The Sad Demise of Pop-up Basin Wastes (and the take-over of Click Clacks)

A short lament on the pop-up rod-type tap and waste.

I love a nicely set-up pop-up waste! Love is a strong word, but when it works correctly, it brings a warm glow to my heart. It’s a simple pull-push mechanism with a rod or lever (usually at the back of the basin tap) that opens the waste, lets the water drain away, and then blocks the waste to fill the sink with water. Heaven.

A badly set-up pop-up waste can ruin a day or longer, depending on how easy it is to get under the basin and fix the thing. 

 

Pictured above: A pop-up (pull/push lever) basin waste

It’s all about the balance…

Setting one up is all about balance, you see. It is a nice balance of weight and rod length between the vertical and horizontal rods, allowing a short, crisp movement that causes the plug to pop up.  A bad set-up will be wobbly or not move enough or, even worse, become loose and not move at all!  If you have a pedestal or vanity unit (remove the drawers), then it’s a quick fix. If you have a sem-pedestal (trap cover), it can be a pain to fix. Some might say it’s a dark art setting one up.

 

Pictured above: A basin click-clack (push open type) waste (now the standard).

Most installers under 30 (there are a few…!) probably won’t have fitted a pop-up rod and will only know the click-clack type waste.  This is a reasonably easy-to-install, maintain and use option that most people prefer now. 

They have drawbacks.

If you don’t regularly unscrew the plug to clean under it, you will be shocked when you do. They collect a whole host of debris under them. They sit up from the basin more than a pop-up, which is not a great look for me. Cheaper ones will have the spring in the base rather than the plug. When it fails (and eventually will), it becomes a plumbing job to swap over rather than a simple new cover.

So, I’m starting a campaign at Wharf Design to revive the pop-up waste. I’m committed to showcasing its functional elegance by putting more back on display and setting it up correctly. Come in and try one out soon—it’s a thing of beauty (when it works!).

To understand how to set up a beautifully-balanced pop-up basin waste, visit our Congleton showroom, Station Yard, Park Lane, Congleton, Cheshire, CW12 3DE.