Building Your Own Home For Dummies
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What it lacks in storage space, a pedestal sink makes up for in high style. How you install a pedestal sink varies by style and manufacturer. Installing a pedestal sink involves completing several individual tasks and then connecting everything. You purchase the faucet, drain, and pop-up assembly separately. Before you install the sink, install the drain, pop-up assembly, and faucet.

Before you purchase a pedestal sink, remove the old sink and measure the location of the plumbing lines so that you can choose a new sink that matches up with them. To get these rough-in dimensions, make a sketch of the wall and note the following measurements:

  • Distance from the floor (or wall) to where the drain enters the wall (or floor)

  • Distance between the floor and the water supply pipes

  • Distance right to left from each water supply pipe to the drain

Sit on the floor with the sketch in hand and visualize how the back of the pedestal sink will match up with the supply lines. Also, check the sink’s specifications and rough-in dimensions. You can do this rough measuring by finding sinks that you like at a home center; note the manufacturer, style, and model number and then visit the manufacturer’s website. Most manufacturers provide specifications and rough-in dimensions online, so deciding what fits and what doesn’t is easy.

Installing the drain and pop-up assembly

Carefully read the directions that come with the unit that you buy to familiarize yourself with the parts and how they fit together.

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The drain consists of pipes that attach to the sink and lead to the trap.

  1. Thread the large locknut onto the drain body.

  2. Slip the flat washer and then the wedge-shaped rubber gasket onto the drain body.

  3. Place a thin bead of plumber’s putty around the underside of the drain flange.

  4. Push the drain body up through the hole in the bottom of the sink.

  5. Thread the drain flange into the body of the drain.

  6. Turn the drain body so that the opening for the pivot rod mechanism faces the back of the sink.

  7. Using groove-joint pliers, tighten the locknut on the drain from the underside of the sink until the plumber’s putty is compressed and the flange looks and feels tight.

Assembling the pivot rod

The pivot rod operates the mechanism that opens and closes the drain. Most units have a rod with a ball on it that operates the drain plug. To assemble this mechanism, follow these steps:

  1. If the retaining nut is screwed onto the valve body, remove it and the washers. If not, skip this step.

  2. Slide the washer seal over the short end of the pivot rod.

  3. Insert the short end of the pivot rod into the drain body and thread on the nut.

    Don’t tighten it yet.

  4. Insert the pop-up rod through the hole in the faucet’s body.

  5. Push the pivot rod all the way down.

  6. Connect the extension rod (the short arm through which the pivot rod extends) by placing the pivot rod in the first or second hole of the extension rod and sliding the pop-up rod into the extension rod.

  7. Pull the rod all the way down and tighten the thumbscrew.

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