Are Kitchen Faucets Interchangeable?
When remodeling a home kitchen, you may wonder if faucets are interchangeable. The parts and bases of most kitchen faucets are not interchangeable. However, you are not stuck with the faucets in your kitchen. Replacing kitchen faucets with new ones is possible and it only takes about an hour or two. Does this Spark an idea?
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Replacing Old Double-Handle Faucets
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Remove any faucet installed in an old kitchen and update it with a brand-new one, as long as the sink mounting holes match the faucet layout. Two-handle faucets install in most standard sinks with precut sink mounting holes. The faucets are designed with two-handle bases that slide into these holes. Then the lock nuts are secured from beneath the faucet to mount it in place permanently.
Interchangeable Single-Handle Faucets
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Single-handle faucets are a different story. Since the single-handle faucet has only one handle, there is only one mounting hole required in the sink. If your sink has the standard three-mounting-hole layout, one for the spout and two for the two handles, the single-handle faucet is not interchangeable with your sink. A sink with a single mounting hole is necessary to receive this type of faucet. However, if the faucet is a single-handle with a double-handle mounting base, meaning the base plate covers up standard-spaced double-handle mounting holes, it is possible to install it on a double-handle sink.
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Replacing Cross-Branded Parts
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Parts from one faucet do not fit other faucets, especially cartridges. For instance, a Delta cartridge made for a Delta faucet does not fit a Moen, American Standard or Peerless faucet. The cartridge simply does not physically fit inside the faucet, and will not form a watertight seal. Handles from a Delta may fit other types of faucets; however, since they are made to mount on a particular-size cartridge stem, the handle will droop and loosen faster. Always replace faucet parts with those designed specifically for the brand and model you own.
Wide-Spread Faucets
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Wide-spread faucets mount into specially sized sink mounting holes that are farther apart than standard center-set mounting holes made for any other double-handle faucet. The wide-spread faucet mounting holes are the same size, just a farther distance from the center of the faucet. Any wide-spread faucet is interchangeable with any other wide-spread faucet, since they are designed for the wide-spread mounting system. Some wide-spread faucets, with separate handles installing individually into their own mounting hole, will interchange with center-set and wide-spread sink faucets. That is because the handles are separate from the spout and there is no base plate to be concerned about.
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