Installed bathroom sink drain but leaking at nut

GoodFellaz wrote: ↑how much plumbers putty did u put on the side that goes into the sink drain hole?

fordmaple wrote: ↑Did you apply plumbers putty under the lip of the drain tube between the tube and the sink? That nut don't look tight as the gasket doesn't look compressed. Is it finger tightened or done with a wrench?

Elendil wrote: ↑ Are you sure it's leaking from the nut? My experience has been that it's often the rubber gasket above that leaks, due to minor imperfections in the sink surface. Mine was too rough/uneven for the rubber gasket to seal, regardless of how I tightened it. This made it seem like the water was leaking from elsewhere, due to how little was seeping through. I resolved this by using silicone around the gasket prior to tightening with the nut. Haven't had issues since.

Palidino wrote: ↑ im just guessing, it’s not leaking from the sides of the gasket though

Elendil wrote: ↑ My point was that my leak also looked like it was from the threads, but turned out to be a very tiny leak from the gasket, which was solved as described.

Just something to try, if nothing else prevails. Almost returned my faucet because of it.

Palidino wrote: ↑ So I found a guy on YouTube with the same problem. He puts plumbers putty in between the sink and rubber gasket. So when it tightens, the plumbers putty fills the voids. But he said plumbers putty will crack and mold over time. Should I go this route too? Silicone is more or less troublesome when I need to change the drain.

WikkiWikki wrote: ↑ Thats what I did, my minor drip went away after I let it set over night. It basically filled any inperfections. I didnt use a lot.

Whats over time, a decade?

Palidino wrote: ↑ Yea plumbers putty starts drying out after 10 years lol. But by that time I probably sold this house or just put new putty. Does putty need time to set? I ran the faucet right away after installing the drain lol

WikkiWikki wrote: ↑ It does, at least it did for me. As I did it, tested it and it still dripped. I was pretty mad since it was giving me grief, so I left it for awhile to get back to it, with a pail under neath to catch the drips.

When I eventually went to fix it again I tested it, and the drip was gone. So I assume it was because it didnt set earlier.

if person does have to reapply years later, its not that big a job.

Tommy74 wrote: ↑ That putty from your last photo supposed to go on the other side of the sink, on this side it's useless. Does nothing. Nice thick bead between metal flange and ceramic. It will squeeze out when you tighten the bottom nut. Step 2 in your instructions. You put the putty on the flange, press it in the sink and avoid rotating it while doing the bottom nut. Just put needle nose pliers in to keep it from spining.

Tommy74 wrote: ↑ That putty from your last photo supposed to go on the other side of the sink, on this side it's useless. Does nothing. Nice thick bead between metal flange and ceramic. It will squeeze out when you tighten the bottom nut. Step 2 in your instructions. You put the putty on the flange, press it in the sink and avoid rotating it while doing the bottom nut. Just put needle nose pliers in to keep it from spining.

Palidino wrote: ↑ I will try the silicone method when I get home. But let’s say if I want change the drain, wouldn’t the gasket be stuck/glued to the sink?

Elendil wrote: ↑ Provided it's just normal bathroom use silicone, it will be pretty easy to remove - it's not an intense glue.

Good luck. Always annoying how these small tasks seem to turn into hours-long endeavors.