A better escutcheon gasket?

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lazerdriver

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I installed a Moen bathroom faucet over the weekend. It's a single-hole faucet installed in a three-hole sink, so I am using the provided escutcheon plate to cover the other two holes. The problem is the gasket included with the plate is pretty insubstantial. It is very thin black foam and doesn't even extend out to the edge of the plate. After tightening it down, I noticed can push on the edge of the plate and make it move a little. I can't tighten it any more than it is because it is already starting to deform the plate with how much I tightened it, and the sink is porcelain so I don't want to risk cracking it. It's not so loose that it moves around when operating the faucet lever, but it seems like I should not be able to move it once tightened down.

Where can I purchase a more substantial gasket to use with this? Maybe something I can cut to fit? Is there some product or material I could use in place of the gasket? I searched the internet for something like this, but didn't find anything.

As a test I put a piece of cabinet liner, the rubber grippy kind, under it and that stops it from moving but probably not a permanent solution.
 
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Tuttles Revenge

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Perhaps some window gap foam with the sticky backer could be installed in there. That's basically what comes on a lot of shower valves. Caulk the 2 ends together. Maybe backer rod material. Its also a closed cell foam that comes in a variety of diameters and can be cut to fit. Ultimately a silicone bead around the perimeter when youre setting it. Be prepared for clean up with mineral spirits with silicone.
 

DIYorBust

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I would contact Moen and ask for a solution. The faucet should not wiggle when properly installed, and they can probably send you some gasket material if the one included did not fit the faucet. Sounds like a warranty issue.
 

lazerdriver

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The deck plate is hollow on the bottom and included spongy foam gasket (which is pre-attached) is recessed into it. Not only does it not extend all the way to the edge of the plate, it's also not thick enough to make enough contact with the surface to give it enough grip, especially on the slick porcelain surface. This is a low-end Moen faucet (under $100), so just seems like they are pinching pennies on parts here. And probably not worth the time/effort to get them to resolve it.

I did find a product that is perfect to fix it though. You can get three 1/16th" thick, 6"x6" sheets of rubber (for $10). I put one on the surface, attached the faucet and deck plate, tightened it down, then cut around it with utility knife. Now it is rock solid.
 

Tuttles Revenge

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Your solution is 10x better than what was provided. However 10x the cost and that is why they provide what they do. saves pennies which is what the box stores demand and by extension what the consumer demands.
 

Kreemoweet

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I see no reason the faucet base plate needs to be unmovable by a determined hand. It just needs to stay
put under ordinary use. Likewise, there is no need to have a waterproof barrier under the plate, it just
needs to withstand the minor splashing that occurs when normal people use it. It is not a prison faucet.
 
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