Fitting pedestal back

[ajsdoc]

Hi,

Please be gentle with a novice. Small leak at back of the basin in my small cloakroom. Traced to connection of waste pipe to screw that protrudes from basin if that makes sense to everyone. Couldn't get to it to fix due to the dimensions of my cloakroom so had to remove the porcelain pedestal.

This took some doing (initially I thought it was screwed to floor) but it wasn't but set on some hard mortar/cement stuff. Took quite some pushing and pulling to remove it - much to my surprise neither it or the sink broke and I can now go and buy a new washer which had disintegrated to fix the leak.

However what was the stuff that the pedestal was sat on? I think I'm going to have to get a chisel to remove the old stuff from the wooden floorboards then I'll have to put it back with something similar.

I also query whether the pedestal performs a function in terms of bearing weight or if they are just decorative?? Do most people put some silicone between the sink and the pedestal - mine appears to have had a hard putty stuff rather than silicone.

All help appreciated.

 

[seco services]

pedestal is a surport as you'll find the basin will only have two secrews rather than a bolt fixing kit.
i never use anything on the pedestal ie plumbers putty etc.
has the pedestal not got two screw holes in the base ?
useally the weight of the basin will stop it shifting.

 

[ajsdoc]

Thanks, much appreciated. There are screw holes but I see why they weren't used - the position of the pipes and the dimensions of the cloakroom would seem to make it impossible to get the screws in. I've chipped off the gunk between basin and pedestal and the stuff on the floor - both have a linseed smell - smells like window putty - is this the plumbers putty you talk about??

If I'm unable to get screws in should I use silicon to fix between pedestal and floor or try and get something else?? You're right it seems reasonably secure when just pushed back in place under the basin but I worry about not fixing it with something.

 

[seco services]

plumbers putty don't go hard.

unless you going to kick the hell out of the pedestal it shouldn't move with the basin on top and secured to the wall.

 

[lukechrissy]

Same as seco says, once the weight of the basin is on there it shouldnt move at all. Ive never screwed / stuck down any of the padestals i have fitted, as long as there on a level floor then it should be find pal =]