How To Install A Kitchen Faucet

Do you want to learn how to install a kitchen faucet yourself? Plumbing repairs in any form can be a scary idea. But upgrading your kitchen faucet is not as difficult as it might seem.

how to install a kitchen faucet

We’ll show you exactly how to install a kitchen faucet with this easy tutorial. 

DIY Kitchen Faucet Install - Before
Kitchen Faucet Before update
DIY Kitchen Faucet Update

Use These Materials For Installation Of The Kitchen Faucet

Installing kitchen faucets are relatively simple once you have the right process and materials in place.

  • New / replacement kitchen faucet
  • Crescent wrench
  • Screwdriver
  • Old towels (optional but recommended)

The Step by Step For Installing a New Kitchen Faucet

Clean under sink area

Step One: Turn off water

To begin, after you’ve cleaned out under your kitchen sink, you’ll need to turn off the water to your faucet. 

Turn off the Hot and Cold water sources.

Pro Tip: These will have visible hoses running directly up to the faucet’s base.

Clean also the stainless sink

Step Two: Drain the lines

After you’ve turned off both water sources, turn the faucet on. 

A little residual water may run out, but then it should be dry.

Faucet escutcheon under

Step Three: Check for the escutcheon

If your faucet has an escutcheon (the “optional” 10-inch mounting plate that rests under the base of the faucet shank), you’ll need to loosen this. 

Reach up under the faucet and unscrew and remove the two mounting nuts from the two mounting bolts/shanks.

DIY Kitchen Faucet Install - water off

Step Four: Disconnect hoses

Since your water is now turned off, you have no need for the hoses up to your faucet. Disconnect these (red arrows in the photo). 

Also, disconnect the faucet outlet hose from the faucet-mounting bolt (blue arrow in the photo).

DIY Kitchen Faucet Install additional-length hoses

Pro Tip: Some faucets may have additional-length hoses that connect the faucet to the water source; some faucets may have hoses that are long enough to connect themselves.

Either way, disconnect them all.

DIY Kitchen Faucet Install - faucet-mounting bolt

Use a crescent wrench to unscrew the nut from the faucet-mounting bolt.

Escutcheon mounting bolts

Everything is disconnected at this point – the two escutcheon mounting bolts, the water hoses, and the faucet mount.

screwdriver to loosen the weight

Step Five: Remove weight

Use a screwdriver to loosen the weight from the faucet hose.

DIY Kitchen Faucet Install - remove the weight from the hose

Remove the weight from the hose.

Remove old faucet

Step Six: Take out faucet

With everything disconnected, it’s time to remove your old faucet from its place in the sink.

Pull the kitchen faucet

Pull the kitchen faucet and all of its connected pipes, tubes, hoses, whatever, up and out of the sink holes.

Clean the sink top around the faucet

Step Seven: Clean any grime

Clean the sink-top around the faucet holes and edge of old escutcheon plate.

Clean the sink top

Pro Tip: If you choose to use an S.O.S. scouring pad, be careful not to scrape your sink’s surface too much.

new escutcheon and under cover plate

Step Eight: Install new escutcheon plate

Grab the new escutcheon and under cover plate.

new escutcheon and under cover plate attach

Attach them together. They won’t snap together, but they should fit snugly.

escutcheon and under cover plate onto sink-top

Place the escutcheon and under cover plate onto sink-top, with plate shanks going through the sink holes.

Grab the new faucet sink

Step Nine: Install new fixture

Grab the new faucet and carefully thread the hoses down through the escutcheon and center sink hole.

Push hoses

Push hoses all the way down.

Line up the faucet

Step Ten: Line it up

Line up the hub of the faucet onto the escutcheon. 

Pro Tip: The tabs on the escutcheon should line up with slots on the bottom of the faucet hub.

Under the sink and place

Have someone hold the faucet in place up above while you head under the sink and place, then tighten by hand, the brass mounting nut and washer onto the new faucet shank. 

Use a screwdriver to lighten the locking screws.

DIY Kitchen Faucet Install - thight space under sink

Step Eleven: Tighten mounting nuts

Place, then tighten with your hands, the two mounting nuts onto the under cover plate’s shanks to hold the escutcheon in place.

