How to Install a Centerset Faucet With a Pop-Up Drain

Centerset faucet with pop-up drain installed to sink

The Spruce / Kevin Norris

Project Overview
  • Working Time: 1 hr
  • Total Time: 1 hr
  • Skill Level: Beginner

One of the most popular home improvements is upgrading your faucet, whether in the kitchen, bathroom, or laundry room. It can be surprisingly easy for homeowners to replace a bathroom faucet and install a new centerset faucet with a pop-up drain in an existing sink.

Your current faucet may or may not have a pop-up drain. Most bathroom faucets come with a pop-up, so let’s assume that for this tutorial. If your faucet does not have one, then the installation is a bit easier; just ignore the steps dealing with the pop-up drain installation.

Choosing Your Centerset Faucet

When you upgrade or replace your bathroom faucet, you should know what type of faucet you had and what type you want. If you are replacing an old two-handle faucet, it is probably a compression-type faucet. Newer two-handle faucets may be of a cartridge or disc-type valve. If you have a single lever or single ball handle faucet, it is probably a ball-valve faucet. If your faucet is a single lever type, then it may be a disc or cartridge faucet.

In addition to knowing the type of faucet you want to use, you need to know the offset or centerset of the faucet. This dimension is the distance between the center of the cold faucet threaded pipe (or tap) and the center of the hot tap. This distance must be the same as the center-to-center distance of the faucet holes in your sink.

Before You Begin

Shut off the water supply valves to the faucet. If you cannot locate the values, you’ll have to turn off the supply for the entire house. Once the supply valves are closed, you should also relieve any remaining pressure by opening the faucet and letting any water drain into the sink basin. That way, there will be less mess when the faucet is actually disconnected.

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • Adjustable wrench or basin wrench
  • Bucket
  • Channel-lock pliers
  • Screwdriver

Materials

  • Plumber's putty
  • Silicone latex caulk (if needed)
  • New centerset faucet kit
  • Plumber's tape

Instructions

Materials and tools to install a centerset faucet with pop-up drain

The Spruce / Kevin Norris

  1. Disconnect the Water Supply Lines

    Disconnect the water supply from the end of the faucet pipe at each supply connection by using an adjustable wrench or a basin wrench. Have a bucket handy to catch any spilling water. If the water continues to leak after the faucet is removed, then the supply line has not been fully turned off.

    Water supply lines disconnected with wrench

    The Spruce / Kevin Norris

  2. Remove the Pop-Up Drain

    Disconnect the pop-up drain, if your faucet has one. You’ll find the pop-up pivot rod screwed into the back of your drain line. Using channel-lock pliers or similar, unscrew the pivot rod from the back of the drain pipe. The pivot rod attaches to the lift rod bracket by a spring clamp, and the lift rod bracket attaches to the lift rod itself by what is called a clevis screw. Unscrew the clevis screw (usually at the top of the bracket) and remove the pivot rod. Lift the pop-up drain from the sink.

    Pop-up drain removed with channel-lock pliers

    The Spruce / Kevin Norris

  3. Remove the Old Faucet

    Unscrew the large mounting nuts and washers found under the sink. These fasten the faucet to the sink. Once the nuts are removed, simply lift the old faucet out of the sink.

    Old faucet removed from sink

    The Spruce / Kevin Norris

  4. Clean the Work Area

    Clean the sink where the old faucet used to be by removing any plumber’s putty, dirt, or grime.

    Sink cleaned after removing old faucet

    The Spruce / Kevin Norris

  5. Visualize the Installation

    Test fit the new faucet by placing the faucet supply lines through the sink basin holes.

    Faucet supply lines inserted through sink basin holes

    The Spruce / Kevin Norris

  6. Install a Gasket or Use Plumber's Putty

    If your faucet uses a gasket, place it in the sink over the holes. Insert the faucet supply lines into the faucet mounting holes and the faucet onto the gasket.

    If your faucet does not have a gasket, you need to create a waterproof seal between the sink and the faucet. Place a bead of ​plumber’s putty (unless you have a marble sink or countertop as in an undermount sink or drop-in sink) along the entire lip of the base of the faucet. Insert the faucet supply lines through the sink basin holes and press the faucet firmly onto the sink.

    If your faucet is being mounted to a marble sink or countertop, use a silicone latex caulk instead of plumber’s putty to avoid staining. Remove any excess plumber’s putty or caulk.

    Gasket installed into faucet mounting holes

    The Spruce / Kevin Norris

  7. Install the Faucet

    Fasten the faucet to the sink by installing the faucet mounting washers and nuts to the underside of the sink. Fasten the nuts snugly but do not over-tighten them.

    Faucet installed from underside of sink

    The Spruce / Kevin Norris

  8. Connect the Faucet

    Connect flexible water supply lines from the connection on the water shut-off valves to the end of the faucet supply lines. Apply plumber's tape to the threaded ends of the faucet supply line and attach the water supply lines and nuts to the faucet supply lines. Fasten the nuts snug but do not over-tighten.

    Flexible water supply lines connected to shut-off valves

    The Spruce / Kevin Norris

  9. Connect the Pop-Up Drain

    Insert the pop-up drain into the sink’s drain hole and attach the lift rod bracket to the lift rod with the clevis screw. Attach the pivot rod to the back of the drain line and snug the nut.

    Attach the pivot rod to the lift rod bracket to achieve the proper amount of pop-up drain lift, per the manufacturer’s directions. Make necessary adjustments by altering the clevis screw location in the lift rod bracket holes.

    Pop-up drain inserted into sink's drain hole

    The Spruce / Kevin Norris

  10. Test the Faucet

    Turn on the water supply and test for leaks.

    Water supply turned on to test for leaks

    The Spruce / Kevin Norris