Sink doesn't fit?

I cut the hole in my counter top, and I placed the sink in the hole, and it sits high on the one side. I looked for something that is holding it up, and found nothing. Heck the part that is 'up' isn't even against the counter top. I'd guess that I have about 1/4 inch gap between the bottom of the rim, and the counter top. The counter top is a 4ft piece, I checked it with a level to see if it's true, and it is. The sink is porcelin. Anybody else encounter anything like this? Is it possible that the sink is not true? Is it going to be ok if I use a LOT of caulk under it, or should I just get another one? I did cut the sink template on the line, granted it may not be perfectly round, I may have strayed a little, but I am on the outside of the line all the way around. There is no way to fasten it underneath, this is top mount with silcone only. So what do I do?

Rodney

I think the problem is that the sink is a bit crooked in the hole, so it's binding against the sides of the hole. It could also be that the hole you cut was perfectly round, but your sink isn't. If your sink is a bit out of round, you might not be able to detect that visually, but that's what might be preventing it from going into a round hole.

What I would do is use a mirror and flash light to check the fit from below to see if you can see where the sink is binding against the hole you cut. Take a piece of thin but stiff cardboard and slip it between the sink and the hole and see if you can work it all the way around the sink. Most likely the problem is that you've cut the hole just large enough for the sink to go in if it's straight up and down, but not if it's cocked at an angle. See if you can locate that binding spot first before removing the sink from the vanity.

If you don't have access to the bottom of the sink, bend a paper clip so that you can sneak one arm of it under the lip of the sink from above, and probe the gap between the sink and the edge of the hole the same way. Most likely the problem is that the sink it just a bit crooked in the hole, and you just need to enlarge the hole a bit in one area.

Once you get the sink out, put the sink upside down on a flat surface like a floor or table top and check that it's flat on top, and there's nothing warped. Also, put a straight edge from the front of the vanity to the backsplash at the back and check that it's flat from front to back (as this is where it most commonly WON'T be.

With the sink out of the top, take the time to paint the exposed cut edge of the particle board with multiple coats of oil based paint. Best to also paint around the underside of the counter top around the sink hole and around where the faucet will be. Also, paint the back side of any bullnose where water might drip off the vanity front. You want to protect the particle board from any exposure to water, and painting it with oil based paint (alkyd paint) or even boiled linseed oil will do that and prevent the particle board from absorbing water and swelling.

If there is insufficient space to paint the back side of the front bullnose, even with one of those painting tools made for painting between window sashes, then consider caulking the joint to keep water away from the particle board.

I run into this problem often enough when I'm installing stainless steel sinks in new plastic laminate counter tops. But, after having done it 20 times, I pretty well already know where I need to enlarge the hole a bit to get the sink to drop in more easily. And, in my experience, it's either something sticking out of the sink, or the sink not being straight and level as you lower it into the hole.

I amde the hole a little larger, and the sink moves side to side, and front and back, but will not go down. I sat it upside down on a pile of drywall, and it rocks. Does this mean that I have to try for another one? How bad is too bad? The counter top does have a small sag in it (like you described) when I put the level front to back, but I doubt that it's as much as the gap between the sink and the top. My rocking and big gap occurs near the bullnose face, and the pivot area is on both sides, about half way back. I can rotate the sucker around, move it side to side, or front and back, and nothing changes. I'm guessing that my hole is big enough - I really don't want to take anymore away. How well/bad should it fit?

Rodney

Rodney R said:

I amde the hole a little larger, and the sink moves side to side, and front and back, but will not go down. I sat it upside down on a pile of drywall, and it rocks. Does this mean that I have to try for another one? How bad is too bad? The counter top does have a small sag in it (like you described) when I put the level front to back, but I doubt that it's as much as the gap between the sink and the top. My rocking and big gap occurs near the bullnose face, and the pivot area is on both sides, about half way back. I can rotate the sucker around, move it side to side, or front and back, and nothing changes. I'm guessing that my hole is big enough - I really don't want to take anymore away. How well/bad should it fit?

Rodney

Click to expand...

OK, I hope it doesn't move side-to-side or front and back very far.

Sounds like your sink is warped. I'd take the sink back to where you bought it and show them how it rocks on a flat surface. If it does that, then it's gotta be warped. A sink is made to fit properly on a FLAT counter top.

Normally, plastic laminate tops will curve concave UP from the front bullnose to the rear backsplash. I've been told that's because they heat the plastic laminate so that they can bend it to conform to the shape of the counter top. When the laminate cools, it develops tension, and that's why you might find some "cupping" in laminate counter tops. Your top seems to be bending the opposite way, OR your sink is warped, prolly the latter.

To locate your NEW sink properly in the hole, move it north, east, west and south, and mark the furthest extent of the sink in each of those directions. Then, position the sink in the middle of those marks and trace it's outline onto the laminate. What I do then is apply plumber's putty to the counter top between the edge of the hole and that line. Then I put a 5 gallon pail and a car's scizzor jack under the sink hole to support the sink just above the counter top. I'll have a helper lower the jack while I guide the sink down onto the marked outline. Then I know the sink is centered in the hole.

Personally, I would use plumber's putty instead of silicone to install the sink, but either one would work fine. Perhaps the best would be to use plumber's putty under the lip, and then caulk around the lip with silicone, depending on whether the lip is thick enough to do that. I say that because I'd be concerned that removing a sink that's siliconed down in future might prove to be a real fight. Silicone caulk sticks like crazy to porcelain.

See what the store says about the sink itself. From what you're saying, that sink is warped.

I went and returned the sink. This was at Lowe's. I then walked to the area where they were at, and the guy told me that none fit right. They only had one, so I took it along, even though he told me that it was "gauranteed to not fit right." Well, I got it home, and it fits right in with nearly no wobble. It has a little wobble, but even 1/8 of what the other one had.....So he was dead wrong, and you were right, as I suspected. Thanks

Rodney

Shoulda asked the guy at Lowes why they kept selling them if they knew that they didn't fit right.

The other side of the coin, of course, is why the factory kept making them if their retailers were telling them that they didn't fit right.