I had trouble removing washer from under the sink so a neighbor used pliers to bend the strainer upwards which in the process left a dent in the kitchen sink. How do I fix that? The washer will not sit flush. Can I use flex all? Thanks

Which washer are you referring to? The rubber sealing washer or the friction washer? The rubber washer, usually black, fits above the sink, not below.

If the dent is confined to the recessed annular area of the sink around the drain hole, you can straighten out as much as you can with channellocks and use silicone to seal the new strainer. If the dent extends further out, you are out of luck and the only option is to replace the sink.

quote; The rubber washer, usually black, fits above the sink,

Who taught you to install strainers? The black rubber washer goes UNDER the sink, then the cardboard friction ring, and finally the lock nut.

You are right, hj, my mistake. There is a sealed "chamber" under the sink with a strainer.

I was thinking of a garbage disposer flange where the flange has to be sealed to the top surface of the sink, else water could leak out.

MOST drains, in addition to disposers, have to be sealed to the sink or the water will leak into the cabinet, BUT none of them use the rubber gasket on TOP of the sink.

Well, if you have not been using the gasket on top I sure hope you have been using putty or silicone to seal the strainer flange on to the top surface of the sink ( plastic bodied strainers are an exception here), else I can guarantee some of the strainers you installed are leaking now, maybe not enough to be noticeable.

Here is an example of the gasket being on top
[www.kindred-sinkware.com]

Here is an example of a disposer installation with a gasket on top
[www.kindred-sinkware.com]

The reason why the black rubber gasket is so thin is so that, when used on top,it seals but does not make the strainer flange sit proud of the sink.



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Thanks for responding to my question, sure helped me save a few hundred dollars for a plumber!

george 7941, as you stated.. there are thick and there are very thin rubber gaskets.
i have used the very thin gasket on top a few times.
there is a brand, i can't remember the name, that tightens from above.
it is european (i think) and used a threaded, hollow, slotted bolt that you use a quarter as a flat tool and tighten from above. those work very well with the thin gasket on top.

packy, Franke is the name you are looking for, they bought Kindred Sinks in Canada. Here is the strainer you were referring to
[www.kindred-sinkware.com]

This is the plastic bodied strainer I referred to in an earlier post. Oddly enough this is the one strainer where a seal is not necessary between the strainer flange and the top surface of the sink. Any water leaking here will only leak on to the inside of the plastic body, which has water in it anyway. The bottom surface of the sink has to sealed on to the plastic body and the thick black ribbed gasket supplied with this strainer does a good job of that.



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