I have two pedestal style bathroom wash basins in my house (i.e. both bowl and pedestal made of pot). On one, the pedestal and bowl are in contact, but the pedestal isn't taking any of the load. On the other one the bowl and pedestal aren't touching at all. On both of them the pedestal can be freely moved. Are they correctly installed and should I worry please? We hand a similar one in our old house and bowl and pedestal seemed to be solid as a rock.
Mark W.
When we moved here the original (1937) washbasin was here, with its pedestal. I used to worry because you could see air (as it were) between the pedestal and basin. Spouse said the pedestal was just there to hide the pipes and had no supporting function. since then I looked at others, all pedestals seem to be for cosmetic (modesty) reasons. Washbasins were always firmly held by wall brackets.
Mary
I suspected as much, although I seem to recall the non-pedestal type as being supported on steel/iron brackets beneath. The pedestal variety obviously have none and consequently must have a heck of a lot of leverage on the wall when full of water.
Mark W.
Not as much as there is when someone places both hands on the front of the basin and leans forward!
IME most pedestal basins are attached to the wall by very modest screws, and rely on the pedestal for most of the support. That's not to say you can't firmly attach the basin to the wall.
Thick galvanised brackets screwed to the wall make a fairly neat support, the back of the basin slots down into them. A dollop or two of silicone sealant gives additional help.
J.B.
This evening we've been at baby son's 'new' house, assisting with installing his new shower. He's already put in his new bathroom suite and I noticed that the pedestal DOES support the washbasin, which is only screwed to the wall to support the lower part of the basin.
What's more, the pedestal doesn't go all the way to the wall, the pipework can be seen very easily from the sides.
Mary
Is the consensus therefore that the pedestal should be providing some structural support?
Mark W.
I doubt that there's a consensus. Some do, some don't.
I suggest that if there are sufficiently substantial wall supports for the washbasin the pedestal is merely cosmetic. If there are flimsy supports a pedestal would offer a back up.
There's no one-size-fits-all ... :-(
Mary
Modesty reasons ?! You are Twiggy and I claim my 5 quid....
Look at how the basin is attached to the wall. If it is a couple of small screws, then the pedestal is structural. If it is two large bolts, or a pair of brackets, the the pedestal is decorative.
I've just installed a fairly std size (B&Q) wash basin in our bathroom. The basin came with some chunky size bolts (3.5"/~6cm long) with large steel washers. Although the bolts were substantial they were not sufficient to free stand the basin (Nor were they meant to BTW) So after gently easing the basin up and my mate sliding the pedestal in, tightening the bolts up further it's standing solid as a rock. IMHO basin bolts are taking ~60% of the weight and the pedestal the other 40%. A couple of thoughts on points others have made ...
Someone said ... "What's more, the pedestal doesn't go all the way to the wall, the pipework can be seen very easily from the sides."
-> IMHO, on a plan view the pedestal is a 'U' shape so all pipe work and waste _should_ easily fit inside this for a tidy finish. Top of pipework to the taps is then connected with flexible braided connectors.
"If it is two large bolts, or a pair of brackets, the the pedestal is decorative."
-> I don't believe it that "cut 'n' dry", maybe the pedestal is slightly less structural.
Anyway HTH - Oliver
It does - however, it helps if you are "handy".
Oh yuck, that's horrible. Connecting up is one of the few things a bending spring is useful for - you can get some nice sweeping curves in 3 dimensions using one of these that are very neat. It's still worth annealing the pipe before bending, though.
Depends on the brackets - if they're small clamps of thick sheet metal screwed to the wall, with the back of the basin sitting in, the basin needs extra support from the pedestal. If they're long brackets that extend along the side of the basin, they support it.
J.B.
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