Bathroom pedestal sink, I need to get at the P trap

[Leo 'Gus' Gustafsson]

I got to thinking that the difference in the thread pitch may be a holdover from Imperial Days in Canada, Whitworth sizes from Britain and the like.

 

[Zanne]

They sell an entire P-trap kit in 1.25" that includes the trap adapter. It's slip fit (meaning it has washers & rings that screw on to tighten) with the solvent weld adapter at the end. May be able to find a kit like that. I know Keeney makes them and I believe so does Oatey.
Something like this https://www.lowes.com/pd/Keeney-1-1-2-in-dia-PVC-P-Trap-Fitting/1042735 (they sell washers that make the pipes adapt from 1-1/4" to 1-1/2".
Not sure about product availability in Canada though.

 

[Leo 'Gus' Gustafsson]

Thanks Zanne, I'm not a Canuk it's just the threaded stub coming out of the wall. If the new p trap fails I'm going to have to look at alternatives. I am limited to the horizontal space in front of the wall, this is a rather shallow pedestal. I'd really like to convert this mess to a cabinet sink but my knowledge is not in this arena.

 

[Jeff Handy]

If the pvc stub coming from the tee fitting behind the wall is threaded, then a threaded trap adapter can be screwed onto it.

Or you can cut it and glue on a hub type as I linked to.

You can cut and shorten the new p trap arm as needed, and it can slide in and out also.

Time to stop nitpicking and time to start fixing.

Get busy.

 

[Leo 'Gus' Gustafsson]

Thanks Jeff, I'm waiting on parts.

 

[Zanne]

I hope your parts arrive soon. I've never liked pedestal sinks as I think they are a waste of space. I like storage. A simple box isn't too difficult if you have the tools & the skills, but doors can be a bit trickier. You can add two sides to go under the sink and then frame out the front so you can have doors to access the plumbing inside. They sell brackets that can make things fit square. Probably lots of building plans available online and tutorials on Youtube.
Plywood can be used for the framing & pine, oak, birch, etc can be used for visible trim. I would steer clear of OSB & MDF as they do not handle moisture well at all. A good coat of paint that water seals & it should work. If you are worried about the cabinet sticking out too far you can recess it a bit so the bowl of the sink overhangs a little.
Good luck! Please let us know how the repair goes!

 

[Leo 'Gus' Gustafsson]

Both my wife and I prefer cabinet sinks but she prefers professional results that I don't have the expertise for and we lack the funds to hire a contractor. So I'm in a pickle. If were just up to me I could knock together something workable but I don't think she'd like the end result.

 

[Zanne]

I can understand that. Are you anywhere near a Habitat for Humanity Re-Store? Sometimes they sell old cabinets. Not sure if you're handy enough to do a refurb though. Carpentry can be a pain. I have the knowledge on how to do it, but my dexterity sucks. LOL.

 

[Leo 'Gus' Gustafsson]

Hi Zanne,
Yes indeed, since we bought this house we initially were making regular visits to the Albany, Corvallis and even Salem Hab for Humanity stores. Since this time it's been sporadic but in all of the searching of these places we have only found one or two that could fit in this narrow bathroom. Its narrowness is on account of an oversized shower, likely installed by the P.O. for wheelchair access.
To be sure, I'd be more comfortable going this route, but I have to be cautious about the dimensions.

 

[Leo 'Gus' Gustafsson]

So the new Imperial threaded (or proprietary) P trap came in and the dry fit went swell. Sealing it up now and giving it 30 minutes before I test for leaks. I overcame the odd offset of the wall drain pipe and the sink with the dingus shown below, this is the dry fit so it's loose right now to show the degree of the offset.

 

[Leo 'Gus' Gustafsson]

...it's holding water, by the grace of the Almighty

 

[Zanne]

Ooh, I hope you don't have mice in your area. They love to chew through those accordion pipes. Just FYI, they don't actually meet code bc they are not self-scouring & stuff can get stuck in them. They may need to be cleaned periodically. My friend had some & they got chewed through by mice. Hopefully you won't have any problems though.

 

[Jeff Handy]

I doubt anyone on here would ever recommend that bendy straw attachment.

They clog up too easily and are junk.

Even a rubber fitting would have been better.

And it looks like the chrome tailpiece from the sink is not inserted properly, or far enough into the slip joint coupling.
EDIT you said it was loose to show the degree of offset, never mind.

If you try plunging the sink someday it still might pop right off.

Looks like you ignored all the advice given since you started this thread.

 

[Zanne]

A Fernco fitting might have worked in that situation to go from PVC to ABS. I forgot to look for ABS P-traps when I looked online. I'm hoping there won't be any problems with the accordion fitting though.

 

[Leo 'Gus' Gustafsson]

I have double walled rubber hose and Ideal branded clamps, waiting in the wings. No mice or other vermin in these parts. It's easy to be accusatory these days Jeff, and I didn't discount any advice whatsoever. This was the most expedient means as we've been stressed about having to washing exclusively in the kitchen sink. Further, the coupling is only hand tight and fully collapsed as I only needed about 2 mm offset. When it clogs, it'll be a simple matter to attend to, now that I know how the pedestal goes together. Granted, if we hadn't been on welfare for the past two years we could've hired a professional plumber like you Jeff, you obviously know your craft. I apologize for disappointing you, no hard feelings I hope.

 

[Jeff Handy]

No hard feelings, and I am not a pro.

But you could have spent about $10.00 and gotten the parts I and others recommended, it would have been better looking and less goofy.

But it will probably work, and the world will keep on turning.

And you are building your skills for next project.

 

[Zanne]

I'm glad it all went together OK and also glad you don't have vermin. So long as you clean that accordion thing from time to time it should be ok. At least it's in a bathroom & not in a kitchen where food globules would get washed in. That would be a horrible one to use in a kitchen. LOL. For a bathroom it hopefully will be OK.
If you decide you want to consider learning how to build stuff, there's a site called ana-white.com where she gives complete cut lists, drawings, pictures etc on how to build things & she has youtube videos on some of her projects.

 

[Leo 'Gus' Gustafsson]

Thanks Zanne, the accordion is fully collapsed so it's almost a wall and a half thickness and since it holds no pressure I'm thinking it'll be okay. My main difficulty with this repair was solving the leak at the wall to P trap junction. Not only were the threads different than standard but the new CanPlus P trap dry fit leaked despite the connection being clear of any debris, gunk or sealant. I used so Form a Gasket sealant out of my tool box and it seems to be working for the time being. I had some plumber's putty but it's not recommended for plastic pipe.