Sink Strainers, Drain Stoppers and Replacement Drains

A sink strainer catches scraps, a drain stopper holds water, and a replacement drain connects your sink to the piping underneath. Get the right combination and you can keep food out of the pipes while still filling the sink for dishes. Buy by the opening and connection first, then choose the basket or stopper you want to use every day.

Montana’s winter interior-remodeling season is a good time to handle this repair alongside a kitchen or bathroom update. Choose the drain while you’re choosing the sink, because the opening, sink depth and connection underneath all affect the fit.

For a floor sink, a removable floor sink basket strainer catches solids so you can lift them out and empty them into the trash.

Which sink strainer with basket should you buy?

A basket strainer for a sink catches food and other solids before they enter the drainpipe. For a strainer for your kitchen sink, that’s the feature to buy: scraps you can empty into the trash instead of sending them down the plumbing. Choose a combined stopper and strainer when you also want to hold dishwater.

Start by deciding how much needs replacing. When the existing drain body is sound and the removable basket is the worn or missing piece, buy a matching replacement basket. When you’re replacing the fitting through the sink, choose a complete assembly.

The choices include a basket strainer stopper with a post, a duo basket strainer assembly, a chrome bail-bar basket strainer and a spin basket strainer assembly. Match the replacement to the way your existing basket seats and operates. Post, drop-post, spin and bail-bar styles are separate choices, so match the mechanism as well as the size.

For smaller replacement pieces, there is a 3-3/8-inch drop-post strainer stopper, a 3-1/4-inch chrome stopper/strainer and a chrome removable strainer cup. Buy the removable cup for a matching cup-style fitting when lifting out collected scraps is the job. A double-cup design leaves the lower holder attached while the upper cup comes out for cleaning. That’s a useful arrangement at a sink that handles food preparation every day.

Is a stainless strainer for a sink worth choosing?

Heavy-duty stainless steel resists rust and corrosion. That’s a good material for a kitchen sink strainer that stays wet and gets handled every day. Choose the fit and mechanism first, then stainless steel for that corrosion resistance. Chrome is a finish description; match the replacement part by more than its shine.

Hole size matters, too. Finer holes catch smaller particles and need more frequent cleaning. Larger holes are easier to clear but let more debris through. Buy the finer screen when catching small scraps is your priority, and make emptying it part of washing the dishes.

Get the opening, depth and tailpiece right

A common sink drain opening is 3-1/2 inches. Older and custom sinks can differ, so measure your opening before buying a kitchen sink strainer. Measure the opening itself and check the strainer depth. A thicker cast-iron sink can need a deeper strainer than a stainless steel sink.

Underneath, the tailpiece is the pipe connected directly to the drain fitting. Match its flanged or threaded connection to the new strainer. Getting the basket right at the top and the connection right underneath is what makes the replacement useful.

These are distinct replacement sizes to match to the part you’re changing:

Replacement	Size	What to match
Drop-post strainer stopper	3-3/8 inches	Existing basket fit and post arrangement
Chrome stopper/strainer	3-1/4 inches	Existing fitting and stopper seat
One-piece lavatory sink drain	1-1/4 by 5 inches	Sink opening and drain connection
One-piece brass lavatory sink drain	1-1/4 by 6 inches	Sink opening and drain connection
Moen plastic pop-up assembly	1-1/4 by 9 inches	Existing drain and pop-up arrangement
Compass Manufacturing Easy Clean Drain Safeguard push-style pop-up drain, polished chrome	1-1/4 inches	Sink opening and drain connection

Keep the sink-opening measurement separate from the replacement basket size. A basket has to fit the drain body already in the sink; a complete strainer assembly has to fit the sink itself.

A sink strainer for the bathroom or a pop-up drain?

Buy a bathroom sink strainer to catch hair and small objects. A screen can catch things that slip beneath a conventional stopper, including rings and earrings. Buy a stopper or pop-up assembly when you need the basin to hold water. A plug and a stopper serve that same water-holding job.

The one-piece lavatory drains include a 1-1/4-by-5-inch drain and a 1-1/4-by-6-inch brass drain. Choose the matching size and connection for a drain replacement. For a pop-up replacement, the choices include plastic assemblies and the Moen 1-1/4-by-9-inch plastic assembly. Match the existing operating arrangement so the stopper and its linkage work together.

For a push-style replacement, buy the Compass Manufacturing 1-1/4-inch polished chrome Easy Clean Drain Safeguard pop-up drain. Its push-style operation is the reason to choose it when that’s how you want to operate the stopper.

Check the linkage before replacing an otherwise sound assembly. A replacement clip can restore an old drain’s operation. That’s the right repair when the failed connection is what stopped the plug from moving.

