4 Weekend Kitchen Upgrades

Install a new sink and faucet, new lighting, a stainless steel backsplash and open cabinet shelves.

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New Sink and Faucet

You don’t have to tear up your kitchen and live with plaster dust for weeks to give your kitchen a facelift. In this article, we’ll show you four projects, each one easily completed in a weekend or less, that will make your kitchen brighter and handier to work in. Complete the projects in four consecutive weekends if you’re ambitious, or spread them out over a year as your budget and schedule allow.

Buyer’s Guide

Stainless steel hanging rail by Rosle available by mail from Kitchen Window: (888) 824-4417. www.kitchenwindow.com

Low-voltage lighting system by Tech Lighting: Call for the closest showroom. (800) 522-5315. www.techlighting.com

Kindred stainless steel sink No. KSDC 2233 and Moen pullout spout faucet No. 7385C One Touch Chrome are available at full-service home centers and plumbing supply stores. Other manufacturers offer similar styles.

Stainless steel backsplash material is available through your local sheet metal fabricator.

A New Sink & Faucet

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We’ll start by showing you how to replace your worn-out sink and faucet. The stainless steel sink we purchased has an extra-large bowl to accommodate big pots and is made of heavy 18-gauge stainless steel with a well-engineered clamping system. This deluxe sink cost us $600, but top-quality sinks with fewer features are available for as little as $200.

While the sink is out, it’s an easy job to replace the faucet. We replaced our old faucet with one of the popular new pullout-spout models. This faucet cost about $150. Similar faucets range from $130 to $300.

Installing a new sink and faucet is easier than ever thanks to the simple-to-cut-and-assemble white plastic (PVC) drain parts (Photo 7) and nearly foolproof flexible water supply tubes (Photo 6). Some plumbing experience would be helpful, but even without it you can replace your sink and faucet in less than a day using a few basic tools that you probably already own. You’ll need a large slip-joint pliers for the drain fittings (Photo 1), a fine-tooth saw to cut the plastic pipe, a set of open-end wrenches or two adjustable wrenches to loosen and tighten the supply tubes, and hex head nut drivers for the sink clips and the clamp on the dishwasher drain. If you have a plastic laminate countertop and need to enlarge the hole for the new sink, you’ll also need a jigsaw.

The Key to Simplicity: Buy a New Sink the Same Size as the Old
Measure your old sink. The standard size is 33 x 22 in. and about 7 in. deep. If yours is this size, you’ll have no problem finding a new one to fit the same hole. If you want to install a sink that’s larger or deeper than your current one, first check the cabinet width below to make sure it’ll fit. Then decide how to enlarge the hole. If your countertop is stone, tile, solid surface (Corian, for example) or metal, you may have to hire a pro to enlarge the hole. If it’s wood or plastic laminate, enlarge the hole yourself with a jigsaw.

Parts and Supplies

• Plumber’s putty ($1)

• Tub-and-tile caulk ($2.50)

• Two basket strainer assemblies (only one if you’re installing a disposer; $10 each)

You’ll need the following 1-1/2 in. PVC drain parts:

• One P-trap assembly ($5)

• One end or center outlet waste kit ($5)

• Two sink tailpieces ($2 each)—only one if you’re installing a disposer. If you have a dishwasher and no disposer, get a special “dishwasher” tailpiece ($3) that has a tube to connect the dishwasher drain hose.

• One special “disposer” waste arm ($3.50), if you have a disposer.

• Two flexible water supply tubes for kitchen sinks ($4.50 each). Match the nuts on the ends to the threads on your faucet and shutoff valves. Also measure to determine the right length. Buy everything at a home center, hardware store or plumbing supplier.

Tips for Removing the Old Sink
Getting the old sink out is usually harder than putting the new one in. Old plumbing parts are likely to be corroded, and the sink may be glued to the counter with caulk or caked-on gunk. Sinks are mounted in several ways, but here are a few general tips for removing yours:

• Place a bucket under the trap to catch wastewater while you loosen the slip-joint nuts.

• Remove the disposer (Photo 1).

• Use a pair of pipe wrenches to separate drain parts that won’t yield to large slip-joint pliers. Don’t worry about damaging the pipes; you’ll be replacing them with new plastic parts anyway.

• Add shutoff valves if your hot and cold water supply pipes don’t have them.

• Working carefully, slice the caulk around the sink with a utility knife, then slip a stiff putty knife under the sink’s lip and gently pry up to loosen it. On some old sinks, you must remove the mounting clips from under the sink before you lift it out.

• Get help lifting out a cast iron sink.

Tips for Installing the New Sink
Follow the steps in Photos 2–7 to assemble, install and connect your new sink and faucet. Some sinks, like the stainless steel sink we’re installing, require clips tightened from below to hold them in place (Photo 3). Most cast iron sinks are held in place by their own weight and a bead of caulk. Follow the mounting instructions provided with your sink.

When you’re finished with the installation, turn on the shutoff valves and check for leaks. Then run water in both bowls and check the drains for leaks. Most leaks can be fixed by tightening the connection. If this doesn’t work, you’ll have to take the leaky joint apart and inspect it for missing or misaligned parts.

1. Remove the trap and other drain parts by loosening the slip-joint nuts with a large slip-joint pliers or pipe wrench. Disconnect the disposer from the sink by sticking a large screwdriver or disposer wrench into the ring near the drain and twisting it counterclockwise. You may have to tap it with a hammer to break it free. Close the water valves and disconnect the tubes leading to the faucet. Hold the shutoff valve steady with one wrench while you loosen the supply tube nut with a second wrench. Remove any clips holding the sink in and lift it out.

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2. Mount the new faucet to the new sink. Follow the instructions provided with your faucet. Protect your countertop with cardboard.

3. Set your new sink in the countertop to check the fit, then trace around it with a pencil. Enlarge the hole if necessary. Remove the sink and apply a bead of mildewresistant tub-and-tile caulk just to the inside of the pencil line. Set the sink back in the hole and use a nut driver to tighten the clips that hold the sink down. Tighten the clips just enough to close the gap between the sink and countertop. Don’t overtighten. Clean up the excess caulk with a damp cloth.

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4. Roll plumber’s putty into a 1/2- in. dia. rope and form it around each drain opening. Press the top half of the basket strainer assembly down into the plumber’s putty on one side. On the other, press the disposer drain down into the putty.

5. Assemble the undersink half of the basket strainer assembly and tighten the large nut with the slip-joint pliers. Hold the basket with your hand to keep it from spinning. Reassemble the disposer drain and tighten the three screws. Clean the excess plumber’s putty from around the drain openings and polish the sink with a dry cloth.

6. Connect the water supply valves to the new faucet with flexible braided stainless steel sink connectors. Hand-tighten the connections. Then turn them an additional quarter turn with a wrench.

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7. Loosely assemble the new PVC drain fittings. Hold up and mark parts needing to be cut. Then saw them with a fine-tooth wood saw or hacksaw. Slope the horizontal pipes down slightly toward the drain in the wall. Hand-tighten all the fittings and turn the nuts an additional quarter turn with the large slip-joint pliers.

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