DIY Home Improvement Forum banner

Overflow drain in Sink w/o overflow.

20008 Views 16 Replies 8 Participants Last post by  569743
We bought a cultured marble vanity top w/o an overflow opening. To go with it, I bought a Moen faucet that came with a plastic drain that has 2 overflow holes in the drain threads above the rubber gasket. I should've bought a faucet with the proper drain but I simply didn't know.

I installed everything and noticed a leak above the rubber gasket. I tightened it some more and it still leaks water that comes out of the holes and runs down the threads. If those overflow holes weren't there it wouldn't leak. Besides even if it didn't leak, water and gunk would get trapped in the space between the gasket and the holes and start to smell I imagine.

Basically I was wondering if I should plug the holes with a combo of teflon tape on the threads and a bead of silicon in the hole through the inside of the drain?

I saw a video of someone putting putty above the gasket to seal it but again I don't want smelly water getting trapped in that space.

I went to Home Depot to look for a drain w/o overflow holes but they didn't have any. There were some online but they were a 3rd of the price of the faucet.

Attachments

See less See more
1 - 17 of 17 Posts
You'll need to buy a vessel sink drain without the holes. Don't try to plug the holes in the one you have. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Bathroo...rflow-in-Oil-Rubbed-Bronze-TA-PDORB/307833592

Attachments

See less See more
  • Like
Reactions: 2
Sorry but Chandler48s' solution will not work. The vessel sink drain is designed to fit a vessel sink. Notice the seal that fits the flat of the under side of the vessel sink surface around the drain.


Check that you installed the black rubber gasket properly, bevel side up. Put a small bead of plumbers putty under the lip of the drain flange. That keeps water from leaking out of the sink when sink has water in it and the stopper is closed. Never heard of someone using plumbers putty on the black gasket.
So remove the drain and inspect, put back in place with black gasket bevel side up, Install drain flange with putty under the lip. Push black gasket up and tighten nut. That black rubber gasket is flexible enough to seal even if there is small imperfections in the drain opening.
I have found those plastic pop up drains leak no matter what you do. I use some silicone caulk on the threads and that seems to seal them well.

Or better yet:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F13Y42Z/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
The OP has a sink w/o a built in overflow. Most drains have the square hole on the side. Without an overflow, the water runs out the side hole.


Ya gotta pay to have the nice sink:



https://www.homedepot.ca/product/de...KoXGFt81TPZIYM51P3xoCQjcQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds






.
See less See more
Sorry but Chandler48s' solution will not work. The vessel sink drain is designed to fit a vessel sink. Notice the seal that fits the flat of the under side of the vessel sink surface around the drain.


Check that you installed the black rubber gasket properly, bevel side up. Put a small bead of plumbers putty under the lip of the drain flange. That keeps water from leaking out of the sink when sink has water in it and the stopper is closed. Never heard of someone using plumbers putty on the black gasket.
So remove the drain and inspect, put back in place with black gasket bevel side up, Install drain flange with putty under the lip. Push black gasket up and tighten nut. That black rubber gasket is flexible enough to seal even if there is small imperfections in the drain opening.
Yeah, I don't think those vessel drains will work for me.

The rubber gasket is on right per the instructions with the smaller end up towards the sink like in the attached image. I did put putty on the top side between the top part of the drain and sink opening. It won't leak when I fill the sink with water but when I pop up the drain it starts leaking.

I hand tightened then I got some channel locks and tightened some more. I didn't want to overtighten as the threads and nut are plastic.

I'm calling Moen tomorrow to see what they suggest. Worst case I'm plugging them like I mentioned in my original post, f' it. What do you think is the worst case scenario I'll be facing?

