The kitchen is an important part in any house. The kitchen is where food is made and prepared, dirty wear is washed and cleaned, and where people like to relax in the morning with a cup of coffee. It goes without saying that a kitchen sink is an essential, and without want your kitchen life would be very limited. These days many people are choosing to replace their old sinks with new ones, often to make the place look more modern and stylish.

The problem is, a sink can cost you a lot to install if you hire a plumber to do the work, and can cost more than the sink itself! For this reason, many people are starting to install their own kitchen sinks. This is great, but if not done correctly can lead to a lot of problems later down the line which could potentially cost you a fortune.  Below are the steps required to successfully install your very own kitchen sink.

• First of all you need to think through all the logistics. Make sure you have enough money to buy the sink and any additional tools you may need.  You then need to think about sizes and measurements. Many sink manufactures provide a free template of the size of the sink, so you can see whether it will fit or not. Once you have decided the sink in question will fit into your kitchen, you are ready to move to the next step.

• Stencil round the template of the sink, and proceed to drill a 3/8-inch-diameter hole in each corner. Use a saber saw and start cutting from one hole to the other. Be careful, you need to stay exactly on the line. Take your time when using the saw and don’t rush it, or you could cause yourself problems later on. Once you have drilled all the way around the surface many fall through. If it doesn’t simply push it out. You now have your sink space ready.

• Put the sink upside down, and install the sink faucet (tap) as well as the sink strainers. It is much better to do this whilst the sink is out in the open as you have a lot more access to put the parts into place. Proceed to line the lip on the underside of the sink with plumbers putty to create a watertight seal for when the sink is in place.

• Take great care, and flip the sink over and place it into the hole you made earlier. The sink should fit straight into place; if not then you may need to drill the hole a tiny bit bigger. Be careful when lifting the sink, and if possible try and get someone else to help you with the burden.

The sink should come with mounting clips that keep the sink in place. Fit these whilst following the manufacturer’s instructions and your sink will now be firmly in place. Now all you need to do is simply connect the P trap, which carries the water to the faucet from the pipes. Run the water for a few minutes to check all is working, and take a step back and admire your handy work, you have no installed your very own sink!

If you are in the market for purchasing a new sink you may want to check out the sink review website to read up on pedestal sinks and other stylish models for bathroom, kitchen and spots in the house that could use the accent of a sink.