Lead Caulk Drain

[2LeftThumbs]

I am putting a mop sink in a mudroom/laundry room which I am having remodelled. The mop sink is pre-cast terazzo (cement and marble chips) from Stern-Williams. It comes with a drain body cast integral, which is designed to be connected to a three inch cast iron drain pipe via a lead caulk joint. The contractor who is doing the install is balking at this. He was planning on using an ABS plastic drain pipe, which I think is OK for this since rthere is only crawl space beneath.

Does anyone have any idea how this can be connected to ABS drain pipe? The integral drain is basically a piece of brass pipe, smooth on the inside, with the bottom cut flush to the bottom of the mop sink. There is no flange or threads.

[ironmike]

There are several options, but what part of the country still uses ABS?

You can use oakum and lead, or oakum and lead wool, or oakum and "plastic lead." There's also a variety of rubber gaskets that are tapered that can be pounded into place (that'd be my first choice). Let me also compliment you for using terazzo! It'll outlast the building itself!

[2LeftThumbs via HomeKB.com]

Thanks. I got something like you are talking about from the supply house I ordered the mop sink from and it looks like its going to work (Kind of a rubber tube with rubber flanges on it. The supplier says its fits so tight that once you pound hte pipe in you can't get it out again and it won't leak. We will see.). I may have mis-spoken on the ABS. The new drains are plastic of some sort, maybe not ABS.

The drains in the original part of the house are cast iron, but no one seems to want to work with it anymore. My father was a building contractor and I saw lots of lead caulked joints poured on his job sites, and it doesn't seem that complicated to me. But where I am (California) most contractors don't want to deal with it.

I really like the terrazo m>> I am putting a mop sink in a mudroom/laundry room which I am having

[kennybs]

Call a real plumber and caulk it in the right way, you won't be sorry. ZIf you decide to run plastic, either PVC or ABS ( both are still commonly used in the southwest today) You can run your plastic and after the trap install a female adaptor then cut a galv nipple and caulk that in at the drain assemble.

kenny b

[ironmike]

Oh Ken, you old school monster you...

[ironmike]

Oh Kenny, you OLd School Monster you...

I think almost every "real" plumber that's doing residential work like this wouldn't lead this in. Using a no-caulk rubber gasket is a right way in most places I know. And then you recommend a galvanized nipple??? Wouldn't brass or cast iron be better?

I think it's time you jumped into the 1980's!!!!

[kennybs]

Brass is the way to go for sure, but when he see's the cost he'll be back to plastic lead and plastic. Galv is the cheap way out and still saving face.

Hell around here they just silicone them, drives me crazy.

kenny b