How to Tighten a Basket Strainer Nut

The basket strainer is the connecting point between your kitchen sink and the plumbing system of your home. A basket strainer consists of the strainer body that sits in the bottom of the sink, a rubber gasket that holds water in the sink and a strainer nut or lock nut that holds the assembly in place. You need to use special tools to tighten the spanner-style strainer nut. If the strainer nut is not tightened properly, water will bypass the rubber gasket seal and soak the cabinet below the sink.

Step 1

Clean the threads of the basket strainer body with a clean rag to ensure that debris does not interfere with the tightening of the strainer nut.

Step 2

Thread the strainer nut onto the strainer body after you make sure that the rubber gasket is in place and the strainer body is set properly in the bottom of the sink.

Step 3

Adjust the pipe wrench to fit on the outside edge of the strainer nut.

Step 4

Turn the pipe wrench clockwise to tighten the strainer nut against the bottom of the kitchen sink.

Step 5

Stop turning the strainer nut when it rests tightly against the bottom of the sink. Do not overtighten the strainer nut, as this could damage the flange of the strainer body, and the whole assembly would then need to be replaced.

Step 6

Connect the house plumbing to the basket strainer, and fill the kitchen sink with water to test the basket strainer for leaks. If the strainer basket leaks, you will need to drain the water from the sink and make sure that the strainer is tight.

Step 7

Wipe down the inside of the sink cabinet and the drain piping connected to the body of the basket sink strainer to complete the tightening of the basket strainer nut.