How To Install Bathroom Sink Drain/Faucet, No Leaks Under Gasket, Threads [SOLVED] 2023

Your host Jeff Ostroff shows you the correct way to install a bathroom sink drain and faucet without getting that annoying leak underneath the bathroom sink, with water dripping down the threaded drain pipe and out the black rubber gasket. This bathroom sink drain leaking underneath affects a lot of people who otherwise installed their bathroom drain according to the drain manufacturer's instructions. You'll avoid bathroom sink drain leaking threads forever.

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🛒 GE Advanced Silicone 2 Clear Kitchen and Bath:

Table of Contents (Click to jump to any chapter)
0:00 Introduction of bathroom sink leaking underneath gasket problem
0:34 Anatomy of Threaded Drain Pipe, Causes of Leaks
2:30 Solution to Problem Installing Sink Drain with No Leaks
4:30 Wrapping Plumber's Teflon Tape Around Bathroom Drain Threads
6:50 Installing Drain Flange and Threaded Drain Pipe
10:08 Installing Bathroom Sink Faucet
11:20 Installing Bathroom Faucet Stopper, Lift Rod Assembly
12:15 Removing Bathroom Sink Aerator, Flushing Faucet
12:35 Water Testing Bathroom Faucet, Drain For Leaks
13:15 Checking Downward Slop of P-Trap Arm Into Waste Pipe
13:35 More Leak Testing Hot Water, Overflow, Overnight Drips
14:45 Discussion: Plumber's Putty Not Recommended On Drain Gasket

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Should your leaking drain repair use plumber's putty to avoid staining the bathroom vanity sink. We'll also cover Teflon tape (plumber's tape), pipe dope sealant, and silicone to fix the bathroom sink drain.

The lower Teflon tape for the black bathroom drain gasket should be wrapped counter clockwise, to match direction of the drain gasket screwing upward from underneath the leaking sink basin. The upper Teflon tape should wrap clockwise around threads of the leaking drain pipe to match the direction of the drain flange inside the sink, screwing downward onto the pipe threads in a clockwise motion.

You still have to fill up the sink basin with water until it starts to drain out through the overflow hole, then you also need to let the water suddenly all drain out. You have been moving a lot of parts underneath your bathroom vanity sink, so make sure to test for the sink trap leaking as well. If the sink trap is leaking, we add pipe thread sealant to the leaking trap connection.

Causes of your bathroom sink drain leaking underneath

If the drain hole in the sink has imperfections preventing the gasket from mating to the sink for a perfect seal. Some people have issues installing Moen faucet systems with Moen drains and they have a leak. Drain leaks happen with Glacier Bay as well, the leaking vanity drain is allowing water to leak down the threads of the drain pipe under the vanity sink. It is one root cause of your bathroom sink leaking from the drain gasket.

The drain repair solution for this vanity sink leaking issue is to wrap plumber's tape around the top of the pipe threads where the drain flange will screw on. Wrap tape on pipe threads where rubber drain gasket mates to the bottom of the basin underneath the vanity.

[jeffostroff]

From Home Depot & Amazon (paid affiliate links)

[floydrturbo]

What a very thorough explanation and so professionally presented with no annoying background music. To the point with great video. A++

[klugj]

I think this is the BEST DIY video on ANY topic that I've ever watched. Organized presentation, so detailed yet well-expressed and easy to follow and understand. You should have a professor's emeritus chair! Just great

[krl]

reminds me of seejanedrill. so calm and soft spoken while hitting every small detail to make sure that everyone has a total understanding of not only what is happening but also why. about to do my first faucet and drain replacement ever on a 50 year old sink. wish me luck.

[nemo]

I was putting in a replacement vanity and sink this evening and couldn't FIND my plumber's putty so I put it on my shopping list for tomorrow. WHEW! Close call. My new drain is black plastic and now I've changed my list to include clear silicone to seal the drain. I already have the teflon tape. It's always nice to view a video in which we can actually learn something USEFUL THANK YOU, JEFF!

[kimpeats]

After fighting my sink for 2 days, I am so thankful to have found you! Thank you for saving me from calling a plumber!

[emeraldforest]

Best plumbing repair video I ever saw.

[entropysfo]

Thank you, Jeff! I had water leaking on the floor everywhere. I went and searched and found your video. 30 minutes later I had a no-leak faucet and drain fully installed. Really appreciate your time to help others with this problem.

[lonletson]

I just want to say thank you for the way you broke everything down and explained it all to me. You made fixing the drain on my sink so simple. Thank you so much.

[SergioRodriguez-jesh]

One of the best videos ever I’ve seen in you tube, very well explanatory. Thanks for all those hints .

[sbnatomicrecords]

Excellent. I'm a maintenance technician for 3 years and plumbing is one of my areas of improvement

[ALPHAJACK]

This is the best instruction I have ever seen! Thank you! I just did this exact thing today, smaller bathroom sink, less room. I wish I saw this before I attempted to remove the faucet retaining nuts underneath. I tried to use channel locks and regular pliers, no room to really grab and turn them. Finally got the RIDGID EZ Change Plumbing Wrench Faucet Installation and Removal Tool. What a Godsend!
Also, the plumber that installed my sink, tightened them so much as if I lived in California and was expecting an earthquake of 9.0! No need for that! and he used putty everywhere, that cracked and fell inside the drain, further clogging it! Just got to let the silicone cure, the do the leak testing. Thank you so much again, new sub here for sure! Have a great day and a Merry Christmas, God Bless You🙏🙏👍👍

[TracySchmidt-lk]

98% worked for no leaks. No dripping at any of spots covered in vid. After the last leak check, did get slight drip on the lower tailpipe just below where it meets the t-joint for the ball rod port. Didn’t realize that screwed into the upper level. Based on your advice of a threaded components, took off the p-trap and added grey tape to the threads on the the lower tailpiece. Once it and p-trap were reinstalled did the leak checks. This time no leaks. Thanks for the vid. Haven’t had to replace a sink in ~35 years. Bought the Ridged tool and it was easier than the basin wrench.

[MFC]

Jeff, you have put together one of the best tutorial videos on YouTube. You speak a language that everybody can understand and your delivery invites to keep watching and you help me fix the leak in my sink! Congratulations!

[stogler]

Excellent tutorial, no goofy jokes, nor any awful background music.

[juliaware]

This was so helpful! I’m in the middle of my first install and had leaks up at the gasket with no idea why it was happening. Super glad you mentioned to not use putty because everyone I asked said I needed it. This showed me a couple other mistakes I was making too. Great video!

[denisef]

Phenomenal presentation. No annoying music is always a plus. I now feel confident to do this job. I watched so many videos over the past two weeks but never felt confident like I do now. Thank You for the explanation on the plumbers putty on black rubber. I had it out to use. I will now go to Home Depot for the clear silicone. Best thing for me is that I bought the exact faucet to install. (Oh and I finally got brave enough to remove that yellow cap they put on for shipping ). I couldn’t turn the water off as the valves were frozen. I used WD40. Now I can turn them with ease. Nice and lubricated.

[bdbmarine]

After many times attempting to stop the leaks, I watch this video. It took me longer to view the video than it did to correct my problems. Thank you.

[tedeschliman]

Wow! I’ve watched a dozen videos on this. This one is miles above the others in simplicity and thoroughness. Great job!

[MG-euoz]

These demos are perfect for anyone, especially a DIY-newbie. Thanks so much for answering so many questions I had, and addressing the confusing advice out there on simple things...like when and when not to use plumber's putty. It helps so much!