Attachments

See less See more
Harold, explain how installing a standard drain with overflow holes will work on a sink without an overflow feature.
You need to purchase a different drain assembly... You have been shown options that will work. You can also Google pop up drain without overflow. The selection is endless.
Putting a patch over a hole is not the proper approach and I doubt it will last long....Here's one that should fit your budget https://www.menards.com/main/plumbi...erflow/501pw9875bn/p-1444437577694-c-9417.htm
  • Like
Reactions: 1
You need to purchase a different drain assembly... You have been shown options that will work. You can also Google pop up drain without overflow. The selection is endless.
Putting a patch over a hole is not the proper approach and I doubt it will last long....Here's one that should fit your budget https://www.menards.com/main/plumbi...erflow/501pw9875bn/p-1444437577694-c-9417.htm



Nope. Has the overflow hole.
You will probably have a hard time finding a drain assembly without an overflow. Remove your drain by holding the drain flange and unscrewing the drain assembly. Take note of the location of the drain gasket and the overflow holes. Gasket should be well below the overflow holes. If not, cut off enough of the top of the drain to make the holes in the side of the drain about 1/2" above the gasket below when tightened.


Look at the drawing, if the gasket is below the overflow drain holes the water will be blocked regardless of its source.


As implied in the drawing I suspect that the flaw is in the sink, not in the drain assembly as was my case. It just wasn't worth my time to return it, I have and have had a bathroom sink without an overflow for 30 years. I suspect the same in your case. I seldom close the drain. The purpose of the overflow hole is to prevent overflow if you forget to turn off the water.


The drain is plastic, easily cut and the threads are not precision ground threads. So either cut off the top of the drain or return the sink.


PS
Look in the interior walls of the sink drain opening and see if the drain lines were cast in the sink. Suspect they were. Suspect they are required. Just a screw up.

Attachments

See less See more
To summarize. Remove the drain assembly. Cut off about 1/2" off the top and re-assemble.
Not that hard to find, the one in post 5 has no overflow.

Sent from my RCT6A03W13E using Tapatalk
You will probably have a hard time finding a drain assembly without an overflow. Remove your drain by holding the drain flange and unscrewing the drain assembly. Take note of the location of the drain gasket and the overflow holes. Gasket should be well below the overflow holes. If not, cut off enough of the top of the drain to make the holes in the side of the drain about 1/2" above the gasket below when tightened.


Look at the drawing, if the gasket is below the overflow drain holes the water will be blocked regardless of its source.


As implied in the drawing I suspect that the flaw is in the sink, not in the drain assembly as was my case. It just wasn't worth my time to return it, I have and have had a bathroom sink without an overflow for 30 years. I suspect the same in your case. I seldom close the drain. The purpose of the overflow hole is to prevent overflow if you forget to turn off the water.


The drain is plastic, easily cut and the threads are not precision ground threads. So either cut off the top of the drain or return the sink.


PS
Look in the interior walls of the sink drain opening and see if the drain lines were cast in the sink. Suspect they were. Suspect they are required. Just a screw up.
Yes, the holes are above the gasket. It seems water runs down the threads and past the rubber gasket. It very well might be an issue with the sink. Maybe it's not perfectly round and the gasket isn't able to seal correctly. I found a video that shows a drain, sink and issue very similar to mine.

https://youtu.be/NkWS8vnUA4s
.So much misinformation.




Just cut off 1/4 to 1/2" of the drain mechanism, reinstall as tight as you can by hand.

If you don't have much grip use adjustable pliers to tighten. Hand tight doesn't mean " like your wife would do it."
Pro tip: if you're gonna cut the threaded portion of anything, put the nut (or whatever equivalent fastener) on the threaded portion before you cut. Then you can run the nut back off the threads, which will help clean up the threads at the cut so that it's easier to thread the nut back on after you cut.
You'll need to buy a vessel sink drain without the holes. Don't try to plug the holes in the one you have. Bathroom Vessel Sink Pop Up Drain without Overflow in Oil Rubbed Bronze TA-PDORB
I was just reading all the malarkey here regarding drains for sinks without overflows; geez, this isn't rocket science. As chandler48 said and even gave you all a picture link for, that is the exact drain I have been using on all of my sinks without overflows and Moen Brantford faucets. It works perfect, no issues whatsoever.
1 - 17 of 17 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top