Going to put a stainless steel sink in a Cambria (quartz composite) countertop. Any special recommendations as to what to use for bedding it? The sink instructions just say “silicone caulk”.
Add a strap for easy carrying and pouring when working with 5-gal. buckets.
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If you're good at cleaning up silicon squeeze out, then it's no problem.
I'm absolutely lousy at silicon removal, & make big messes.
We use Polyseamseal¯ adhesive (siliconized) caulk it does have a water clean up, but once it's set it's set.
Clear for stainless.
Doesn't the SS sink have an anchoring system that comes with the sink?
“The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.” —Albert Einstein
Edit: Don't bother reading below if you know how you're going to mount it... I don't know the brand of silicone we use off hand, we get it from a local glass shop. If you would like I'll look at the tube tomorrow. Forgot about using regular silicone from your local hardware store though.
Did the fabricator cut in mounting points? One of our fabricators cuts out a 1/2x1/2 trough and fills it with epoxy. We can screw directly into that with small machine screws and use the mounting clips, another fabricator will cut out a dovetail style slot.
For those a wing nut inside the cut and reverse threading the matching screws and using the mounting clip works.
If they didn't leave you anything you can mount cleats to the side of the cabinet using 1 or 2x material. Be careful where and if you put one across the back. Most of the faucets we have installed do not have a long enough threaded "neck" to go through the Cambria and a block.
If you want to get complicated, you can cut a piece of plywood to fit inside the sink base, cut out for the sink where it needs to be, drop the plywood down enough to allow the top of the sink to be flush with the top of the cabs, so the countertop sits down right on it.
Any of those will work. The key to all of them IMO is using high quality adhesive silicone to glue the two together. Forgot about what they sell at the local hardware stores either ask the fabricator what they use or go down to a local glass shop and pick some up.
Clear as mud?
Edited 2/3/2008 10:04 pm ET by CAGIV
The sink (Kohler) comes with mounting clips. The top is only 3cm, so the clips should work without the need for slotting.
If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader
I should have mentioned that it's a self-rimming sink, and the faucet will mount to the sink, so the only issue is the rim seal compound.
If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader
You are doing a drop in. You should be able to use almost any kind of caulk that cost more then 70 cents for something like that.Neal was talking about under mounts and that was my assumption also..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
You're talking about glass block silicone. it is a little different from normal silicone. I think HD and Lowes stock it next to the glass blocks."Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
It's actually the stuff they use for glazing between glass panels and around the exterior of commercial windows, not sure if it's the same as glass block or not.
What is it that you like better about the specialty silicone? I have set countless sinks under granite using cheap GE clear silicone from the box stores. I buy it by the case for sealing the stainless steel sink to the countertop and setting granite backsplash onto granite countertops.
The only feature I might pay extra for would be a slower cure time. With the $3/tube GE silicone you have to work fast as you won't get a smooth bead if you don't have the excess cleaned up and smoothed out in five minutes or less.Always interested in finding a more efficient system.Karl
The stuff we use is about 7 bucks a tube. I'm not sure what the chemical difference is. The cure time isn't super fast, I've never had a problem with open time anyway.
To be honest I do not know the reason it is "better" from a chemical stand-point.
I was told by our fabricator a while ago not to use standard off the self GE silicone because it does not come close to the adhesive strength or the lifetime expediency of other products.
Also living by the theory you get what you pay for it all made sense to me.
Maybe someone here can explain what makes a better silicone caulk.
Edited 2/4/2008 3:18 pm ET by CAGIV
I'd explain it to you but it wouldn't be PC.
If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader