How to Assemble the Faucet


In many cases, the best time to install a faucet is before the sink is installed. If the faucet will be mounted directly on the countertop, not having the sink already in place can make it easier to tighten the faucet down and make the supply connections. Sometimes, in fact, it’s next to impossible to reach up underneath and behind a sink to make faucet connections when it is already mounted in a vanity. In some situations—for example, a tiled mudded-in sink—it’s better to hold off mounting the faucet until the sink and countertop are in place. Otherwise, the faucet will get in the way, making it harder to set the tile and more likely that adhesive or grout will damage the faucet. When the faucet is installed depends on the type of sink.

Faucet

Assembling the faucet

Regardless of when the faucet gets mounted, cavities on the underside of a center-set faucet body should be packed with plumber’s putty first. And try to make sure that washers and lock-mounting nuts that connect the faucet body to the sink are brass or stainless steel; plated-steel hardware quickly corrodes, making future removal close to impossible. After the faucet body has been hand-tightened, be sure to check that it is centered on the drain opening before snugging nuts down with a wrench.

Because they are all in one piece, center-set faucets install more easily than wide-spread faucets. Made up of separate spout and valve components that need attaching to the sink, wide-spread faucets also require a manifold to bring water from the valves to the spout, which means a few more connections to make. The spout gets installed first, with some plumber’s putty spread at the base of the spout and on the flat washer that attaches the spout to the sink or countertop. Again, align the spout with the drain opening before snugging up the lock-mounting nut.

The spout tee goes on next, and depending on the design of the faucet it will have either a top and bottom opening (through which the lift rod will pass) or a single top opening (if the lift rod is external). Teflon tape should be wrapped around male threads and pipe dope applied to female threads before making connections.

Assemble  Faucet

The valves can then be installed, with the manifold connections pointing either toward or away from the spout depending on how far apart the valves are, the length of the manifold tubing, and how well it loops as it makes the connection from valve to spout tee. Most manifold tubing is made of plastic now instead of brass or bendable copper tube, so it’s easier to make this connection, but you’ll need to avoid kinking the tubing. After everything is connected, the mounting nuts can be tightened, the escutcheons filled with plumber’s putty and threaded down over the valves, and the handles attached.

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About the Author: Jason Prickett loves to write about home maintenance and stuff you can do yourself instead of hiring any professional. His step by step guides will assist you in completing your home maintenance tasks.

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