Install the hose weight for kitchen faucet

Step Twelve: Attach hose weight

It’s now time to install the hose weight. 

Make sure the faucet hose is still secured (generally with a plastic clip) up on the sink side so the hose doesn’t get pulled through the faucet during the next step. 

Under the sink, slide the weight onto the faucet hose.

Attach the end of the faucet

Step Thirteen: Attach to outlet

Attach the end of the faucet hose to the faucet outlet (right up under the faucet shank) with a clip or other attachment provided with the new faucet. 

Gently pull the faucet hose a bit to make sure it’s connected securely.

DIY Kitchen Faucet Install - re hook the water

Step Fourteen: Hook up water

It’s time to re-hook up the water. 

You’ll notice Hot and Cold hoses coming out of your faucet. 

These need to be connected to the Hot and Cold water sources under your sink.

DIY Kitchen Faucet Install - hot and cold hoose water

The water source that is connected to your dishwasher is the Hot line; the other is the Cold.

Hot-to-hot and cold-to-cold

Attach the appropriate hoses to the water sources – hot to hot, cold to cold.

crescent wrench to tighten connection

Use a crescent wrench to tighten connection, but don’t overtighten.

Test your Faucet

Step Fifteen: Turn on the water

Turn on your faucet to make sure it works. 

Check under the sink for leaks. 

Run the faucet for a minute or two to flush out any debris.

Attach the sprayer

Step Sixteen: Attach sprayer

The last step to installing the new kitchen faucet is to attach the sprayer to the faucet hose.

Tighten the sprayer

Tighten the sprayer, then remove the clip from your faucet hose.

DIY Kitchen Faucet Install - place sprayer back

Place sprayer back up next to faucet spout.

Test the faucet sprayer

Step Seventeen: Check for leaks

Double-check under the sink to make sure all stays dry.

DIY Kitchen Sprayer Faucet Install

New Kitchen Faucet Install

A new kitchen faucet can do wonders in making any kitchen feel updated. The scale of this particular faucet – its height in relation to the sink and in proximity to the over-sink light – lends a sense of presence.

DIY Kitchen Faucet Install touch
Beautiful kitchen update - light, backsplash and sprayer faucet

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)FAQ

How to replace kitchen faucet?

To replace a kitchen faucet, you’ll want to clean out your sink first. Then, turn off the water and disconnect the hose. Loosen the nut under the faucet. Clean the sink holes. Once this prep is done, you’ll follow along the step-by-step guide laid out in this post to install the kitchen faucet.

How to install a kitchen faucet?

To install a kitchen faucet, you’ll want to clear out your space and sink first. Then, turn off the water and disconnect the hose. Loosen the nut under the faucet. Clean the sink holes. Once this prep is done, you’ll follow along the step-by-step guide laid out in this post to install tthe kitchen faucet.

How to remove the kitchen faucet?

To remove a kitchen faucet, you need to turn off the water, disconnect the hose, loosen the nuts under the faucet, and pull it out.

How to fix a leaky kitchen faucet?

To fix a leaky kitchen faucet, you’ll first have to identify which faucet type you have. Once you do that, you find case-specific instructions to ensure the best results on your faucet.

What are the best kitchen faucets?

The best kitchen faucets are always changing, to find the best ones, you should consult monthly roundup guides on consumer reviews. That said, Moen, Delta, and Kraus are well-known brands that do rank. If you find one be sure to read through their manuals or online for installing a Delta kitchen faucet, a Moen kitchen faucet installation.

How to clean a kitchen faucet head?

You can clean a kitchen faucet head with a 2:1 mixture of baking soda and vinegar. Place this mixture in a baggy. Put the baggy over the kitchen faucet head. Let it fizz up for 30 minutes. Remove. Wash with warm water. Dry with a microfiber cloth.

Kitchen Faucet Installation: Conclusion

There you have it: The process for installing a kitchen faucet. As we told you, it wasn’t as hard as it looked! Now it’s your turn to go out and get your new kitchen faucet placed. We wish you luck and hope this was a helpful guide.

Be sure to check out other tutorials in our DIY Kitchen Upgrade Series: