How to Install a New Kitchen Faucet Yourself

Kitchen faucet installation follows roughly the same logic as any faucet swap, but the workspace underneath a kitchen sink tends to be tighter and more crowded than a bathroom vanity, especially with a garbage disposal and dishwasher line sharing the space. Knowing what you're getting into before you start makes the job go a lot smoother.

Tools and materials

• New kitchen faucet
• Basin wrench (this one tool makes the whole job dramatically easier)
• Adjustable wrench
• Plumber's tape
• Bucket, towels, and a headlamp or flashlight
• Plumber's putty (if your faucet doesn't include a rubber gasket)

Installation steps

1. Clear out and shut off the water. Empty the cabinet under the sink completely, including anything stored in the back corners. Shut off the hot and cold valves and open the faucet to release pressure. If you don't have functioning shutoff valves under your sink, or they're seized from age, you'll need to shut off the main water supply to the house instead.
2. Disconnect the old faucet and any accessories. Disconnect the supply lines from the shutoff valves first, then any sprayer hose or soap dispenser line connected to the old faucet. This is where a basin wrench earns its keep, since the mounting nuts holding a kitchen faucet in place are usually up in a tight recess that's nearly impossible to reach with a standard wrench.
3. Remove the old faucet and clean the sink deck. Once the mounting nuts are off, lift the old faucet out from above. Scrape away any old putty or grime from the sink deck so the new faucet's base seals cleanly. If the sink has extra holes from a soap dispenser or old sprayer you're not reusing, most faucet kits include a cover plate or you can buy one separately.
4. Position and secure the new faucet. Feed the new faucet's supply lines and mounting hardware down through the sink holes from above, checking the faucet sits flush and square before tightening anything. Working from underneath, thread on the mounting nuts or bracket by hand, then snug them with the basin wrench. Kitchen faucets vary quite a bit in their mounting hardware, so it's worth reading the included instructions rather than assuming it works exactly like the last faucet you installed.
5. Reconnect the supply lines and any accessories. Wrap the faucet's tailpiece threads with plumber's tape, then connect your supply lines to the shutoff valves, hand-tight plus a quarter turn with the wrench. If your faucet includes a separate sprayer or comes with a soap dispenser, connect those lines now too.
6. Test everything before you pack up. Turn the water back on slowly and run the faucet on both hot and cold for a minute, checking every connection underneath for drips. Also check the base of the faucet on top of the counter, since a leak there can slowly damage the countertop and cabinet even if the connections below are dry.

A few things that catch people off guard

• Weight matters. Heavier pull-down and pull-out faucets often include a weighted hose guide, which needs to be attached and adjusted so the hose retracts smoothly.
• Deck plates. If your old faucet used a deck plate to cover extra holes and your new one doesn't need it, you'll have exposed holes to cover or a mismatch in the sink's footprint. Measure before you buy.
• Corroded shutoff valves. These are one of the most common reasons a "simple" faucet swap turns into an emergency, since old valves can crack or fail to fully close when you finally use them again.

Most of this job is manageable with patience and the right tools, but if a shutoff valve won't budge, a supply line connection won't stop weeping, or you're just not confident working in that cramped space with the water main involved, ProFlow Plumbing can get your new faucet installed cleanly in far less time than it takes to troubleshoot a stuck fitting on your own.