How to Seal a Stainless Steel Sink Drain
A leak at the sink drain is a common problem that is usually caused by either the gasket under the drain failing or the sealant under the strainer breaking down. To seal the drain, you will need to remove the strainer, replace the gasket and reseal the strainer to the stainless steel sink. Silicone sealant and plumber's putty will seal the strainer to the stainless steel sink, but in some applications, plumber's putty can cause staining on the surface of the sink. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Pipe wrench
- Two-inch putty knife
- Silicone caulk
- Drop-in caulk gun
- Utility knife
- Piece of wire
- Replacement gasket
- Clean rag
Instructions
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1
Loosen the lock nuts located under the sink where the strainer connects to the base of the sink and the drainpipe connects to the strainer.
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2
Push up on the sink strainer to break the seal between the sealant and the stainless steel sink. Do not pry between the stainless sink and the strainer, as this could deform the stainless steel sink or bend the flange of the strainer.
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3
Lay the strainer flange down on the counter top.
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4
Remove the old sealant from the bottom of the strainer flange by scraping the flange with the putty knife, ensuring that all the sealant is removed, and then clean the recessed area of the stainless steel sink that holds the strainer flange.
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5
Place the tube of silicone caulk into the drop-in caulk gun, cut the nozzle of the caulk tube on a 45-degree angle with the utility knife and slide a wire down the nozzle to puncture the caulk tube.
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6
Apply a bead of silicone sealant to the underside of the strainer flange and the recessed area of the stainless steel sink that holds the strainer.
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7
Lower the strainer into the stainless steel sink and apply pressure down to seat the strainer in the stainless steel sink.
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8
While holding the strainer in place with one hand, reach under the sink and slide the replacement gasket over the threaded section of the strainer and up to the base of the stainless steel sink.
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9
Thread the lock nut onto the strainer and hand tighten the lock nut to hold the replacement gasket in place.
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10
Tighten the lock nut to secure the strainer to the stainless steel sink and reattach the drainpipe to the strainer.
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11
Clean the excess silicone caulk that squeezed from the strainer flange with a clean rag. Ensure that all the caulk is removed, or it will leave a stain around the strainer flange.
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