How To Change The Kitchen Faucet Step-by-Step

Sure, here’s a comprehensive guide on how to change your kitchen faucet, broken down step-by-step:

Replacing a kitchen faucet might seem like a daunting task, but with the right preparation and guidance, it’s a manageable DIY project. If your faucet is old, leaky, or you simply want to update your kitchen’s look, changing it yourself can save you money and provide a sense of accomplishment. Can you change a kitchen faucet yourself? Yes, absolutely! This guide will walk you through the entire process, from gathering your tools to enjoying your brand-new, perfectly installed kitchen faucet.

Preparing for Your Kitchen Faucet Replacement

Before you dive into removing the old faucet and installing a new one, proper preparation is key. This ensures a smooth process and helps prevent any unexpected issues.

Gathering Your Tools and Materials

Having all the necessary tools and materials readily available will make the job much easier. Here’s a comprehensive list:

New Kitchen Faucet: Ensure it’s compatible with your sink’s hole configuration (e.g., single-hole, 3-hole, 4-hole).
Adjustable Wrenches (Two): One to hold the old faucet while you loosen nuts, and another to tighten new ones.
Basin Wrench: This specialized tool is crucial for reaching those tight, awkward spots under the sink where the faucet mounting hardware is located.
Plumber’s Putty or Silicone Sealant: To create a watertight seal between the faucet base and the sink.
Teflon Tape (Pipe Thread Tape): To wrap around threaded pipe connections for a watertight seal.
Bucket: To catch any residual water from the pipes.
Old Towels or Rags: For cleaning up spills and protecting your cabinets.
Safety Glasses: To protect your eyes from debris.
Utility Knife or Putty Knife: For scraping away old putty or sealant.
Flashlight or Headlamp: To see clearly under the sink.
Screwdriver Set (Phillips and Flathead): For removing any securing screws.
Pliers (Slip-joint or Channel-lock): For various gripping and turning tasks.
Hose Cutter or Pipe Cutter (Optional): If you need to cut old supply lines.
Penetrating Oil (Optional): For loosening stubborn nuts or bolts on the old faucet.
New Water Supply Lines: It’s highly recommended to replace these when you replace the faucet, especially if the old ones are stiff or showing signs of wear. Ensure they match the thread size of your new faucet and shut-off valves.

Shutting Off the Water Supply

This is the most critical first step to prevent a flood.

Locate the Shut-Off Valves: Under your sink, you’ll find two valves connected to the water supply lines leading to your faucet. One is for hot water, and the other is for cold water.
Turn Off the Valves: Turn the handles of both valves clockwise until they are completely closed.
Test: Turn on your existing faucet to drain any remaining water in the lines and confirm that the water is indeed shut off. No water should come out after a few seconds.

Clearing the Workspace Under the Sink

A clear workspace is essential for safely and efficiently performing the kitchen faucet replacement.

Remove Everything: Take out all cleaning supplies, detergents, trash bins, or anything else stored in the cabinet under your sink.
Protect the Cabinet: Lay down old towels or rags to absorb any drips and protect the cabinet floor from scratches or water damage.
Position Your Bucket: Place a bucket directly underneath the water supply lines and the faucet’s tailpieces to catch any residual water.

Old Faucet Removal: A Step-by-Step Guide

This phase involves disconnecting the old faucet and carefully removing it from the sink.

Disconnecting the Water Supply Lines

This is where you’ll need your wrenches.

Loosen the Supply Line Connections: Use one adjustable wrench to hold the shut-off valve steady and another wrench to loosen the nut connecting the water supply lines to the faucet’s tailpieces. Turn the wrench counter-clockwise. Be prepared for a small amount of water to drip out into your bucket.
Repeat for Both Lines: Do this for both the hot and cold water supply lines.
Disconnect Sprayer Hose (if applicable): If your faucet has a side sprayer, there will be a hose connecting it to the faucet body. Disconnect this hose as well. It might have a clip or a threaded connection.

Detaching the Faucet from the Sink

This is often the trickiest part due to the awkward angles and tight spaces.

