Installing a bathroom faucet

[Yzzim]

My wife and I are changing our bathroom a bit and just bought a new vanity. Looking at installing the faucet tonight and it requires plumber's putty. The vanity top we have said to use silicone sealant instead of the putty.

All I have is Aquarium sealant that is 100% silicone.

Will that work? Nothing else is open at this hour.

 

[Howard]

I would use something with anti-mildew agents.

 

[Yzzim]

Originally posted by: Howard
I would use something with anti-mildew agents.

I have a white silicone caulk with microban. But it's white. Instructions say to use clear.

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: Yzzim

Originally posted by: Howard
I would use something with anti-mildew agents.

I have a white silicone caulk with microban. But it's white. Instructions say to use clear.

do you care about the aesthetics?

 

[jlee]

Is this going under the faucet or the drain?

 

[Yzzim]

Originally posted by: Goosemaster

Originally posted by: Yzzim

Originally posted by: Howard
I would use something with anti-mildew agents.

I have a white silicone caulk with microban. But it's white. Instructions say to use clear.

do you care about the aesthetics?

That was the whole point of the bathroom remodel...I guess

 

[Auric]

Putty in this case is a sealant which remains pliable and covers a larger area and out of sight. Whereas silicone is primarily for laying a visible semi-permanent bead.

"If it's worth doing it's worth doing right".

 

[Yzzim]

Originally posted by: CadetLee
Is this going under the faucet or the drain?

Eventually both. Planned on doing the faucet first. Never installed a drain before, looks complicated. When I get there, I need a silicone sealant.

 

[Yzzim]

Originally posted by: Auric
Putty in this case is a sealant which remains pliable and covers a larger area and out of sight. Whereas silicone is primarily for laying a visible semi-permanent bead.

"If it's worth doing it's worth doing right".

I can't use putty, it will stain the vanity top or something. Just what the instructions say.

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: Auric
Putty in this case is a sealant which remains pliable and covers a larger area and out of sight. Whereas silicone is primarily for laying a visible semi-permanent bead.

"If it's worth doing it's worth doing right".

agreed. that stuff is invaluable...

 

[Yzzim]

Originally posted by: Goosemaster

Originally posted by: Auric
Putty in this case is a sealant which remains pliable and covers a larger area and out of sight. Whereas silicone is primarily for laying a visible semi-permanent bead.

"If it's worth doing it's worth doing right".

agreed. that stuff is invaluable...

I can't use putty. Didn't I say that already?

 

[jlee]

I've always used putty on drains..never heard of using silicone for that purpose. But hey, I'm not a plumber. It shouldn't be easily visible after the drain is properly installed - any excess gets scraped off/out. I imagine that it'll be more difficult to have a clean installation using silicone, because it'll smear around.

 

[Yzzim]

Originally posted by: CadetLee
I've always used putty on drains..never heard of using silicone for that purpose. But hey, I'm not a plumber. It shouldn't be easily visible after the drain is properly installed - any excess gets scraped off/out. I imagine that it'll be more difficult to have a clean installation using silicone, because it'll smear around.

I appreciate the input, but I'm not going to use putty when the instructions specifically state not to.

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: Yzzim

Originally posted by: CadetLee
I've always used putty on drains..never heard of using silicone for that purpose. But hey, I'm not a plumber. It shouldn't be easily visible after the drain is properly installed - any excess gets scraped off/out. I imagine that it'll be more difficult to have a clean installation using silicone, because it'll smear around.

I appreciate the input, but I'm not going to use putty when the instructions specifically state not to.

Hey, I'm not telling you to use putty..just saying that's all I've ever seen used on drains. Good luck keeping all the silicone where it's supposed to be! :beer:

 

[Capt Caveman]

For the faucet, you want to use clear silicone with an anti-mildew agent.

For the drain in the sink, you always want to use plumber's putty. Any staining will not be seen under the flange of the drain.

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: Yzzim

Originally posted by: Goosemaster

Originally posted by: Auric
Putty in this case is a sealant which remains pliable and covers a larger area and out of sight. Whereas silicone is primarily for laying a visible semi-permanent bead.

"If it's worth doing it's worth doing right".

agreed. that stuff is invaluable...

I can't use putty. Didn't I say that already?

sure...I guess...I was just saying how I love putty....

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: Capt Caveman
For the faucet, you want to use clear silicone with an anti-mildew agent.

For the drain in the sink, you always want to use plumber's putty. Any staining will not be seen under the flange of the drain.

I don't understand why they'd specify silicone for a drain...would make replacing it later a royal PITA, too.

 

[Yzzim]

Originally posted by: CadetLee

Originally posted by: Capt Caveman
For the faucet, you want to use clear silicone with an anti-mildew agent.

For the drain in the sink, you always want to use plumber's putty. Any staining will not be seen under the flange of the drain.

I don't understand why they'd specify silicone for a drain...would make replacing it later a royal PITA, too.

Because putty will stain the surface.

There's plenty of links on Google where places advise using silicone for the drain/faucet.

 

[Capt Caveman]

What surface will the putty stain? The putty will be under the flange of the drain.

 

[NoShangriLa]

Plumber putty can stain certain type of faux mable & certain type of stones, therefore 100% silicone should be use as suggested by the manufacture of the vanity.

You can purchase clear/white silicone for general purposes or get colour match silicone. Put a thin bead of silicone on the underside of the tail piece strainer flange, and also use a thin bead of silicone for the base of the faucet if the faucet base doesn't come with a rubber/foam gasket, and use a wet finger to wipe off excess silicone.

100% silicone aquarium sealant is the same 100% silicone for bathroom.

 

[Yzzim]

Originally posted by: Capt Caveman
What surface will the putty stain? The putty will be under the flange of the drain.

I have no idea, I'm not a plumber, I did not build the vanity, I did not write the instructions that specifically state DO NOT USE PLUMBER'S PUTTY, IT WILL STAIN THE VANITY.

I have aquarium silicone

I do not have plumber's putty

If I can install the faucet with the aquarium silicone as well as the drain I'm going to do it.

Hell, I'm never going to use plumber's putty for the rest of my life. Let the damn stuff rot in hell.

 

[Yzzim]

Originally posted by: NoShangriLa

Plumber putty can stain certain type of faux mable & certain type of stones, therefore 100% silicone should be use as suggested by the manufacture of the vanity.

You can purchase clear/white silicone for general purposes or get colour match silicone. Put a thin bead of silicone on the underside of the tail piece strainer flange, and also use a thin bead of silicone for the base of the faucet if the faucet base doesn't come with a rubber/foam gasket, and use a wet finger to wipe off excess silicone.

100% silicone aquarium sealant is the same 100% silicone for bathroom.

19 replies in and we have an answer.

NoShangriLa for ELITE