Calling All Plumbers and Handymen Once Again - Kitchen Sink Issue

[islandbass]

Hello, everyone. I just got back to the US after a 3 week trip and when I came home I noticed my kitchen sink looked off and closer inspection shows that it was!

 

The left side as you face the sink  is definitely lower than the right side.  
 

Further inspection revealed that there are two spots, one on each side of the sink that kept it in place and flush with some type of adhesive and a small piece of wood. 

As you can see on the left side, there is a gap between the sink and marble counter top. 

 

 

 

 

what a gap!

 

 

It seems that two pieces of wood and some type of adhesive were used to keep the sink level and flush with the marble counter. 
 

This is what the right side under the counter shows. The piece of wood with an adhesive holding the sink up and flush.

 

 
 

 

 

The corresponding one on the left side has come off completely and before my trip I noticed it on the floor of the sink cabinet but was too involved with getting ready for my trip that I couldn’t investigate further. I am glad that I kept that piece because now I know what it belongs to. 

 

 

This is the left side (missing in the image above) that fell off that I kept. The gray side is where it was attached to the sink. You can see the translucent adhesive that was used on the other side.

 
 

The repair seems to be straight forward, to just glue another piece of wood on the left side and put a layer of silicon around the sink. 
 

What I would like to know is:

1) what type of adhesive is best for the application?

 

2) I also suppose that there could be a better way (that doesn’t involve drilling into the counter top) to get the sink in place and is so what you might recommend if it is not too complicated? 

 

It also seems strange that the sink was only held in place just like that but it has held up for probably over 10 years. 
 

The adhesive does not look like it was liquid nails and I personally don’t care for liquid nails as it never holds up for any long period of time in projects I’ve used it for. 
 

Thanks for any input. 

 

[DaubsNU1]

@islandbass, ugh!!

 

I will be watching this thread close...as I have pretty much the exact same granite, and sink...

 

 

[DogBone_384]

Take the little scissor jack from your car, cut a piece of wood a little shorter than the distance between the jack's top & sink bottom with the thickness of the wood you're using  to reglue the sink together.  Use the jack to push up on the sink/wood block and leave it there until the glue is cured.

 

Consider adding blocking on the front/back too.  Your food grinder might weigh enough to cause the sink's drooping.  

[padlin]

Google tells me 2 part epoxy is very common. The jack idea is a good one unless you want to remove the drain pipes.

 

you can add fine saw dust or some such to the epoxy to thicken it up so it doesn’t run when setting. While you can get thicker stuff at the hardware store, I’d look for a long set time, it’s stronger than the short set kinds.

[Dwight Hottle]

I had that happen with a new sink install. The installer came back & reglued the sink & installed ratchet type C clamps to hold the sink tight to the granite while drying for 24 hours. 

[deaknh03]

Typically there are clips anchored into the granite to hold the sink up.  The glue and wood idea is temporary and when it fails it could be bad,  it could cause the other side to fail and break the pvc.  I would do it the right way with the clips and not have to worry about it again.  

[islandbass]

Thanks to everyone! Using a car jack did cross my mind when I made the post. I forgot to mention that I can vaguely recall that the guys that installed the granite top used an adhesive that was applied with a caulking gun.

 

Further research (you tube videos, lol) show that something called a Hercules universal sink mount is one of the best ways to go. The other bracing systems require anchoring braces to the granite which clean looking for underneath, is not the way I prefer to proceed because I don’t want to have to drill a hole  or cut a slit into the granite. 
 

I think I’ll be going with the Hercules system but will see if I can also find the appropriate clips locally too as a back up (I’m anal that way). Meanwhile I think I have spare 2x4 to support the sink until I can get the needed items.

 

Thanks again to everyone! This is one of the other reason why BR is an awesome place.  Now may all of you catch a double digit bass for your help. 😎

 

-ib 

[islandbass]

Update: I finally got it done. There were 3 main options:

1) Hercules under sink brace system 

2) Brackets that anchor to the sides of the cabinet

3) Brackets that anchor into the granite via a slit. 

 

I decided on option one. I liked 2 and 3 but I didn’t have to patience to find this type and if I mess up the granite, I’m the one who’s screwed.

 

In addition these methods are far easier to do before the sink was in place and the work space underneath the sink is too ding dang tight.  Even my small profile drill was too big. I could not square it up. 
 

And it sucks to be me but my sink was already in place and like heck if I was going to remove the pipes and garbage disposal. 
 

I got around the inability to drill the screws perpendicularly by drilling at an angle instead. It also helped because the screws I used were 1” and going diagonal helped me keep most of it in the side vs poking through. I not use the screws that can with the system. They weren’t bad but the threads didn’t have the “bite” I wanted. 

 

I applied new silicone under the sink and supported the sink with a left over lumber and pvc pipes from old projects cut to exact length needed to keep the sink upright. I then installed the braces and had to call it a night.

 

I completed installing the Hercules systems the next day. I also added a strong adhesive and planks as the original installers did, replacing the one that fell and adding two more. 

Left side

 

Right side I added shims to so that the wire wouldn’t have an opportunity to rub against the sink

 

 

Brace has been installed and shortly afterward I removed the pvc. 
 

planks glued in place. In the picture below,  the dark plank is the  original from the initial installation. 

As an inline spinner maker, I am not pleased with how I wound the wire (downright shame) but for this entire project my right arm is injured (anconeus muscle out of commission) and in pain to the point it can’t do much if anything with it. I had to do everything left hand. 
 

I will be keeping the pvc and planks (marked with a sharpie stating why to keep them in case I forget) for the next time this happens. I did learn that my daughter was the culprit. Not mad or upset. Things happen. 

@DaubsNU1: I would highly recommend going with option 2 or 3 because imho, they are solid choices. My injured arm and my uncharacteristic behavior in this case of being impatient (I’m normally calm, cool, methodical) pretty much drove my decision to go with the universal under sink brace.  I can now vaguely recall now when the installer gave me the option to be over or under and I chose the latter because the counter would be flush. Screw that. Next time it’s going to be installed on top… unless the wife says otherwise. Anything inside the house “her” department, lol. 

 

 

 

[TnRiver46]

Once I began my career in maintenance, I immediately became thankful I don’t have a garbage disposal or an ice maker at home 

[Choporoz]

4 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Once I began my career in maintenance, I immediately became thankful I don’t have a garbage disposal or an ice maker at home 

Good point.  As long as you compost, the disposal is not worth the risk/cost, even with sewer.  The ice maker is absolutely not worth the cost, risks and headaches... to me.  Unfortunately, like @islandbass, shutting it down or going without isn't my call.

[islandbass]

And our garbage disposal is hardly used since we put the scraps in the trash, lol.
 

One thing I have learned about plumbing is sometimes when you put take things apart and reassemble, leaks magically appear and I’ve almost always had to replace parts. I certainly wasn’t going to mess with those given the condition of my arm. I can’t even brush my teeth with that arm, lol.
 

Doing any kind of plumbing or similar requires the work of two functioning arms so I opted to not disassemble. 

[TnRiver46]

As soon as you take any rubber ring loose, it will probably leak. Avoid the shark bite!!!