Stainless Steel Sink - Clips Needed ? - silicone seal

[Stuart Reid]

Just had my 40mm laminate kitchen worktops replaced. The chippy cut the sink cut-out too tight for the clips, then left for another job. The plumber could only get the clips on one side so put them at the back and used a silicone bead to seal. (The sink being re-inserted had an intact cleaned-up narrow foam seal ). Sink was not weighted while silicone was left to go off and sink was used within a few hours. sink seems to be sitting pretty flat to worktop as it has been left.

Now I'm thinking I've been left with a sink vulnerable to lifting and the seal failing. Is that likely to be the case ? would silicone on it's own be enough ? or are the clips essential ? - I had thought they were - but wasn't there at the time the work was done.

If the silicone seal it is not likely to last - should it be lifted now, cleaned up and the cut-out enlarged at clip locations ? is that a straight forward job ?. I don't want the work top damaged and it may pull off the existing inset seal when removing the silicone ? Seems too late to try just enlarging locally for clips from under with sink in situ, now the silicone has gone off as I may upset the seal.

Advice very welcome - as I have a chippy and plumber I may need to talk to.

 

[snowhead]

You'll struggle to lift the sink out if it's stuck down with silicon.
It's there for life.

 

[king of pipes]

Common problem any plumber with a bit of common would have sorted it properly .

 

[Amateur]

It could be worse, the joiner could have done the cut out and then when your plumber inserted the sink it fell straight through the worktop!!!

Why didnt the plumber just notch a few bits of worktop out for the clips? He wouldnt have had to do the whole cut out again.

Silicone is strong stuff once its set so i wouldnt worry too much. I would be more concerned that I had a good continuous bead of silicone around the sink giving me a water tight seal than how it is actually anchored.

 

[Stigster]

It could be worse, the joiner could have done the cut out and then when your plumber inserted the sink it fell straight through the worktop!!!

The first time I was ever left on my own as an apprentice to cut a stainless sink into a worktop, I totally screwed it up. It came with a template to mark out and then drill and cut the hole out. I did this and all proud of myself dropped the sink in and it went straight through. I read the instructions (as I should have done the first time!) and it said to mark out with template and then cut 10mm inside those markings! I was annoyed at myself and also with the template because what's the point in including a template that is bigger than you actually want?

As for the silicone sealed/stuck down sink in OP's case, if it sits evenly and it is sealed well all the way around it'll be fine. You could at least get a wet sponge and test the seals out. Hopefully he both sealed the flange all the way round and also sealed the bare edge of the worktop where the hole was cut if it's made of something absorbent.