. However, I can still see through the gap so I don't understand the point of this sealant unless it is clear. Just doesn't make sense. The wedge on the left I have been told to remove on Sunday once this sealant has set.
Thoughts?
I thought that the fact there was a gap was odd, as water could splash into the cupboard area all be it I accept the gap is very small and water doesn't tend to travel sideways or upwards. But I don't know how it should be so don't know what I am comparing it to.
They have used a sealant - "sticks like s
t" or similar around the inside the of the ink. However, I can still see through the gap so I don't understand the point of this sealant unless it is clear. Just doesn't make sense. The wedge on the left I have been told to remove on Sunday once this sealant has set.Thoughts?
That sounds curious to me.
Yes, the gap between sinks and worktop should be filled with sealant.
I'm interested they've only fitted one trap for two sinks.
With that set-up, and two different level sinks, when you remover the plug from the small sink the large sink will fill with dirty water.
Why no Insinkerator fitted under the small sink? The 230v power is clearly there.
Yes, the gap between sinks and worktop should be filled with sealant.
I'm interested they've only fitted one trap for two sinks.
With that set-up, and two different level sinks, when you remover the plug from the small sink the large sink will fill with dirty water.
Why no Insinkerator fitted under the small sink? The 230v power is clearly there.
Panamax said:
That sounds curious to me.
Yes, the gap between sinks and worktop should be filled with sealant.
I'm interested they've only fitted one trap for two sinks.
With that set-up, and two different level sinks, when you remover the plug from the small sink the large sink will fill with dirty water.
Why no Insinkerator fitted under the small sink? The 230v power is clearly there.
Our two sinks aren't at the same level though the difference is significantly less than that, maybe only 10-15mm at a guess.Yes, the gap between sinks and worktop should be filled with sealant.
I'm interested they've only fitted one trap for two sinks.
With that set-up, and two different level sinks, when you remover the plug from the small sink the large sink will fill with dirty water.
Why no Insinkerator fitted under the small sink? The 230v power is clearly there.
They both drain into a manifold which also has various connections for washer and dishwasher drains plus the main sink overflow.
The joint to the single u bend trap is placed between the two sink joints and when I've had the assembly apart for cleaning the manifold seems to have some sort of internal baffle arrangement possibly to encorage waste water flowing in desired direction. Bit of a guess there as to purpose.
Even when the small sink is full and main empty pulling plug has never ended up with water flowing into the main through that drainer.
FiF said:
Panamax said:
That sounds curious to me.
Yes, the gap between sinks and worktop should be filled with sealant.
I'm interested they've only fitted one trap for two sinks.
With that set-up, and two different level sinks, when you remover the plug from the small sink the large sink will fill with dirty water.
Why no Insinkerator fitted under the small sink? The 230v power is clearly there.
Our two sinks aren't at the same level though the difference is significantly less than that, maybe only 10-15mm at a guess.Yes, the gap between sinks and worktop should be filled with sealant.
I'm interested they've only fitted one trap for two sinks.
With that set-up, and two different level sinks, when you remover the plug from the small sink the large sink will fill with dirty water.
Why no Insinkerator fitted under the small sink? The 230v power is clearly there.
They both drain into a manifold which also has various connections for washer and dishwasher drains plus the main sink overflow.
The joint to the single u bend trap is placed between the two sink joints and when I've had the assembly apart for cleaning the manifold seems to have some sort of internal baffle arrangement possibly to encorage waste water flowing in desired direction. Bit of a guess there as to purpose.
Even when the small sink is full and main empty pulling plug has never ended up with water flowing into the main through that drainer.
Generally they do just get glued to the bottom of the worktop and temporarily proped up while the adhesive goes off. It does seem like a bit mad to just hang a sink with possibly a fairly heavy waste disposal unit of silicone etc but its exactly how the majority of these are installed. Personally I'd prop the sink up permanently after the adhesive has dried for belt and braces but most dont bother.
Panamax said:
Djtemeka said:
It should be glued on with sealant. The wedge there to hold it up whilst it sets over a day or so.
I'm not convinced that's right, the sink shouldn't be hanging on the sealant. It should be standing on the frame with sealant in the join to make it water-tight.You really don't want silicone holding up a sink full of water and two days-worth of washing up.
The timber both sides should be propped from the base of the cabinet to push the sink up hard against a full bed of sealant and support it while it sets.
Screws into the side of the cabinet ideally, even at 45 degrees if needed.
Then remove the props and the sink should stay fully supported by the side timbers. No wedges, no gaps. Clowns.
Just to re-iterate, the sink is held each side by having been slid onto two wooden panels that form part of the cabinet, so its not suspended by silicone.
My query though is as to why there is a visible gap and also why they have now bothered to silicone it, when you can see that there is still a gap (ie what was the point in doing it?)
My query though is as to why there is a visible gap and also why they have now bothered to silicone it, when you can see that there is still a gap (ie what was the point in doing it?)
It’s a st job, but it’s not technically wrong - you can actually do it a number of ways. It’s just badly done.
Here’s how I did mine;
And you have to have a few millimetres gap so there’s some adhesive/sealant in the gap.
It’s just that Stevie Wonder has done yours and wooden supports don’t allow as much adjustment as screws. It’ll be fine, just looks a bit st. Don’t remove the wedges, keep them bearing some load.
t job, but it’s not technically wrong - you can actually do it a number of ways. It’s just badly done. Here’s how I did mine;
And you have to have a few millimetres gap so there’s some adhesive/sealant in the gap.
It’s just that Stevie Wonder has done yours and wooden supports don’t allow as much adjustment as screws. It’ll be fine, just looks a bit s
t. Don’t remove the wedges, keep them bearing some load.Crumpet said:
It s a st job, but it s not technically wrong - you can actually do it a number of ways. It s just badly done.
Here s how I did mine;
And you have to have a few millimetres gap so there s some adhesive/sealant in the gap.
It s just that Stevie Wonder has done yours and wooden supports don t allow as much adjustment as screws. It ll be fine, just looks a bit st. Don t remove the wedges, keep them bearing some load.
Thats a cracking idea... usually the ft job, but it s not technically wrong - you can actually do it a number of ways. It s just badly done. Here s how I did mine;
And you have to have a few millimetres gap so there s some adhesive/sealant in the gap.
It s just that Stevie Wonder has done yours and wooden supports don t allow as much adjustment as screws. It ll be fine, just looks a bit s
t. Don t remove the wedges, keep them bearing some load.k up is if people build a support then fire it in the silicone doesnt get full contact because its near impossible to be mm perfect and the problem the OP has happens. So people glue first with temporary props then dont bother with additional support after... Your way is definitley the best ive seen.Black_S3 said:
Thats a cracking idea... usually the fk up is if people build a support then fire it in the silicone doesnt get full contact because its near impossible to be mm perfect and the problem the OP has happens. So people glue first with temporary props then dont bother with additional support after... Your way is definitley the best ive seen.
Those are exactly what I decided to use when I did my daughter’s kitchen…even though the quartz worktop fitters were going to fit the sink, I just didn’t trust adhesive to hold a sink full of water & heavy pans over time.k up is if people build a support then fire it in the silicone doesnt get full contact because its near impossible to be mm perfect and the problem the OP has happens. So people glue first with temporary props then dont bother with additional support after... Your way is definitley the best ive seen.Found these, pre-fitted them and the worktop guys said it was the best solution they’d seen. Made it dead easy for them to encourage the sink into place true and level.
Search for “undermount kitchen brackets” on Amazon or eBay - the latter is cheapest at about £8 for 4.
Absolutely worth it IMO.
PhilboSE said:
Black_S3 said:
Thats a cracking idea... usually the fk up is if people build a support then fire it in the silicone doesnt get full contact because its near impossible to be mm perfect and the problem the OP has happens. So people glue first with temporary props then dont bother with additional support after... Your way is definitley the best ive seen.
Those are exactly what I decided to use when I did my daughter s kitchen even though the quartz worktop fitters were going to fit the sink, I just didn t trust adhesive to hold a sink full of water & heavy pans over time.k up is if people build a support then fire it in the silicone doesnt get full contact because its near impossible to be mm perfect and the problem the OP has happens. So people glue first with temporary props then dont bother with additional support after... Your way is definitley the best ive seen.Found these, pre-fitted them and the worktop guys said it was the best solution they d seen. Made it dead easy for them to encourage the sink into place true and level.
Search for undermount kitchen brackets on Amazon or eBay - the latter is cheapest at about £8 for 4.
Absolutely worth it IMO.
Black_S3 said:
Crumpet said:
It s a st job, but it s not technically wrong - you can actually do it a number of ways. It s just badly done.
Here s how I did mine;
And you have to have a few millimetres gap so there s some adhesive/sealant in the gap.
It s just that Stevie Wonder has done yours and wooden supports don t allow as much adjustment as screws. It ll be fine, just looks a bit st. Don t remove the wedges, keep them bearing some load.
Thats a cracking idea... usually the ft job, but it s not technically wrong - you can actually do it a number of ways. It s just badly done. Here s how I did mine;
And you have to have a few millimetres gap so there s some adhesive/sealant in the gap.
It s just that Stevie Wonder has done yours and wooden supports don t allow as much adjustment as screws. It ll be fine, just looks a bit s
t. Don t remove the wedges, keep them bearing some load.k up is if people build a support then fire it in the silicone doesnt get full contact because its near impossible to be mm perfect and the problem the OP has happens. So people glue first with temporary props then dont bother with additional support after... Your way is definitley the best ive seen.Promised Land said:
There s actually a proper support for under counter sinks instead of trying to make one up, which supports all of the bowl not just a centre point.
Sinks tend to be dished so those bars end up with a few point loads anyway, and the ones I found were crazy expensive.But anything is better than nothing, IMO.
Black_S3 said:
Yeah - thats a standard 1 and a half bowl waste kit. Its absolutley fine.
Generally they do just get glued to the bottom of the worktop and temporarily proped up while the adhesive goes off. It does seem like a bit mad to just hang a sink with possibly a fairly heavy waste disposal unit of silicone etc but its exactly how the majority of these are installed. Personally I'd prop the sink up permanently after the adhesive has dried for belt and braces but most dont bother.
When ours was done I thought the sink would have clips screwed into retainers in the quartz but they said, nope, it’s just glued. They said they’d seen demos of two men standing in a glued sink.Generally they do just get glued to the bottom of the worktop and temporarily proped up while the adhesive goes off. It does seem like a bit mad to just hang a sink with possibly a fairly heavy waste disposal unit of silicone etc but its exactly how the majority of these are installed. Personally I'd prop the sink up permanently after the adhesive has dried for belt and braces but most dont bother.
For ours (it’s a single bowl) they did position the unit’s shelf so it’s supporting the sink.
Edited by Sheepshanks on Monday 30th March 10:34
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