How to Change a Bathroom Faucet Fixture

Whether you want to give your bathroom a mini makeover or you simply want to replace your out-dated bathroom sink faucet, you can save money if you do it yourself. If you get the right materials and tools, and follow the step-by-step instructions below, you can replace your faucet and make your bathroom shine.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• New faucet and assembly
• Basin cock wrench
• Philips and flathead screwdrivers
• Slip-joint and adjustable pliers
• Adjustable wrench
• Teflon paste or tape
• Bathroom caulk and caulk gun (or plumber's putty)
• New supply tubes

Remove the Old Fixture

1. Turn off the water at the valves under the sink or at the main water-supply valve, and loosen the supply tubes for the cold and hot valves. Remove the compression nut at the faucet stem with the basin wrench. Remove the nut that holds the faucet to the sink, and then remove the faucet.

2. Place a bucket under the drain and remove the old pop-up for the drain. Remove the nut above the P-trap, loosen the nut and remove the P-trap.

3. Remove the pop-up lever from the drain, and then loosen the lock nut that holds the drain to the sink. Unscrew the drain flange and drain using the Philips and flathead screwdrivers.

Install the New Faucet

4. Place the Teflon paste or tape on the faucet stems. Insert the faucet stems in the appropriate holes in the sink. Then, tighten the nuts holding the faucet to the sink by hand and use the basin wrench to give them another quarter turn.

5. Connect the supply tubes to the faucet stems using the manufacturer's directions. Be sure to apply the Teflon paste to shutoff valve and tighten the faucet-supply stems' coupling nuts. Fit the drain flange into the drain hole after applying caulk to the underside. Screw the drain housing to the flange, placing the lock nut on the housing, and then the metal washer and gasket.

6. Install the pop-up drain, placing the hole for the control pin so that it's facing the rear of the sink. Then, insert the bail lever in the side hole of the drain assembly and fit the control pin through the hole.

7. Insert the drain rod in the hole in the faucet, and tighten the attached screw to attach the connecting link to the faucet rod. Using the V-clip, attach the bail lever to the connection link. Then, connect the new drain extension to the P-trap. Remove the aerator from the faucet and turn on the water to clean the supply tubes and to check for leaks. If there are no leaks, replace the aerator and turn off the water.

Tips & Warnings

• Install the rubber gasket on the base of the faucet before inserting the faucet stems into the holes in the sink. Or, if your faucet does not have a rubber gasket, place a line of caulk under the faucet before inserting it.
• Don't over-tighten the coupling nuts when screwing them to the faucet-supply stems.

References

• DIY Network on Replacing a Bathroom Faucet

Resources

• Small-Bathroom Renovation