How to Replace a Kitchen Faucet

Step-by-step

1. 1

   Shut off and verify

   Close both angle stops under the sink, then open the faucet to relieve pressure and confirm the water is actually off. If a stop will not close or weeps, replace it while you are under there — an old multi-turn stop that fails at 2 a.m. is a much worse day.

2. 2

   Clear the cabinet and light it

   Empty the cabinet, lay towels, put a bucket under the connections, and set a headlamp or work light. Almost every faucet job goes badly because the installer could not see.

3. 3

   Disconnect supply lines

   Loosen the supply nuts at the faucet shanks with an adjustable wrench, expecting a cup of trapped water. Disconnect the sprayer hose and any dishwasher air-gap line at the faucet body.

4. 4

   Break the mounting nuts loose

   This is the hard part. Mounting nuts sit 8–14 inches back in the dark, which is what a basin wrench exists for. If the nuts are corroded solid, penetrating oil and 15 minutes of patience beats forcing them and cracking the sink.

5. 5

   Clean the deck

   Lift the old faucet out and scrape off old putty, silicone and mineral crust with a plastic putty knife. Clean bare metal or stone completely — new gaskets do not seal over old residue.

6. 6

   Set the new faucet

   Follow the manufacturer's gasket instructions; most modern faucets use a rubber or foam gasket and need no putty. Where putty is specified, roll a rope and set the base into it. Tighten mounting hardware while keeping the spout square to the sink edge.

7. 7

   Connect supplies and the sprayer

   Use new braided stainless supply lines — the old ones are the same age as the faucet you just removed. Hand-tighten, then a quarter to half turn with a wrench. Do not over-tighten; these seal on a rubber washer or cone, not on force.

8. 8

   Pressurize and test

   Remove the aerator, open both stops slowly, and run hot and cold for a minute to flush debris before reinstalling it. Dry every joint with a paper towel and check again after 10 minutes, then once more the next morning.

Safety note: this guide is educational. Always follow local building codes, pull required permits, and hire a licensed pro for structural, electrical, gas or plumbing work when in doubt.