Changing a normal pillar tap washer-please help!

[stuarthall]

Please can any plumbers help me? I am loosing my patience! I am trying to do the simplest of jobs - change a washing on a dripping bathroom tap.

It is a pillar tap - the hot side. Obviously the washer needs replacing. I know how to do this and have the taps off again, for about the third time in 2 days. The problem is the washers I buy do not fit properley (for some odd reason), and are not exactly the same size/thickness as the original one in the tap. If I leave one in that is slightly smaller/thicker, etc, will it make much difference over time?

I thought washers were standard sizes, as wc siphons and float valves, etc all are.

I have bought 1/2" tantofex washers, 3/8" washers, fairline washers, all from a diy store. They all looked fairly similar and I thought one of them would be the correct size! Surely one of these should fit? My tap is just a normal, standard pillar tap.

Any help would be greatful and I have probably missed something so simple. Hopefully someone can help me here?

Thank you all.

 

[stuarthall]

i guess nobody knows how to deal with this problem then?!

 

[jobloggs]

I assume the washer is a flat disc with a hole in the middle. Slightly thicker should not be a problem. Try using one with a slightly bigger diameter and buff it down to the correct diameter rather than use a smaller one.

 

[stuarthall]

yes they are jus the normal hard rubber black tap washers! unbelievable! Maybe i should buy a whole set and surely one will match!! or big bigger? should i cut it up using a pair of scissors? Thanks for your reply.