Wobbly Monoblock Mixer / Sink?

[PaulJC]

Has anyone got any experience with fitting monoblock mixers to a kitchen sink?

I've always had a sit on sink before, but have just fitted a bristan monoblock mixer tap to an inset sink - problem is that although i've fully tightened up the back fixing nut, the tap wobbles - in fact the whole sink does! (not due to the fit to the worktop but the metalwork of the sink itself)

I'm assuming that this is due to the sink being too thin to take the weight of the tap (much thinner than the old sit on version) - is there any way to improve this without ripping the whole thing out and spending a lot more on a new sink?

I'd be interested to know if anyone else has come across this or is this a cautionary tale for getting a cheap sink!!

 

[ChrisR]

You sussed it.

The only thing you can reasonably do, which people will argue about, is replace your(?) flexible tap connections with copper ones and clip the copper as close as possible. Pipes aren't supposed to hold taps still, but...

 

[PTH]

Paul, I had the same problem fitting a new pair of pillar taps to an existing kitchen sink. The original taps were rigidly connected to the pipework, but as the new taps had shorter connection tails, I took the easy option and used flexibles, taking the opportunity to fit maintenance valves at the same time.

Finding the whole lot to be flapping around like a dog's tail, I used a length of 50 x 6mm aluminium (try local non-ferrous stockholders for offcuts) and drilled 3/4" holes to suit the tap centres. This was stuck with silicon goo to the underside of the sink.

I replaced the new plastic tap retaining nuts with the brass ones from the original taps and now the taps still wobble slightly but nowhere near as much and they do in unison - much more pleasing to the eye!

If you don't fancy playing with the pipework this may be worth considering.

Before any clever slippers tells me off - I know that the combination of stainless steel, chrome plated brass, copper and aluminium in a wet place is a recipe for electrolytic corrosion, but frankly, I don't give a damn.

 

[PaulJC]

Thanks CHRISR and PTR - i've taken your advice and changed the pipework from flexis to fixed copper ones, and also managed to add to add some packing to base of sink round the taps to reduce the actual flex of the sink - worked a treat!

However, a bit of a cautionary tale that these days style take precedence over solid engineering really - next time i'm back to a quality sit on sink with a double hole mixer!!