For a disposal-equipped kitchen basin, choose a matching waste-disposer stopper to hold water; choose a splash guard when the job is controlling material splashing out during disposal use.

Match slip-joint nuts and washers to the piping

A slip-joint repair belongs underneath the sink. Buy the nut and washer that match the connection you’re repairing, whether the tubular piping is plastic or brass.

The choices include a 1-1/4-inch zinc slip-joint nut with a rubber reducing washer and a 1-1/2-by-1-1/4-inch zinc nut with a rubber reducing washer. Plastic slip-joint nuts include 1-1/4-inch and 1-1/2-inch sizes. Match both sides of a reducing connection; the washer is part of the seal, not packing to make an unmatched joint tighten up.

How to install a sink strainer

Replacing a kitchen sink strainer is a manageable DIY repair with the appropriate tools. Have an adjustable wrench or pliers, screwdrivers, a bucket and the replacement hardware ready. An old locknut held by years of service or stubborn sealing material can be the hardest part of the job.

For a conventional basket-strainer replacement without a garbage disposal:

1. Put a bucket beneath the sink to catch water as you disconnect the attached piping.
2. Hold the strainer against rotation while loosening its locknut. For a stubborn nut, use a pipe wrench or specialty strainer-locknut wrench that fits it.
3. Remove the old fitting and clean away debris and old putty. Prepare clean, smooth sealing surfaces.
4. Use the sealant appropriate to the sink material beneath the new strainer lip. Some stone and composite sinks require silicone instead of plumber’s putty.
5. Assemble the matching seals and hardware. On an assembly with a cardboard friction ring, keep it between the rubber gasket and locknut so tightening doesn’t twist the gasket. Keep squeezed-out putty away from the underside gasket’s sealing surface.
6. Hold the strainer from above while tightening underneath. Excessive force can damage the strainer or crack the sink. Reconnect the matching tailpiece and remove excess putty from the top.
7. Fill the sink, release the water and check the connections for drips.

If you’re asking how to remove a sink strainer locknut without a tool, plan on getting a wrench for a stuck nut. Lifting out the removable basket for cleaning is a different job from removing the fitting clamped through the sink. A disposal-connected drain also involves additional steps, so match the replacement to that assembly.

How to clean a sink strainer

Lift out a removable basket and empty food and other solids into the trash regularly. Clear the holes before the collected debris blocks drainage. Finer screens need more attention because their smaller openings clog more easily.

Keep stoppers free of debris, and inspect them for cracks, tears and loose fittings. Avoid harsh chemicals and abrasive cleaners on plugs and stoppers. A clean basket keeps catching scraps; a sound stopper lets you fill the fixture when you need it.

For a tub stopper replacement, match both the tub opening and pipe diameter. Measure the hole without including the visible flange, and use matching gaskets rather than stacking odd seals to force a fit.

The Pick

Buy a complete basket strainer assembly for a kitchen drain replacement, or a matching post, drop-post, bail-bar or spin basket when only the removable part needs replacing. Choose the matching 3-3/8-inch drop-post stopper or 3-1/4-inch chrome stopper/strainer for those repairs. For a bathroom pop-up replacement, buy the Moen plastic assembly to match that arrangement, or the Compass Manufacturing Easy Clean Drain Safeguard in polished chrome for push-style operation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a basket strainer for a sink?

A basket strainer catches food and other solids while letting water drain away. If you also want to hold dishwater, choose a combined strainer and stopper. When you’re replacing only the removable basket, match it to the existing drain body; the sink opening alone won’t tell you whether that replacement fits.

How do you install a kitchen sink strainer?

For a kitchen sink strainer without a disposal, put a bucket underneath, disconnect the attached piping and hold the fitting against rotation while removing the locknut. Clean away old putty and debris, then seal beneath the new lip with the material approved for your sink; some stone and cultured-marble sinks can stain or react to putty. Install the matching washers and mounting hardware according to the assembly’s instructions, hold the fitting steady while tightening and reconnect the tailpiece. Remove excess putty, then fill and drain the sink while checking underneath for leaks.

How do you remove a sink strainer locknut without a tool?

If the sink strainer locknut is stuck, a pipe wrench or specialty strainer-locknut wrench is the practical answer. Hold the fitting steady from above while turning the nut underneath so the whole assembly doesn’t rotate. Years of service and stubborn sealing material can make this the hardest part of the replacement.

How do you clean a sink strainer?

Lift out the removable sink strainer basket, empty the solids into the trash and clear debris from its openings. Smaller holes need more frequent attention because they clog more easily. If yours also works as a stopper, check it for cracks, tears and loose fittings, and avoid harsh chemicals or abrasive cleaners.