Ugly faucet before the face lift...Pay no attention to the rust and ick. I promise it was hiding underneath the cover plate!

I confess to hating my kitchen sink. Stainless can be nice, but I believe my stainless sink is the lowest grade the builder could buy. After we developed a leak around the equally ugly faucet, I began to plan my kitchen re-do. (Of course, that ain’t happenin’.) It just didn’t fit into the budget. But a new faucet did! (Caveat:  Measure the old faucet before buying the new one. When in doubt, just take the old one with you for the purchase.)

Replacing a faucet is a fairly easy DIY project–if you have the right tools or some ingenuity. Here is a quick how to:

Supplies:

• wrenches (try to use a basin wrench. It is designed for this occasion, though we didn’t have success. ***See below.)
• WD40 (maybe)
• pliers (our faucet came with its own tool for tightening the new faucet)
• bucket (just in case)
• old towels

1. The most crucial step is to turn off the water under the sink. Do not forget to do this. Forgetting could ruin your day. While you are down there, empty the contents and clean the cabinet on the inside. This is a great time to invest in a bin to hold items. Then, everything can be easily removed should you ever have need. (I hope you don’t!)
   

   See the valves in the back? These will shut off or turn on your water for the sink. Remember: Righty Tighty (Close); Lefty Loosey (Open)

2. Disconnect the water hoses from the old faucet. Have the bucket handy to catch any residual water in these hoses. If the water flows freely, you have a problem. See MOST CRUCIAL STEP, above.
3. Loosen the nut that connects the old faucet to the sink. ***Try the basin wrench. Try spraying the nut with WD40. Be sure the children are out of ear-shot. Try for two days. When all else fails (here’s the ingenuity part), use your handy, dandy Dremel to cut through the nut. Voila! Easy as pie.
   

   Ugly Faucet Before--Yep. That's it. The dreaded nut, cemented by rust. WAY up between the two basins, in the very back, where you have to contort your body to see--much less to loosen. That easy as pie comment? Sarcasm.

4. Remove old faucet. Gag. Clean sink thoroughly. If it is stainless, try Barkeeper’s Friend. Otherwise, use the recommended cleaner for your type of sink.
   

   Out with the Old...

   

   Pure Ick--Ugly Sink. Time for Barkeeper's Friend.

   

   Final Farewell to Ugly, Sad, Leaky Faucet

5. Prepare new faucet for installation, according to its package directions. Don’t forget the water hoses. Be careful when tightening! Now is not the time to over-do it. Stripped nuts do not go well with plumbing. Or any project, for that matter.
   

   New, Shiny, Non-Leaky Faucet--Still the same old sink, yet somehow, it doesn't bother me as much!

6. Turn back on water at the shut off valves, and check carefully for leaks.
   

   Not-So-Glamorous View of New Faucet

7. Return neatly organized bin of stuff under the sink.
   

   Under Sink Storage Bin

   

   Yes. It is the InSinkErator. Best disposal EVER. Also, kind of pricey. I think around $300, but it was money well spent about three years earlier.

8. Enjoy the new look! It does not change your sink, but it might make it more tolerable until a new one is in the budget.

Isn't it wonderful? My sink feels years younger!

One tip:  Cover the drains with cardboard or tape or something. That way you don’t have to worry about aforementioned ick, nuts, or tools ending up in the drain.

This might seem daunting, but it really is relatively easy to do (OK…My husband did the hard, dismantling part. After the initial encounter with the rusty nut did not go well, he refused to quit until the deed was done…I was perfectly fine with that .)

I love the new faucet. I don’t hate my sink, anymore–at least, not quite as much.