The sink drain has a crystal clear purpose. There are more types of drain assembly ideas out there, but the roles and operating principles are the same. Installing a sink drain is a plumbing operation that may require professional help, yet you can also install it yourself with a bit of mechanical inclination and patience. Learning how to install bathroom sink drain does not require any plumbing education.
The P trap is one of the most popular drain assemblies out there. You can find plenty of YouTube videos on how to get them fitted under the sink. It makes a good DIY project for your bathroom and can save you some money for not having to call a plumber. All in all, here is everything you need to get the job done, as well as the steps to complete it.
How To Install Bathroom Sink Drain Like Chris Deziel – Things You Will Need
You may already have some of the tools required for the job around your home. You can get everything else from pretty much any hardware store. You can also shop for all the stuff you need over the Internet – make sure parts are compatible and you buy the right things. All in all, here is everything you will need to complete the task:
- P trap – it should have an adapter as well or you can buy it separately
- Wall faucet
- ABS cement
- Hacksaw
- Sink drain push popup assembly
- Squeezable silicone tube
- Laser level
- Slip joint pliers
Installing The Popup Drain
The popup drain assembly is usually part of the sink. Whether you have a simplistic sink or it needs replacement, you can get such things separately over the Internet or from local hardware stores. The silicone is highly recommended around the drain pipe – stick to 100% silicone and use plenty of it to ensure a watertight seal. Use it before putting the drain through the hole.
Go under the sink and add the rubber ring. Again, you might want to use a bit of silicone around the threads. This way, it will twist without too much hassle. Now, you can add the plastic ring, as well as a nut. You should use your hand to tighten it as much as you can. Use the slip joint pliers for more tightening – just a quarter of a turn.
As things are tightened and put together, silicone will inevitably squeeze out a little. Wipe it off – get rid of all the excess. Use a clean rag to take it off – you might soak it with water for easier cleaning. Let everything dry for a few minutes and move on. You can now throw in the last section of the popup drain assembly.
In other words, you can install the rubber ring, which will come up with a solid seal when in touch with the metallic pipe. Again, hand tighten the nut for now. You will use the pliers later on, but for now, you want everything in place.
Installing The P Trap Adapter
If you have just installed a new sink, you should notice a small pipe coming out of the wall. Installing the P trap involves connecting to that pipe as well. This is when the P trap adapter kicks in. You will have to mix it into the pipe and glue the two parts together.
Many pipes are based on ABS. If yours are ABS, use ABS cement. It depends on what types of pipes you normally have – different options come with different requirements. Simply get a bit of cement and add it inside the trap adapter.
Do the exact same thing for the external part of the drain. You will end up with a decent coat around both surfaces. Add the adapter then, before the cement hardens. Push it all the way in. It might help if you twist it a little – not more than a quarter of a turn.
Getting The P Trap In
You need to let the cement dry for a while, but there are other things you can do instead. The P trap kit should have everything you need – no need for separate purchases. You should have a couple of washers – usually made of plastic or rubber. You should also have a waste pipe and a few slip nuts.
Fit the two black pipes together. The operation is straightforward. Get a nut in the waste drain, press it against the other one and hand tighten the assembly. Grab the washers and identify the one that can fit into the drain located under your sink.
One of the washers fits perfectly and the other one feels loose. Get a slip joint nut on the pipe, then add the matching washer. The waste drain should be connected to the wall – you might have to cut the pipe with a hacksaw if it is too long.
Bring in a slip joint nut – make sure it faces you. Get another one to face the wall and throw in the other washer. The pipe will go into the wall – screw it in the adapter and you are almost done. The hardest part is over now.
In the end, you need to connect the U shaped pipe. Do not put any pressure on joints – play with the slip joint nuts by each end. Loosen or tighten them by hand. Keep in mind that a misalignment will most likely cause a leak at some point, so you need lots of patience here.
Once everything looks perfect, hand tighten everything. Grab the slip joint pliers and tighten everything else. Do not overtighten or you risk breaking parts.
Are There Any Leaks?
You want to ensure you tighten the connection to prevent leaks. Each piece must be perfectly installed and pipes must be aligned for a good final result. Run the tap water and check the pipes. The next test implies filling the sink all the way up before draining it.
You might want to do each test a few times to ensure the water pressure can be handled without any leaks.
If you do end up with a leak, some extra tightening might solve the problem.
Frequently Asked Questions
Still struggling to learn how to install bathroom sink drain?
Do you need plumber’s putty for a bathroom sink drain?
Not necessarily. If the unit features a rubber gasket, you do not need it. Even if the manufacturer does not provide a gasket, you might want to use silicone caulk instead. Simply go through the directions for the drain assembly.
How do you replace a sink drain assembly?
The above mentioned steps make an easy DIY tutorial on how to replace a sink drain assembly. You do not need too many tools either. The operation is quite intuitive once you figure how parts go out.
How do you plumb a sink drain?
Make sure you have replacement parts, pliers and some tape. The good news is that most assemblies come with instructions, but you can also use the above tutorial to plumb your sink drain. The whole job should take less than an hour.
Conclusion
In the end, learning how to install bathroom sink drain is not the most complicated job in the world. While a bit of plumbing experience is ideal, you can use your intuition and a step by step tutorial to ensure the job is done with no mess behind.