Locate the Mounting Hardware: Look up under the sink where the faucet tailpieces extend through the sink holes. You’ll find large nuts or a mounting bracket that secures the faucet to the sink.
Use the Basin Wrench: This is where the basin wrench truly shines. Position the jaws of the basin wrench onto the nut securing the faucet. The long handle allows you to reach and turn the nut from a more accessible angle.
Loosen and Remove Nuts: Turn the nuts counter-clockwise to loosen them. You might need to reposition the basin wrench several times as the nut loosens.
Remove Any Mounting Brackets: Some faucets use a bracket with screws. If you see this, remove the screws with your screwdriver.
Lift Out the Old Faucet: Once all nuts and brackets are removed, the old faucet should be loose. From above the sink, carefully lift the old faucet straight up and out. If it’s stuck, you might need to gently rock it or use a utility knife to break any old sealant around the base.

Cleaning the Sink Surface

A clean surface is essential for a proper seal with the new faucet.

Scrape Away Old Sealant: Use a putty knife or utility knife to carefully scrape away any old plumber’s putty, silicone sealant, or mineral deposits from the sink surface where the faucet was mounted.
Wipe Down the Area: Use a damp rag to wipe away any dust or debris. Ensure the area is clean and dry before proceeding to install new kitchen faucet.

Installing Your New Kitchen Faucet

Now that the old faucet is out of the way, it’s time to install new kitchen faucet. This process reverses most of the removal steps.

Preparing the New Faucet

Some faucets come with hoses pre-attached, while others require you to attach them.

Attach Supply Lines (if necessary): If your new faucet didn’t come with integrated water supply lines, thread the new ones onto the faucet tailpieces. Apply Teflon tape to the threads of the tailpieces before screwing on the supply lines. Tighten them snugly with a wrench, but avoid over-tightening.
Apply Plumber’s Putty or Sealant: Most faucets come with a rubber gasket, but some manufacturers recommend or require plumber’s putty or silicone sealant for an extra watertight seal. Roll a snake of plumber’s putty and place it around the base of the faucet or the escutcheon plate (the decorative plate that covers extra sink holes). If using silicone, apply a thin bead.

Mounting the New Faucet

This is where you secure the new plumbing fixture change to your sink.

Position the Faucet: Carefully lower the new faucet through the sink holes from above. Ensure the faucet is centered and facing the correct direction. If you used plumber’s putty, press down firmly to create a seal.
Attach Mounting Hardware: From underneath the sink, slide on any provided washers or mounting brackets onto the faucet’s tailpieces.
Thread on the Mounting Nuts: Hand-tighten the mounting nuts onto the tailpieces.
Align the Faucet: Go back to the top of the sink and adjust the faucet so it’s perfectly aligned.
Tighten the Mounting Nuts: Use your basin wrench to tighten the mounting nuts securely. Alternate between nuts if you have a multi-hole faucet to ensure even pressure. Don’t overtighten, but make sure the faucet is stable and doesn’t wiggle.
Install Sprayer Hose (if applicable): If your faucet has a pull-down or pull-out sprayer, connect the sprayer hose to the designated port under the sink according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Often, this involves a quick-connect fitting or a threaded connection. Attach the weight to the pull-out hose if required.

Connecting the Water Supply Lines

This is similar to disconnecting, but you’re connecting new lines.

Connect Hot Water Line: Attach the hot water supply line to the corresponding hot water shut-off valve. Hand-tighten first, then use your adjustable wrenches to snug it up.
Connect Cold Water Line: Attach the cold water supply line to the cold water shut-off valve. Again, hand-tighten, then use wrenches to secure.
Apply Teflon Tape: If the connections on your shut-off valves aren’t compression fittings, you might need to wrap the valve threads with Teflon tape before connecting the supply lines. Check your new faucet’s instructions.

Checking for Leaks

This is a crucial step after connecting the water.

