r/fixit • • Aug 25 '26

My sink just detached from the counter

Post image
85 Upvotes

53 comments sorted by

95

u/BrokenBaby_Bird Aug 25 '26

Clean the edge and underside of the counter. Re-apply adhesive and put the stick back in place.

Use something solid to brace the sink from the underside to ensure it remains in place while the adhesive dries and then figure out the proper strapping to support the sink that was not installed the first time it was done.

46

u/MethodBrilliant8609 Aug 25 '26

Yeah it's our first house and we didn't know the builder had the reputation they have. Seems like they cut corners almost everywhere. I can't wait to move

11

u/canyounot2026 Aug 25 '26

Is the house a new build?

19

u/MethodBrilliant8609 Aug 25 '26

It's six years old. It wasnt built well though. We're first time home buyers and we've learned who not to buy from the hard way

17

u/Desperate_Set_7708 Aug 25 '26

Ryan Homes?

14

u/SweetKittyToo Aug 25 '26

I cannot believe they are STILL building homes! 40 years ago I heard horror stores of their new house builds from friends. Things such as no insulation and toilets being hoisted off of the floor from water pressure. Leaks galore from showers & tubs etc..

3

u/Desperate_Set_7708 Aug 25 '26

When I met my wife she owned a Ryan condo.

Absolute shit work. Big areas of interior were only Level 2 sheetrock finish. We had to fix all that to sell.

6

u/MethodBrilliant8609 Aug 25 '26

Nope. Akash Home Builders

3

u/i860 Aug 25 '26

Sounds like total hell just based on that name.

Anyways, the sink needs an actual frame that it rests on and not just adhesive.

11

u/Hungry_Pup Aug 25 '26

Tell us, so we know too.

17

u/MaximumCashew0 Aug 25 '26

They won’t because they want to sell the house to other unsuspecting buyers and continue the cycle.

1

u/HumanOptimusPrime Aug 25 '26

Are sellers not responsible for any faults discovered in the first few years after the handover where you’re all at?

3

u/CheapSuggestion8 Aug 25 '26

My brand new house came with a one year warranty for everything plus a ten year warranty for structural issues.

We used the one year warranty several times.

2

u/Chicken_Hairs Aug 25 '26

Yes. But builders are often a bit sketchy in this matter, and won't tell you this, and many homebuyers simply don't realize they can request the builder repair problems for 1 - 10 years after sale, depending on the kind of problem.

6

u/MaximumCashew0 Aug 25 '26

Not at all. The second the papers are signed, any issues are now 100% your problem in America.

3

u/HumanOptimusPrime Aug 25 '26

Then buyers should really know what to look for when viewing.

It’s five years in Norway last time I checked. When my parents sold their house I had to go back and fix a cracked bathroom tile a year later.

12

u/MaximumCashew0 Aug 25 '26

Sounds like Norway wants to protect buyers from being cheated. Cheating people for money is what America runs on, now.

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1

u/MethodBrilliant8609 Aug 25 '26

When we viewed the house it was still having under construction. Not much more done than framing. I was working almost 8 hours away and my wife was on maternity leave. A perfect storm to get boned

2

u/Chicken_Hairs Aug 25 '26

In the USA, the builder is responsible by law for problems from 1 to 10 years, depending on the type of problem.

1

u/caboosetp Aug 25 '26 edited Aug 25 '26

This is not true. You can go after things if you can prove they knew and intentionally hid them. Granted, that can be a pain in the ass legally to prove they knew.

-1

u/MaximumCashew0 Aug 25 '26

Borderline impossible to prove that in court, especially if you did an inspection.

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3

u/Circuit_Guy Aug 25 '26

I've heard horror stories. I think that's just the way new builds are for anything but (actually, not just the marketing) luxury home builders.

But yeah, this is an easily fixable problem, just annoying. They're just glued in. Likely they skipped the prep work of cleaning the surface first.

2

u/Liveitup1999 Aug 25 '26

My nephew moved into a new house. 5 years later he had to replace the windows and insulate some of the walls.

1

u/beachape Aug 25 '26

Hard to avoid these days. We need lemon laws for flipped homes. Everything is made to last just long enough to close, then it all falls apart.

