The bathroom sink is a necessary element, in the bathroom fixtures stores today, you can find a sink for every taste, every size and almost every design. Modern sinks are made of sanitary ware and ceramics and metal, marble, artificial stone, and even very durable glass. But for the sanitary ware to work reliably, it is important to perform the installation correctly. Fortunately, installing a sink in the bathroom with your own hands is not a very difficult task. It will require the usual tools and minimal construction skills.
Types of Fixings and Mounting Systems for the Sink
There are not many different kinds of shell installation systems, but they all require an individual approach. Let’s briefly list the popular types of shells and methods of fixing them.
- Classic sink with the supporting leg that is attached to the wall with the backside. The mixer can be installed either in the sink body or attached to the wall; it all depends on a hole’s presence for its tapping. Inside the hollow leg is enough space to accommodate communications without much trickery.
- Classic sink without support has no supporting leg; its fastening is performed on two specially shaped brackets. In addition to the absence of a support leg, the sink is almost the same as the previous one, but thanks to this design can be installed, for example, over the washing machine.
- The next type is made as a small cabinet with a sink at the top. Instead of the cupboard itself can be installed a metal frame. The advantage of such shells is that they can be quickly removed and moved together, plus under the cup, there is a well-equipped place for storing household chemicals.
- The sink on the tabletop is one of the most modern versions of sanitary ware. As such, the bowl’s fixing does not have, the advantage is a more noble and unusual appearance, and there are additional functional surfaces.
Installation of the Sink with the Supporting Leg
Despite a supporting leg, the main load from the bowl is the node of its attachment to the wall. Usually, such shells have a flat backside with a couple of holes through which the bowl presses tightly against the wall. The main difficulty in installing such a sink is to calculate the height of the fastener correctly. Sometimes it is specified in the product passport, but it is often necessary to place the bowl on an even floor, measure the distance to the center of the holes, and then add the feet’ height to it. If installation at this height is impossible, the foot is shortened from below by a cutting wheel on the concrete.
The bathroom renovation is an important moment for your condo. The wall is first marked with a horizontal line, on which two risks postpone the center distance of the fastener. Then a perforator drills holes; as a rule, their diameter is 12-14 mm. In the drilled holes hammer plastic plugs, they screwed studs with metric thread at the end. First, you need to move the leg in place to install the sink itself, support the cup on it, and thus get the studs in the holes. To securely attach the sink to the studs, first put on the sealing washers, tighten one or two nuts of appropriate diameter.
Installation of the Sink Without Support
If there is no leg, the shell fastening will experience dynamic loads, so two studs are unnecessary. Mount the sink on special brackets. They can be either simple steel corners or pretentious brackets with chrome plating. There is a kind of shell with two round channels inside the sides, with which the bowl is put on two pipes rigidly fixed to the wall. The most advantageous fixing technique is to fix both brackets to one point and then check the installation’s horizontality by rack level. The initial fixing is carried out into the oval-shaped adjustment holes. Once the horizontality has been confirmed, mark the main fasteners, the brackets are slightly turned or removed to allow access for drilling, and then complete the installation.
Installation of the Sink with the Cabinet
With few exceptions, the sink of this type has no fixation to the wall or floor. However, it can be quite difficult to ensure a tight connection between the cabinet or frame to the wall, which may be prevented by water and sewage outlets. Using the joints between the tiles as a guide, you need to mark the interfering elements’ location on the back wall of the cabinet. After that, the back wall is removed, cut out with a jigsaw or drilled with a crown of holes for the passage of hoses, then collect the cabinet back.
Installation of the Sink on the Tabletop
The sink can be installed on the worktop by either a cut-in or an overlay method. In the first case, the bowl rests on the tabletop with sides, in the second – with a flat bottom. In both cases, you will have to cut a hole in the worktop for the passage of the drain neck, and for plunging sinks – to hide the outer walls of the bowl. The only difference is that the hole for the shells can be drilled with a crown, it is rarely more than 70 mm. After the opening is made in the worktop, the bowl is put in place and the adjunction is sealed with sanitary silicone. As a rule, the sink is held by its own weight and, unlike the kitchen sink, has no additional fasteners.
Installation of a sink in the bathroom can be entrusted to a master or performed by himself. To do this, you need to have free time, tools and skills to handle them. To assemble the cabinet you will need screwdrivers, pliers and a hammer, to fix the sink and supply the communications to it, you need to prepare a drill, suitable drills, level, pencil and adjustable keys. If you do not have the necessary skills or tools, it is better to entrust the installation of the sink to a professional, because he knows exactly all the nuances.