Installing a New Sink: 11 Things to Watch Out For
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Swollen Countertops Spell Trouble
Leaks around a sink rim can soak the particleboard under a plastic laminate countertop. A little water damage is normal and won’t interfere with your new sink. However, severe swelling will prevent the new sink from sitting flat on the countertop. And crumbling particleboard won’t provide a solid base for the clips that fasten the sink to the countertop.
Look at the countertop surface around the sink. Check for bulges or areas where the laminate has loosened from the particleboard. Then look at the countertop from under the sink for areas that are too spongy to support sink clips or support the sink itself. If you find any of these problems, replace the countertop.
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Seal With Caulk, Not Putty
Plumber’s putty has long been the standard sealant for sink baskets and sometimes even sink rims. The problem with putty is that it eventually dries out, cracks and causes leaks. Worse, it can damage some plastics, including some of the plastics used to make sinks. Avoid drips and disasters by using a silicone caulk instead.
Use a kitchen-and-bath 100 percent silicone that requires solvent cleanup—sold at home centers. Apply a bead around the sink opening when installing a new sink and around the drain opening when you set the disposer drain and basket strainer. Wipe away excess caulk.
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Remove a Self-Rimming Cast Iron Sink
Before installing a new sink, you need to remove the old one carefully. Self-rimming cast iron sinks are held in place with caulk. If you’re replacing the sink but keeping the laminate countertop, you’ll have to cut through the caulk. That can be tricky, especially if the caulk has hardened.
You’ll need lots of patience and these items: shims, a few feet of 2×4, a stiff putty knife and a heavy-duty solid-blade utility knife.
Wedge a 2×4 between the sink bottom and the floor of the cabinet to create a slight upward force. Then cut the caulk. If the caulk is too hard to cut, hammer an old putty knife through the caulk, driving it toward the sink a section at a time.
Once you’ve cut the back corners, sides and front, tilt the sink up and cut the remaining caulk from the underside of the sink. Lift out the sink and clean the caulk residue from the laminate.
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