Replies

1. 
   Guest_ | Jul 26, 1999 07:44pm | #1

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   I have never used plumber's putty to set a toilet or a sink. Putty is for putting drains/strainers into cast iron or china sinks, but never plastic or fiberglass. Set the toilet on the wax ring tighten and shim so that it doesn't rock. (There are now plastic shims made for this.) And caulk with good tub and tile caulk.

   If your sink is cast iron you can set in place with tub and tile caulk or the caulk that matches your tile grout. If it's stainless put a bead of silicone caulk inside the rim. If it is pressed steel, don't bother to set it at all.

1. 
   Guest_ | Jul 26, 1999 08:19pm | #2

   *Plumber's putty is useless. It does leach a stain as you have noted when used on porous materials. Replace or bleach the grout?The standard recommendation is to use clear silicone instead. Silicone has very strong adhesive properties too if used to set a sink, but by the time you remove the sink it'll probably be because the counter is worn out. Toilets get their own treatment -- there was a whole FHB article recently on how NOT to do it. Informally, I've seen a lot of rotting floors around toilet bases.I like polyseamseal but it should not be used below the waterline. The tub and tile caulk I used for the bathtub failed & mildewed pretty quickly, while a hasty smear of polyseamseal to cover the crack has lasted very well. The smell of silicone makes me ill but it does work great for strainers & such. And I don't think any critters can digest it.

1. 
   Guest_ | Jul 26, 1999 11:32pm | #3

   *1) Yes2) Polyseamseal or a good silicone caulk works well.3) You can remove the sink after using caulk if you're very careful, but like andrew d said, by the time you are ready to take out the sink, the counter probably needs replacing, too.4) Try using muriatic acid to remove the stains in the grout - have good ventilation, heavy-duty rubber gloves and safety glasses. If that doesn't work, use a grout saw to remove the stained grout and re-grout it. BTW, a Roto-Zip with a carbide bit is great for removing grout.

1. 
   Guest_ | Jul 26, 1999 11:40pm | #4

   *Since the grout stain is probably petroleum based, I'd try TSP before resorting to any acids. If the stain remains after using TSP, your tile store should have grout stain available in the original color. This may be preferable to replacing the grout.

1. 
   Guest_ | Jul 27, 1999 03:15am | #5

   * Jack,

   Set your toilets in a bed of plaster and chalk with phenoseal. This will eliminate the need for shims and provide a rock solid bowl installation.

   Joseph Fusco View Image

2. 
   Phil_ | Jul 27, 1999 07:36am | #6

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   Hi Mike

   You wrote , Putty is for putting drains/strainers into cast iron or china sinks, but never plastic or fiberglass

   I'm putting in my first fiberglass/acrylic tub. What should is use on the drain strainer if not plumbers putty?

   TIA,

   Phil

3. 
   Jack_Feir | Jul 27, 1999 07:36am | #7

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   About two years ago we installed a tile floor in a new bathroom, then set the toilet in place using plumbers putty under the perimeter. It now looks like the linseed oil (or whatever) in the putty has gradually bled into the tile grout so the grout lines are stained for about an inch or two out from the base of the toilet.

   Now we are going to install a kitchen sink on a newly tiled countertop, but we are afraid to use the same plumbers putty to bed the sink in case we get the same staining problem.

   Four questions:
   (1) Am I correct that the stain in the bathroom is probably from the putty?

   (2) If so, is there something else we should have used such as polyseamseal, and am I right to be concerned about using the same stuff for the kitchen sink?

   (3) Is polyseamseal or whatever else you might suggest so tenacious that we could never remove the toilet or sink to make repairs some time down the line?

   (4) Any ideas about cleaning up the grout in the bath?

   Thanks