Easy DIY Guide to Top-Fix Taps & Wastes Installation

Fitting a new tap or waste can look like a simple DIY job until you find yourself lying inside a kitchen cabinet trying to tighten a fixing you can barely reach. Pipework, drawers, shelves and the sink bowl itself can all restrict access. Top-Fix taps and wastes offer a different approach, allowing the main fixing to be positioned and tightened from above.

Developed by Ellsi, the patented Top-Fix system is available across kitchen taps, bathroom taps and several types of waste. It aims to make fitting simpler for tradespeople and experienced DIYers, particularly where access underneath a sink or basin is limited.

Most traditional taps are positioned from above but secured using nuts, washers or brackets underneath the sink or basin. This can mean reaching behind the bowl while trying to keep the tap straight above.

Top-Fix taps and wastes change where the main fixing takes place. You position the product in the appropriate hole and secure the fixing from above using the Top-Fix locking mechanism and fitting tool.

For taps, you will still need to connect the flexible hoses to the water supply underneath. The difference is that you don't have to secure the main tap fixing while working inside the cabinet. Ellsi's basin tap specifications confirm that its flexible hoses come pre-installed, with only the water connections requiring access underneath.

Top-Fix wastes take a similar approach. Ellsi also uses a mechanical sealing system designed to create the seal without relying on silicone.

Exact installation varies between products, so you should always follow the instructions supplied with your chosen model. However, the basic Top-Fix process is straightforward.

Place the tap or waste into the appropriate hole from above the sink or basin. With a tap, the flexible hoses pass through the tap hole ready for connection underneath.

Position your tap so that the spout and controls face in the correct direction. The Top-Fix system is designed to align within the aperture before it is tightened.

Tighten the fixing from above using the supplied installation tool. For its basin wastes, Ellsi supplies a 14 mm socket tool and specifically warns against overtightening the fixing.

Once the product is secure, complete the necessary plumbing connections underneath. Depending on the product, this could mean connecting tap flexi hoses, a trap, overflow pipe or waste pipe.

The main benefit of Top-Fix taps and wastes is access.

Think about the space underneath a typical kitchen sink. You may already have hot and cold pipework, a trap, washing machine connections, dishwasher hoses, water filters, a waste disposal unit or storage products competing for space.

Bathroom vanity units can be even tighter.

Moving the main fixing point above the sink or basin means you can work while standing in front of the fitting rather than reaching behind it.

This can be particularly useful when:

• Replacing a tap without removing the sink

• Working with compact vanity furniture

• Installing fittings in a cloakroom

• Working around existing plumbing

• Replacing wastes in restricted spaces

There is a potential time benefit too. Ellsi states that some of its Top-Fix basin taps can be installed from above in under three minutes. Treat this as the fitting time for the Top-Fix mechanism rather than a guarantee for the complete plumbing job, as your installation time will depend on the existing pipework and site condition

The finished result can look much the same, but the installation process differs.

It's worth stressing that Top-Fix taps and wastes don't remove every stage of plumbing underneath the fixture.

With a tap, for example, you still need to connect the hot and cold supplies. Top-Fix tackles one of the more awkward parts of the job: mounting and tightening the fitting itself.

Top-Fix isn't limited to bathroom basin taps. Ellsi has expanded the system across several common kitchen and bathroom fittings.

The current range covers:

Ellsi states that its wastes use common UK sizes, including 90 mm kitchen waste holes and 45 mm basin waste holes, while its taps are designed around a 35 mm aperture. Its kitchen strainer wastes also connect to standard 1½-inch traps.

This makes Top-Fix taps and wastes an option for new installations as well as some replacement projects. Always check your existing dimensions and the specification of the product before ordering, particularly when working with an older sink or basin.

Easy fitting shouldn't be the only consideration when buying a tap. You still need a model that works with your sink, water system and how you use the room.

For a bathroom, consider the size of your basin and the tap's height and projection. A tall tap on a shallow cloakroom basin, for example, can create unnecessary splashing.

In a kitchen, you have more options. The current Top-Fix kitchen tap range includes swan-neck, L-neck and square-neck mixers alongside twin-lever and multiuse models.

This creates a sensible opportunity to upgrade rather than simply replace like-for-like.

If you're already changing your kitchen tap, consider features that could make it more practical for everyday use. A higher spout can provide extra room for large pans, while a multiuse design can add extra functionality without requiring another fitting around the sink.

Finish matters too. Choosing a tap that coordinates with your sink, handles and other kitchen fittings can give the installation a more consistent appearance.

Changing a tap or waste is also a good time to check the rest of the installation.

For a bathroom project, you may need a compatible basin waste, bottle trap, isolation valves or flexible connectors. If you're replacing the basin itself, you could also consider a new vanity unit, matching bath taps or coordinating shower fittings.

For a kitchen project, consider the sink and waste at the same time as the tap. A new kitchen sink may require a compatible 90 mm strainer waste, overflow connection and plumbing kit.

Top-Fix kitchen strainer wastes are available with and without an overflow, so the correct choice will depend on your sink.

You could also add practical sink accessories such as a soap dispenser, drainer, colander or water filtration system.

Planning these components together reduces the chance of reaching installation day and finding that you're missing a waste, trap or connector.

No. One of the benefits of Top-Fix taps and wastes is that the fixing method can also make them accessible to experienced DIY users.

The system may appeal to:

• Plumbers and tradespeople
• Kitchen and bathroom fitters
• Property maintenance teams
• Landlords
• Experienced DIYers

However, an easier fixing system doesn't automatically make every installation suitable as a DIY project.

If you need to alter pipework, repair damaged plumbing or you're unsure how to isolate and reconnect your water supply safely, using a qualified plumber may still be the better option.

For many kitchen and bathroom projects, the hardest part of fitting a tap or waste isn't the plumbing itself; it's reaching the fixing.

Top-Fix taps and wastes address that problem by moving the main fixing point above the sink or basin. That can make installation less awkward for professionals and experienced DIYers, especially in cabinets where space is limited.

If you're planning a new sink, basin or tap installation, it's worth considering the fitting method alongside the product's design. Choosing compatible taps, wastes and plumbing accessories from the start can make the installation simpler and give you a complete setup ready for fitting.