Installing a bathroom faucet is not as complicated as it looks. There are two water lines, a drain, and the accessories required to attach and secure them. The installation follows a logical progression and all new faucets provide instructions. Once you have removed the old bathroom faucet, follow these steps.
Tools and Supplies
- Crescent wrench or open-end wrench
- Vice grip
- Adjustable pliers (not essentials but nice to have)
- Plumber’s putty
- Teflon tape
- Bucket
- Towel to absorb drips or mop up water
Step One: Prep new faucet
We have chosen the Jaida faucet because it is a stylish upgrade. It is a single-hole faucet with a pop-up drain. Most faucets and drains are installed in a similar fashion. They all have installation instructions–in the package or online.
Remove everything from the box to ensure you have all the parts. If you are replacing a single-hole faucet you should have everything you need. Remove the mounting plate from the faucet.
If there are three holes in your vanity countertop, you need to install the decorative deck plate included in the package to cover the two extra holes. When using the deck plate, cover the bottom with a thin layer of plumber’s putty to prevent water from leaking under the plate and into the cabinet.
Before beginning your installation, ensure the countertop is clean. Remove any old caulking, plumber’s putty, dirt, and grime. The faucet and/or deck plate fit and seal better on smooth clean surfaces.
Step Two: Check pipes before installing the bathroom faucet
Identify the hot and cold water pipes in the faucet. They should be labeled and the longer one is for hot water. Make sure because finding you reversed them means you will have to change the supply lines or put up with the tap operating backward.
Step Three: Attach the O-ring under the bathroom faucet
The faucet is seated on a rubber O-ring on top of the counter. Before placing the ring on the countertop, fill the groove in the bottom with plumber’s putty to prevent water leaking into the cabinet. Don’t worry if you use too much. It will squeeze out and can be removed after the faucet is tightened in place. Plumber’s putty does not harden and comes off easily.
Step Four: Put in place before installing the bathroom faucet
Hold the O-ring in place on the countertop and thread the faucet pipes and mounting bolt through the hole. Position the faucet as straight as you can temporarily. Having someone to hold the faucet while you secure it prevents it from moving until you get it tightened.
Step Five: Attach fittings to install the bathroom faucet
Slide the mounting plate onto the threaded rod with the bumps facing up–towards the countertop. The mounting plate bumps provide a better grip on the countertop. Spin the nut onto the rod until it is snug against the mounting plate. Finger tighten only at this point to allow for final adjustments.
Gently separate the faucet water lines. Attach the adaptors to each one using the spring clips. Ensure that the threaded end points down. Wrap the adaptor threads with Teflon tape. Press the tape firmly onto the threads. Cover the entire threaded area. Teflon tape helps prevent leaks.
Step Six: Attach hoses to bathroom faucet
Screw the supply lines onto the faucet. Hot water lines are usually on the left. Cold on the right. If you have any doubts, put a supply line into a pail, open the shutoff valve, and run water until you are certain which line supplies hot water. This process will also flush out your supply lines.
If your supply lines are too long, put a loop in them to make them shorter and keep them from getting in the way.
Step Seven: Adding the Drain when Installing the Bathroom Faucet
The Jaida faucet comes with a pop-up drain because the faucet does not have a pull-rod stopper. Follow these steps to install the new one.
Remove the pop-up lever from the existing drain to enable it to slide through the sink hole. You may need pliers or a vice grip to loosen it–especially if it is corroded.
Loosen the nut holding the drain to the sink using pliers or a vice grip. Spin it down as far as it goes.
Push the drain up far enough to be able to grab the ring in the sink with pliers and pull it off.
Unscrew all of the parts down to the P-trap and remove them. You have the old drain and an extender pipe that connects the P-trap to the drain. Do not remove the P-trap.
Discard the old drain and clean the extender pipe, nuts, and plastic sealing rings.
In many instances, the extender pipe is glued onto the P-trap. Do not try to remove it. If there is no large nut between the P-trap and extender, they are glued and meant to stay together. You have to push the drain assembly up through the sink hole to remove it. The new drain fits into the extender and is clamped tight with the nut and sealing ring.
If you removed the extender pipe, wash it clean using dish detergent and water. Reinstall it in the P-trap.
Clean the sink hole thoroughly to remove any built-up dirt, grime, and the remaining plumber’s putty or caulking. Plumber’s putty comes off easily but cured caulking has to be scraped and cleaned with paint thinner or mineral spirits. Dirty drain holes prevent a positive seal and lead to leaks.
Step Eight: Place new drain
Remove the nut and two washers from the new drain. Leave one rubber washer on the drain and insert it into the sink hole. Do not use plumber’s putty on the seal. The putty may damage the seal–according to the manufacturer.
Replace the washers and nut on the drain tail pipe before pushing it into the P-trap extension. Ensure they go on in the same order they were removed. Have someone hold the drain in place from above while you work the large rubber washer tight to the sink bottom.
Screw the nut tight to the rubber washer while someone holds the drain in place from above. Hand tighten only. Using vice grips or pliers can over-compress both rubber seals and lead to leaks.
Tighten the P-trap extender nut to hold the drain securely. Hand tighten only.
Step Nine: Double-check the drain in your new bathroom faucet
Test the operation of the drain. Pushing it down closes the drain. Pushing and releasing pops the drain open. The metal part of the drain plug is not meant to touch the sink. The rubber gasket below the metal achieves sealing.
Step Ten: Final touches on installing the bathroom faucet
Have someone hold the faucet perfectly straight while you tighten everything underneath. Use a wrench to tighten the supply lines to the faucet and the mounting plate to the bottom of the countertop. Make sure everything is tight to prevent leaks and movement of the faucet.
Step Eleven: Test for leaks
Open the water line valves and check the supply line connections for leaks. Turn on the faucet and check for proper operation. Hot water when the lever is pushed left and cold when it is on the right.
Check under the sink for drain leaks–from the pipes and around the sink. Close the drain to ensure it holds water and pops up to drain.
Covering the vanity base with paper towel is a good way to spot leaks without spending too much time under the sink. If any leaks appear, tighten the nuts a bit more.
