Strange sink squidy stuff

[John Greenwood]

Hi,

I have just bought a new sink and it comes with strips of putty like squidgy stuff. No instructions with sink though. I assume the squidgy stuff is for sealing the sink to the worktop. So what is the best way of doing this?

Thanks,

John

[Simon Avery]

Hello John

Lay the sink and draw round with pencil. Remove.

Lay squidgy so that it overlaps the marks.

Refit sink and clamp into position.

Trim *lightly* around sink with a stanley knife to remove excess squidgy. (After fitting taps/waste, in case you shift it by being heavy fisted)

Squidgy's held in place between sink and worktop and makes a very effective seal. Important to clamp the sink tight, or too much squidgy shows and it gets dirty and looks 'orrible.

[Roy Millar]

Does anyone know where one can obtain replacement 'squidge' for use on (a) Sinks (b) Hobs (maybe needs a moderate amount of heat resistance?)

[Simon Avery]

Hello Ian

That works too. :)

Yep, and TBH I use "Bathroom & Kitchen" Silicone too. (Non-fungal), laying a thick bead, splodging sink, then trimming off excess when dry. Just as effective and seems to stay cleaner for longer.

I think the Squidgy is pretty much a trade "quick fix". Not as good as silicone, but they don't have to hang around for it to dry. (Ok, it can also be smoothed when wet, but looks a bit odd for some counters if you do that.) The squidgy for hobs might have some additional fire retardant properties that go beyond silicone? I don't know.

OTOH, the last kitchen sink I installed, I punched holes in each corner and screwed the bugger in because I didn't have any clamps. :)

Not as bad as it sounds, it was for a stable tack room - and very effective too.

[Owain]

"Simon Avery" wrote | I think the Squidgy is pretty much a trade "quick fix". Not as good as | silicone, but they don't have to hang around for it to dry. (Ok, it | can also be smoothed when wet, but looks a bit odd for some counters | if you do that.) The squidgy for hobs might have some additional fire | retardant properties that go beyond silicone? I don't know.

Someone really should use this as a trade name -

Squidgy for Hobs Squidgy for Baths and Basins Squidgy for Sinks Squidgy for Gutters and Flashing Squidgy for Gasfitting ... err, maybe not!

Owain

[Ian Clowes]

Great! Another fine job that counts as finished!

TC IanC

[Simon Avery]

Hello Roy

Unsure. They're cheap, but expected to last several years of normal use, and the fitting is what's expensive and fiddly - so it *would* be a good thing to make it not fall apart when it meets water.

Maybe they've just not been asked to, or cost really is the deciding factor the retailers go for?

[Roy Millar]

I can see that plumbers and joiners have no great motivation to ask for waterproof glue. But considering the trouble which replacement involves, I'd think everyone else would love it. After the first couple of problems, if not at first sight.