How-To In Reverse

Posted September 8, 2010 // Tips and Tricks

We’ve got new how-to info to share, and it’s a bit backwards from what you might be used to. With these simple steps you can go from a fully function sink, faucet and garbage disposal as seen here:

To absolutely nothing as seen here:

We don’t ask your reasons, we just know that there may be other do-it-yourselfers out there that could use a handy tutorial on how to gut their kitchen plumbing.

So here’s our step by step guide.

1. Clean out everything from around your sink and underneath your sink cabinet. Also, wash your dishes! You’re pulling out your kitchen sink so you might want to make sure the dishes are clean and if you’re like us and this is a multiple day project, make sure you have plenty of paper plates on hand.

2. Take a photo of the existing plumbing. Just in case you need a reference for putting it all back together later.

3. Cut off your water supply to the kitchen faucet. Do this by closing the valves under your faucet supply lines.  Try your faucet out to make sure no water is flowing. If you faucet still drips, plan on replacing your valves.  If you have an older home and do not have two valves under your sink it’s a good idea to add them.  For the purposes of this project, if you don’t have valves you’ll have to shut the water off to the entire house before cutting your supply lines (which can be done by something called… drumroll… a tube cutter).

4.  If you have a garbage disposal go ahead and unplug it now or if it’s hard-wired go ahead and flip its circuit breaker into the off position.

5.  Use an open-ended wrench to disconnect your faucet supply lines from the water lines.

6. Place a bucket underneath your sink drain.  Using a medium pipe wrench, disconnect your drain pipe from the sink drain connector.  Watch out for water that may spill out of the drain when disconnected. It’s probably pretty gross.

7. Place another bucket under your garbage disposal. Disconnect any attached drain lines by removing the O-ring with a screwdriver.

8. Using a hammer, lightly tap the disposal’s metal retaining ring in a clockwise motion until the disposal drops free.

9. Remove your sink by unscrewing attached brackets or clips. You may also need to use a utility knife to cut through caulk between your sink and countertop.

We left our existing faucet attached to the old sink and pulled it all out together. If you don’t want to do this, simply remove your faucet after disconnecting the supply lines. Most newer faucets will have simple plastic wing nuts that you can unscrew to remove the fixture. If you have an older faucet you may have to do some deeper investigation on how to remove it. A basin wrench may be needed. We didn’t need one of these bad boys so won’t pretend to tell you how to use it – but here’s a picture of what one looks like!

Photo: Sears

A few towels to clean up your drips and spills, and ta-da you are one sinkless mama (or papa)!

Need help picking out your new kitchen sink, click here. New faucet? Click here. More How-To info? Click here.

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