Turn the Water Back On: Slowly turn the hot and cold water shut-off valves back on by turning them counter-clockwise.
Inspect All Connections: Carefully examine all connections for any signs of leaks: where the supply lines connect to the shut-off valves and where they connect to the faucet.
Turn on the Faucet: Turn on the new faucet to a moderate flow.
Check Again: Inspect all connections again, looking for drips or moisture. Check the base of the faucet as well.
Tighten if Necessary: If you find a small drip, try tightening the connection slightly with your wrench. Be careful not to over-tighten.
Wipe Dry: Wipe down all connections and the surrounding area to ensure you can spot any new leaks.

Finishing Touches and Cleanup

Once the faucet is installed and confirmed to be leak-free, you can tidy up and put everything back.

Testing the Faucet’s Functionality

Ensure everything works as expected.

Test Hot and Cold Water: Turn the faucet handle to full hot and full cold to ensure proper temperature mixing.
Test Sprayer (if applicable): If you have a sprayer, test its function and retraction.
Check Aerator: Ensure the water flows smoothly from the aerator. If the flow seems weak, the aerator might be clogged with debris from installation, or there could be an issue with the supply lines.

Cleaning Up Your Workspace

The final step is to make sure your under-sink area is clean and organized.

Remove Tools and Bucket: Gather all your tools and the bucket.
Wipe Down: Wipe up any remaining water or residue from the cabinet floor.
Replace Items: Put back all the items you removed from under the sink.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Even with careful work, you might encounter minor problems during a DIY kitchen faucet installation.

Leaky Connections

Cause: Improperly tightened nuts, missing Teflon tape, or damaged threads.
Solution: Ensure nuts are snug (not overly tight). Reapply Teflon tape to threads if suspect. Check for damage on valve or faucet connections.

Faucet Wobbles

Cause: Mounting nuts are not tight enough.
Solution: Use the basin wrench to tighten the mounting nuts further. Ensure the faucet is properly seated against the sink.

Low Water Pressure

Cause: Debris in the supply lines or faucet aerator, or partially closed shut-off valves.
Solution: Check if shut-off valves are fully open. Unscrew and clean the faucet aerator. If problems persist, you may need to flush the supply lines or check the faucet cartridge. This is sometimes an issue after a plumbing fixture change.

Faucet Leaking from Base

Cause: Inadequate or improperly applied plumber’s putty/sealant, or loose mounting hardware.
Solution: Tighten mounting hardware. If that doesn’t help, you may need to remove the faucet, clean the surface thoroughly, and reapply plumber’s putty or sealant.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Changing a Kitchen Faucet

Here are some common questions people have when undertaking a kitchen sink plumbing project:

How long does it typically take to change a kitchen faucet?

For an experienced DIYer, changing a kitchen faucet can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. For a beginner, it might take 1-3 hours, depending on how smoothly the old faucet removal goes and how familiar you are with the tools.

Do I need to turn off the water to the whole house?

No, you only need to turn off the hot and cold water supply valves located directly under your sink. This is a localized shut-off for the faucet.

What if my old faucet is impossible to remove?

If the nuts are severely corroded or stuck, you might need to use a penetrating oil to loosen them. If that fails, you might need to carefully cut the nuts off with a mini hacksaw or a Dremel tool, being very careful not to damage the sink.

What is plumber’s putty, and do I always need it?

Plumber’s putty is a pliable, dough-like compound used to create a watertight seal between plumbing fixtures and surfaces like sinks. Many new faucets come with rubber gaskets, which can be sufficient. However, using plumber’s putty or silicone sealant can provide an extra layer of protection against leaks, especially on older sinks or if the gasket doesn’t seem to create a perfect seal. Always check the instructions that come with your new faucet.

Can I reuse my old water supply lines?

While you can technically reuse them, it’s strongly recommended to replace water supply lines whenever you replace a faucet. Old lines can become brittle, kinked, or develop internal wear that could lead to leaks or premature failure. Replacing them ensures a more reliable installation.

My new faucet has different mounting hardware than the old one. What should I do?

Your new faucet should come with all the necessary faucet mounting hardware. Follow the specific installation instructions provided with your new faucet, as mounting methods can vary between brands and models.

By following these detailed steps, you can confidently tackle your DIY kitchen faucet project and enjoy a refreshed kitchen with a new, functional faucet. Remember to work methodically and not rush the process.