Pedestal basins: plumbing and support

[Stephen]

Hello,

One last bathroom question for today!

The basin was on the internal wall, its waste pipe ran (about 2 metres) under the floorboards through notches in the joists to the external wall. Because notches were used, the pipe run is flat. I'm wondering whether the lack of fall is a problem.

I removed the old pipe and there was some gunk in the bottom but not as if half the bore was blocked with it. Perhaps this means the lack of fall is nothing to worry about, OTOH it could mean that the pipe was recently replaced!

My other option would be to run the waste parallel with the joists, down a gradient, and out of the other external wall but I would then have to run a pipe around the corner to the soil stack, which might make the outside wall look messy with black pipe everywhere?

Incidentally, the basin was glued to the wall with some sort of grab adhesive. When I removed the pedestal, the basin remained attached to the wall, much to my surprise. The adhesive is a grey/brown colour and does not appear to set. It is still tacky now. I wonder what it is?

I wondered about putting a 2x3 or 2x4 batten in the wall at basin height, to screw the new basin into. Do you think that would work? I presume all pedestals are the same height, so it should be easy to work out where to put the stud for the basin?

Thanks, Stephen.

[DerbyBorn]

I wouldn't change the plumbing - just abolish the use of solid bars of soap and only use liquid hand-wash type of stuff and use a weekly dose of Domestos.

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

What difference does the liquid soap make? We only ever buy that now, because it's much easier to use, and doesn't make all the bath bubbles disappear (yes, I'm a big softy that likes bubbles). Does it also keep the plumbing cleaner? That would be nice.

[Martin Bonner]

Maybe liquid soap doesn't form as much scum in hard water?

[tabbypurr]

so no problem then. A 2m flat run is workable, an 8m flat run plus sharp bends used to block occasionally.

The Brits love imagining problems

yes if it's a timber framed wall

NT

[tabbypurr]

FWIW no-fall waste can often be livable with if every several months you fill the sink to the brim then pull the plug.

NT

[DerbyBorn]

Martin Bonner wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Bar soap is made from Fat and this causes scum (remember tide marks - a thing of the past with liquid soaps) They certainly do keep the pipes cleaner as they don't form a fatty scum.

[Mike Barnes]

Agreed. If you want the bar but not the soap, Dove is worth considering.

[JimK]

/Bar soap is made from Fat and this causes scum (remember tide marks - a thing of the past with liquid soaps) They certainly do keep the pipes cleaner as they don't form a fatty scum. /Q

Oh? What's liquid soap made from?

Jim K

[DerbyBorn]

JimK wrote in news:5cbb5e2f-2525-42d4-88f5- [e-mail]:

Detergents. Not fats.

[charles]

It usually includes a nasty substance "sodium laurel sulphate" to which many people are allergic - but don't realise it.

[Tim Watts]

Teepol?

[Dave W]

I can't believe the heavy basin is stuck to the wall, especially as the gunk is tacky. Probably just to fill the gaps. My old fashioned basin has metal brackets screwed into the wall to hold the basin, and I feel sure your basin has screws somewhere invisible, perhaps with their heads covered with white plugs.

[Tim Watts]

Likely there'll be a couple of hefty metal brackets screwed to the wall, one each side. The basin is dropped onto these and there are usually a couple more screws underneath to prevent it being accidentally knocked off the brackets.

That's how my basic I installed is attached (with no pedestal).

In fact I fixed the brackets on with M8 stainless stud grouted (with resin) 3" into the wall as the wall was made of celcon blocks and I did not trust plugs to withstand that sort of leverage.