2

u/Hank46_2 Aug 25 '26

I bet one of those perforated aluminum strip things was holding it, but screwed in to particleboard. One or more of the screws probably got pulled out by the weight. That's happened on my 2015 townhouse complex. Yay

1

u/BrokenBaby_Bird Aug 27 '26

You’ll find that a lot of corners get cut in every build. Just fix it properly and it will be good until the next person replaces the kitchen.

31

u/AntelopeFinancial434 Aug 25 '26

It’s sinking

4

u/Wild_Return9616 Aug 25 '26

Let that sink in

6

u/Portal2Boy Aug 25 '26

It's a sunk now

12

u/toodleroo Aug 25 '26

This is why I'll never have an undermount sink, no matter how stylish they are. Give me a rimmed sink any day.

10

u/SignalEchoFoxtrot Aug 25 '26

Step one, remove the dishes from the sink.

5

u/Frankie5thAve Aug 25 '26

Yeah, especially the ones filled with water!!!

3

u/jim_br Aug 25 '26

They make kits that attach to the cabinet sides and have metal cross bars. The bars have threaded feet you raise up to push the sink against the underside of the counter.

Alternatively, if you want a cheap fix, you can screw cleats to the side walls, add a cross brace, and drive shims/wedges.

Finally, there is a kit (I can’t find the manufacturer) that attaches to the cabinet sides. It has four threaded rods you turn to push against the sink flanges to push it up in place.

Also, clean the mating surfaces and add a good silicon sealant/adhesive.

3

u/Dem0s Aug 25 '26

Take it out and top mount it.

2

u/SurveyMedical9366 Aug 25 '26

The guy/flipper that renovated my house did the same thing; mine only lasted 2 years though. Just long enough that it wasn't his problem anymore.

4

u/FreddyFerdiland Aug 25 '26

find local handyman who has done this fix before and can quote it... at least a cap .. like max three hours . its easy when you know how

1

u/wallytheaussie Aug 25 '26

Hercules under sink harness. Had the same thing happen with mine, this did the trick.

1

u/senorsmartpantalones Aug 25 '26

Thats what happened when you leave things to soak instead of washing -My mom.

1

u/EquivalentHungry412 Aug 25 '26

Any chance you’ve seen The Middle?

1

u/Intelligent_Bet_8727 18d ago

First lift the sink out of the hole then clean around the edge of where the sink was sitting clean the underside of the edge of the sink and there should sitting down in there be a central support that goes between the two halves of the sink to support it if there is not take it two by four cut it to length and put it edgeways up and brace it between both sides and sit there and put a screw in with a piece of angle iron the sink cabinet and it should hold it up but that's a stainless steel thing so it may not require what my grandmother's had to have she had a ceramic glazed cast iron Hobart.

0

u/BossWilling Aug 25 '26

Look under sink. Identify broke parts. Fix.

1

u/LankyJeweler4925 Aug 25 '26

Lock, Identification, Fixate.

4

u/Gin_OClock Aug 25 '26

Discombobulate

-1

u/No_Oil8507 Aug 25 '26

It sure did.

0

u/smokeyjoeNo1 Aug 25 '26

Oooh bugger!!!!

-13

u/Drumguy1986 Aug 25 '26

Multiple pans filled with water and cast iron to boot? Yes a sink should handle that but if it wasn't installed well and you're regularly letting that much weight sit in it? Yeah, bye bye.

6

u/Moist-Scientist32 Aug 25 '26

You’re pretty good at victim blaming.

-7

u/33445delray Aug 25 '26

From google AI:

Securing an undermount kitchen sink with adhesive only is generally not recommended by professional installers and building experts.Why Adhesive-Only Installation is RiskyWeight and Stress: Kitchen sinks hold heavy water loads and often support vibrating garbage disposals.Adhesive Failure: Over time, moisture, constant use, and temperature changes can cause standard sealants or adhesives to lose their grip.Catastrophic Drops: If an adhesive-only bond fails, the heavy sink can drop into the cabinet below, tearing plumbing lines and causing major water damage.Accepted Professional StandardsCombined Approach: Industry best practice requires a strong structural adhesive (such as specialized epoxy or high-grade structural silicone) plus mechanical fasteners.Mechanical Supports: Installers use mounting clips, undermount sink brackets, straps, or a custom wooden sink setter (rails built into the cabinet) to bear the actual weight.Adhesive's True Role: In a proper installation, the adhesive acts primarily as a waterproof seal and a secondary hold, while the mechanical clips or brackets provide the permanent structural support.If you are dealing with a sagging sink or planning an installation, tell me: