Drain for sink installation

Following the steps above, installing a sink drain is pretty straightforward. But basic DIY plumbing skills are required.

We suggest leaving this to the pros — just click the green button above to be paired with a local plumber for a completely free quote. Andrew Helling is the founder and editor of REthority. He graduated from the University of Nebraska at Omaha where he obtained a Finance and Banking degree. As a formerly licensed real estate agent and property manager of single-family homes, Andrew knows real estate.

More About Andrew. They are operated manually and are mostly provided with a small basket so that the unwanted items do not accidentally fall down the drain when the stopper is removed.

The chain and plug style drain is the perfect match for a vintage pedestal or cast iron sink. Traditional styling with a pull-out rubber stopper with a beaded chain.

These drains are equipped with stoppers and lift rods. You need to pull up on the lift rod at the back of the faucet for their activation. This lift rod is attached to the drain linkage underneath the sink that lifts and closes the drain plunger. These sink drains require a little more work installing and fine-tuning the linkage but are worth the effort if it matches the lift rod that comes with your faucet.

Once you have purchased the sink drain that works best for your sink, you can proceed with the installation. The sink pop-up stopper is quite straightforward and we will provide you with detailed instructions and tips to make installing a sink drain easy and leak-free! The first thing that you need to do is get the supplies ready. The tools and supplies that you will need for the process of installation include:.

This is perhaps the most challenging and messy part of the project. The first step is to remove the P-trap from the drain also known as the trap-arm and the sink drain tailpiece. You can use channel-type pliers or an adjustable wrench to loosen the P-trap and remove it. Remember, lefty-loosey or turn the nuts counterclockwise to remove them.

The P-trap will have water inside it to prevent sewer gas from wafting up your sink so have a small bucket or container placed underneath the P-trap to catch the contents of the drain. Once the P-trap is out of the way, you will have better access to remove the old drain assembly.

The mounting nut can be removed from the tailpiece using channellock pliers or a wide mouth crescent wrench. You should be left with a washer and a rubber gasket stuck to the bottom of the sink itself.

You can pry the old washer down by hand or with the help of a flat blade screwdriver. Just be cautious as any extra water that is trapped inside the sink is being held back by that rubber gasket. If the gasket is being stubborn you can either push the drain assembly up from the bottom and through the hole in the sink or carefully cut the rubber gasket with a utility knife.

After you have lifted the old drain out of the sink hole, clean the top and bottoms side of the sink. This makes for a flat surface for the new gaskets to seal against. Leftover debris can cause the new gaskets to deform and leak. This is the first step when it comes to installing the shiny and new sink drain.

Start by disassembling the drain and removing the mounting nut, washer and gasket from the drain stem. If your new drain assembly comes with a gasket for the topside of the drain that seals it to the sink, slip it up against the drain cup.

Insert the drain assembly through the opening from the top side of the sink. Assemble the trap bend and trap arm together loosely with a slip nut and washer. Slide a slip nut and washer onto the straight end of the trap arm. Push the trap bend up into the tee fitting on the tailpiece while sliding the trap arm into the drain outlet at the wall.

Adjust the trap pieces as needed to create the most direct path from the sink to the drain outlet. Make sure the trap arm has a slight downward angle toward the drain outlet. Mark and cut the trap arm as needed if it is too long to fit the space, then reinstall the P-trap assembly. Tighten all slip nuts with channel-type pliers. Again, don't overtighten.

Confirm that the continuous waste pipe and the trap arm slope slightly downward in the direction of the water flow, then check all of the drain connections to make sure they are tight. Make sure to face the trap the correct way, with the sharp bend below the tailpiece. Run water in both sink basins and check for leaks at each pipe joint. Tighten up any connections that leak. Conduct a final test by filling up each sink basin and letting them drain quickly while you check for leaks below.

It's not uncommon for slip-nut joints to leak slightly. Fixing this usually requires just some minor adjustment. If initial tightening doesn't stop the leak, unscrew the nut, reposition the washer, and re-tighten the nut, making sure it's not cross-threaded. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data.

Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. Tip: If there is water leaking out of the basket strainer, one of the connections may be loose.

Turn off the sink, tighten the brass tailpiece and the plastic connector, and test the water again. For more advice, like how to test your new drain, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No. Log in Social login does not work in incognito and private browsers. Please log in with your username or email to continue. No account yet? Create an account. Edit this Article. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy.

Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article parts. Things You'll Need. Related Articles. Article Summary. Part 1. All rights reserved. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc. Choose a drain assembly kit that fits your sink. A drain assembly kit will contain a basket strainer, locking nut, rubber washer, friction ring, and a brass tailpiece to connect the the drain to the drainpipes.

If your sink has an existing basket strainer, use it as a model to help purchase your new one so you know it will fit. Make sure the tailpiece fits your drainpipes as well, and choose a brass tailpiece so it lasts longer.

You can find sink drain assembly kits at your local hardware store, at department stores, and online. Disconnect the drainpipe and remove the existing strainer if there is one.

Use a pair of pliers to turn the metal fittings on the drainpipe and then separate it from the tailpiece on the underside of the drain.