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Replacing The Kitchen SinkBy Jim Sulski Summary: A new kitchen sink can give an old kitchen a new life. Jim gives tips to do-it-yourselfers on how to select and install a new kitchen sink. Replacing a kitchen sink can be one of the easiest yet trickiest kitchen home
improvements. The problems come with trying to get the new sink to conform to the existing countertop and plumbing. A general rule of thumb is the older the kitchen, the tougher this can be. As with many kitchen improvements, kitchen sinks come in a wide range of styles and prices. They are also available in different types of materials, the most common being stainless steel. Many kitchen sinks are self-rimming - the lip of the sink overlaps the hole in the countertop and is held in place via a clip below. Others use a separate rim that is again held in place with a clip. PREPARATION Before you buy a new sink, however, make a thorough assessment of the existing sink. From underneath, note the condition of the countertop, especially around the perimeter of the sink. Most countertops are made from a wood particleboard with a laminate covering. Often, leaks from around the rim of the sink cause the particleboard to rot. If that's happened, part of the countertop may rip away when you take the old sink out, requiring a new countertop. Also, make sure you can physically reach the retaining clips that hold the existing sink in place. For example, when the sink was installed, it might have first been connected to a loose countertop, and then the sink and countertop dropped into place together. That could make the clips impossible to reach. As a result, you might need to remove to entire countertop to remove the sink. That can be a problem if the countertop has been covered with tiled. In addition, take note of the existing plumbing while underneath the sink. Look for shutoff valves and a garbage disposal? It's tough to salvage existing plumbing and it's usually not worth the time. Your best bet is to buy replacement plumbing parts, as well as a new faucet and disposal. Next, measure the dimensions of the existing sink. Sinks today are manufactured in modular sizes and sometimes older sinks may not be a standard size any longer. If the existing sink is bigger than today's standard 33-inch by 22-inch double bowl kitchen sink, the countertop will need to be replaced. If the existing sink is smaller, the countertop can be cut, unless it's made of butcher block or a solid surface such as Corian. CHANGING A SINK AND SAVING THE COUNTERTOP If you plan on keeping the existing countertop, start by shutting off the water supply valves to the sink and draining the faucets (if there are no water supply valves under the sink, turn off the water flow at the main shutoff valve). Next, remove the old sink's water supply lines, and disconnect the drain pipes. Disconnect the disposal if there is one (make sure you turn off the circuit breaker that supplies power to the disposal). Next, loosen the clips around the sink rim, using a wrench or screwdriver. Run a putty knife under the rim of the sink and the countertop to loosen any adhesion. With the clips removed, lift the sink out of the countertop. You can use the drain opening as a hand-hold. With the sink out, clean the countertop. Then, attach the faucet and supply lines to the new sink. Next, apply plumber's putty around the sink drain holes and press the drains into the holes. Then attach the gaskets and locknuts from underneath, installing the top section of the drain pipe. Turn the sink upside down and apply a thin coat of plumber's putty on the underside of the rim. Then, right the sink and lower it into the countertop. Push down on it until the putty squeezes out from under the rim. With everything aligned, secure the sink in place by tightening the clips. Next, reattach the water supply lines to the supply valves. Reconnect the drain pipes and reinstall the disposal. REPLACING THE SINK AND COUNTERTOP Replacing the sink and countertop will make the job a little easier. Start by disconnecting the water supply lines, the drain pipes and the disposal. Next, remove the screws from the underside of the countertop that hold it down to the cabinet base. You'll need a second set of arms to help lift the countertop and sink up from cabinet base. Then, coat the underside of the new sink rim with plumber's putty and install the new sink into the new countertop, locking it in place with the clips. Attach the faucet and drains to the new sink as described above. With help,
lower the sink and countertop into the cabinet base. Make sure everything is
aligned properly before securing the countertop. Finally, make the supply and
drain connections described above. © by Jim Sulski. All rights reserved. February 10, 2005. NOTE: This column is distributed by Real Estate Matters Syndicate, PO Box 366, Glencoe, Illinois, 60022. This column may not be resold, reprinted, resyndicated or redistributed without written permission from the publisher. © 2005 by Ilyce R. Glink. Distributed by Real Estate Matters Syndicate. |
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