TAP CONNECTOR - FIBRE WASHER SUBSTITUTE:

Joined
31 Mar 2009
Messages
306
Reaction score
2
Location
Surrey
Country
United Kingdom
Hi - I remember a plumber on this forum suggesting a "washer" for a tap connector could be formed by several wraps of PTFE tape around the threads and extending to form a "washer"at the end - this was in place of the normal fibre washer which couldn't be introduced, or was unavailable at the time.

Sometimes simple solutions are only simple after you've been told and that one would never have occurred to me. It made me wonder if the same could be achieved by using a leak sealant or some similar waterproof gel to form a "washer"??

Regards.
 
Sponsored Links
The fibre washer is supposed to swell slightly on exposure to water so in theory makes for a better seal if the mating surface of the tap is damaged or of poor quality, but saying that plastic tap cons mostly have rubber o rings.
 
Hi - I remember a plumber on this forum suggesting a "washer" for a tap connector could be formed by several wraps of PTFE tape around the threads and extending to form a "washer"at the end - this was in place of the normal fibre washer which couldn't be introduced, or was unavailable at the time.

Sometimes simple solutions are only simple after you've been told and that one would never have occurred to me. It made me wonder if the same could be achieved by using a leak sealant or some similar waterproof gel to form a "washer"??

Regards.
High risk of blocking the pipe.
 
Before PTFE- hemp and bosswhite was wrapped round the small flange at the end of the tap connector
 
Sponsored Links
See it all the time where the previous fitter hasn't had any new washers to use. If you take a couple of inches of tape and roll it along it's length and then wrap it around the flange of the connector, it does the job in an emergency.
 
Thanks for all the useful replies and comments.
Hemp and bosswhite was the cause of a problem I had - I'm not sure why that was used when the fitting was meant to be sealed with a washer? When I tried to use a fibre washer the bosswhite had gone rock-hard on the nut threads (which was impossible to access and clean). It was extremely difficult to get the nut beyond the fibre washer and screw onto the threads of the connector - this was on a toilet cistern inlet/ballvalve. I couldn't track further back - the nut was on a short length of pipe which was soldered onto a lead pipe emerging from a wall.
 
Thanks - it must be older than I thought! Something to soften/dissolve bosswhite would've been handy.
 

DIYnot Local

Staff member

If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.

Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.


Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local

 
Sponsored Links
Back
Top