The proper kitchen remodeling or bathroom remodeling project should be completed with a well thought out and tasteful replacement of the faucets and fixtures. Chances are, if you are considering remodeling your kitchen or bathroom, you have already begun looking at new sinks, fixtures and faucets. Hopefully, for you, all the rest of the remodeling has been completed. This includes new floors, plumbing and electrical work, new cabinets and furniture, tubs and/or showers, countertops and any tile work that needed to be done. If not, than do those first.
If so, or if you have no plans to remodel those things at all, here are a few things that will help you find and install the faucets and fixtures that will make your new kitchen or bath complete.
Size Of Piping
First, when shopping for new faucets, you need to be very careful what you end up getting. The size of the pipe for the faucet itself needs to be compatible with the size of the piping in your kitchen or bathroom fixture that you are installing it into. This requires you to take proper notes of everything as you go, when you are tearing down the old faucet and fixture to make sure that you get the right size of faucet.
Measurements
Before you ever set foot into a big box home improvement supply store, be sure that you have measured everything that you need to measure. This includes the size of the replacement sink, toilet, shower or tub, the size and length of the drain, the dimensions of the kitchen or bathroom itself, and anything else that may be pertinent. Every faucet or fixture replacement is different, and depends upon the specifics of the given room.
Make sure you have everything written down, and clearly laid out before you go shopping. If you need help from one of the store's representatives, it will help them help you by knowing exactly what the dimensional requirements of the situation are.
Materials
Also, especially with fixtures, you need to have at least an idea about what kind of material you need for the new fixture. Stainless steel, ceramic, plastics, composite - all of them will mean that you need to acquire different accessories. It will also determine how involved of a process the installation of the new fixture or faucet will be when you get it home to begin the renovations.
Proper Installation
Usually, if you are simply replacing a sink with the exact same perimeter dimensions, it is simply a matter of prying the old one out, and caulking and bolting the new one in. If you are getting a sink that is larger than the old one, some sawing and cutting will be required. The problem comes if you are getting a sink that is smaller than the old one. It is very difficult to find ways to fill the gaps, and you may have to consider redoing the entire layout of your kitchen or bathroom to accommodate this.
Posted by: valarie