Plumber’s putty can be applied to create water-tight sealings around sinks, faucets & drains. This flexible grey clay-like material can be used for plumbing seams where necessary to create water-resistant seals. It is usually applied in circumstances where plumbing items are being replaced or newly installed.
This Putty is a advisable choice for use in conditions where a water-resistant sealing is necessary, and gives the possibility too of being reversible. Plumbers putty will remain a moldable material and can easily be used by placing a small portion of plumbers putty around the base of for instance sinks or faucets to make them water-resistant. Simply clean the oozed out product off after the plumbing fixtures are installed. This way you will prevent the seepage of water around the seamings.
Standard putty can be applied by both plumbing professionals, or by homeowners doing DIY-like home repairs.
About the material itself
Various companies utilize different ingredients in their putty. Grey clay is normally a basis element discovered in most of the putty bases. Additional elements can sometimes include limestone, oily substances (non-toxic) and talc.
Plumbers Putty – a users guide
Although regular putty is easy to mold, it will require you to work it with both of your hands before applying it. To establish this, gently roll the plumbers putty around in your hands. The warmth from your hands along with applying soft force on the product will work to (in a quick way) soften the clay-like product for an easy appliance.
Make certain that the areas to which you want to apply the putty are both clean and dry right before you start with the application. Regular fixtures do not require large amounts of putty, so make sure you use the right portion for your application. Any excessive putty can simply be wiped away, but be sure you don’t spill too much. Extra left-overs may be put in the original package as opposed to getting rid of it.
Because of the actual naturally smooth character of the putty, no waiting time is lost before using the plumbing item to which you have applied your putty. It will remain of the same consistency after application , as it won’t crackle or dry out.
Plumbers Putty is the right choice for use on sinks, drains, and faucets, while caulk made of silicone provides a waterproof and air-proof sealing solution. While these 2 products result in comparable advantages for water sealing protection, there are situations in which one product is a better choice over the other. In the case that your job or project really needs the certainty of air tightness, or when there is pressurized water involved, you should choose silicone caulk for this type of project. Silicone caulk may also be the preferred choice for use on plastic sinks, because putty might stain these surfaces. Natural stone fixtures like marble or granite require using silicone caulk over plumbers putty because of the staining factor and the fact that all types of putty is not useful on porous types of surfaces.
Be sure to use the correct type of products on every unique plumbing project to ensure complete water sealing protection. It is necessary to ensure your own home has no water leakages whatsoever, as it can result in big damages that will be costly to repair or replace.
Differences between various sealing products
Putty, tape (teflon) and silicon caulk are all effective plumbing products to help seal out water. However, plumbers putty provides a different purpose than Teflon tape or caulks. Standard putty is to be used around (especially) non-threaded pipe joints, whereas thread-bearing pipes need any type of teflon tape to make a proper seal.
Putty is the proper choice for usage on sinks, drains & faucets, while silicone-based caulk provides a waterproof and 100% air-proof sealing. While the mentioned products all result in similar benefits for water sealing protection, there are different cases in which 1 material is a better choice over the other one. If an air-tight-sealing is necessary, or if there is a certain water pressure at hand, you really should go for choosing a type/brand of silicone caulk for this undertaking. A caulk (silicone-based) may also be the best option to be used on sinks made out of plastic, because putty will stain these surfaces. Granite or marble fixtures need the use of silicone caulk over regular plumbers putty because of the staining factor and the fact that standard putty is not effective on porous materials.