Deep Kitchen Sink Plumbing Preparation

plumbing beneath a sink
  • 2-4 hours
  • Intermediate
  • 50-100
What You'll Need
Wrench
Screwdriver
Pliers
Caulking
Plumbing kit
What You'll Need
Wrench
Screwdriver
Pliers
Caulking
Plumbing kit

It is very fashionable in modern design to have a deep kitchen sink such as a butler's sink, or old-fashioned sink. These designed pieces are often very large, much larger than the kitchen sinks of the past, and they are more likely to be difficult to add plumbing to, as they may take up more than 10 inches of room below the countertop. A deep kitchen sink is often a design feature of new homes, so there is not much call for someone to install their own, and you may be more comfortable having a plumber fit your sink. However, if you are feeling confident, and have some basic home improvement skills, following a few simple guidelines can help you to get your deep kitchen sink plumbing ready for installation.

Step 1 - Purchase the Kit

Most home improvement or hardware stores will have a section specially dedicated to plumbing kits. These kits will include everything you need to install a deep kitchen sink, including connection joints, bolts, washers, and other parts. You may find that it is difficult to decide which of the kits it is best to go for, however, measuring the space left under your sink once it has been fitted may help to narrow down the candidates. While you are in the hardware store, buy a few extra washers and bolts for your kit. These are not very costly, and you will be glad that you had spares.

Step 2 - Examine the Kit

two men working on plumbing below a sink

When you bring your purchase home, you should spread your pieces out on the table or workbench and examine how they all fit together. You should have a strainer basket at the top, which will attach to your sink. There should be two different kinds of washers below this, which will then be connected to the vertical pipe. These parts are joined together by a connection piece and bolt. The vertical pipe will then fit into an L-shaped connection joint, and the horizontal pipe will emerge from this. The last pipe can then be fitted to your sewage outlet pipe via another connection and bolt combination.

Step 3 - Fit the Kit

Once you have familiarized yourself with the workings of the kit, turn off the water supply, and try it below the sink. You should put all the pieces together outside the kitchen sink cabinet, a process known as dry fitting. This will allow you to see how much room you have under the sink, and whether you will need to saw off any parts. When your pieces fit, apply the strainer to the top of your drain, using the wrench to tighten the fitting bolt. Place the two washers below the strainer and fit the pipe. You will probably need to use pliers to turn the bolt before tightening with the wrench at the end. Place all the pieces together in the order previously described and use the wrench to tighten all of the fittings. Use a water-proof caulk over the joints and leave to dry.