A vessel sink is a type of kitchen sink that is mounted on top of the counter or on top of the cabinet. They are typically installed in kitchens and bathrooms. Vessel sinks come in many different colors, shapes, and sizes.
Installing a vessel sink for your bathroom can be a challenge. This guide will help you with how to install a vessel sink step by step so that you don’t have any problems.
It is important to measure everything correctly in order to avoid mistakes and extra work down the road. Make sure you read through this guide before starting your installation project!
Be sure to read through each step carefully and take notes as you go along. It’s always best to have someone help you on this project, but if not, make sure you are comfortable working on something like this alone first so that it is easier for both of you when they come over.
You can also read our recently published article on granite composite sink buying guide.
Table Of Contents
Steps On How To Install A Vessel Sink In Your Home
Turn Off The Water Supply
Turn off the water supply to your home before you start. This is typically located in a basement or under the kitchen sink. The valve has two handles that are usually near each other and will be labeled as “Cold” (turn clockwise) and “Hot” (turn counterclockwise).
It can sometimes take some time for the water to stop flowing, so you will want to be prepared with a bucket or pan. Once you have turned off the water supply in your home, make sure that all of the spigots and faucets are also turned off before continuing on.
If there is any standing water left over from turning off the water supply, you will want to use a bucket or pan and scoop it up.
Take Proper Measures & Mark Your Countertop
Take the proper measurements of your countertops, which will be how wide and long they are. This is also a good time to mark where you want your vessel to sink on top of them with a pencil or chalk so that it can remain visible when installing the fixture.
You should measure based on what type of faucet you will be installing. For example, if you are using a single-hole faucet, then measure from the middle of that hole to both end edges of your countertop.
If you will be installing a three-hole faucet with an offset sprayer on one side (like this blog post), take care and make sure to get measurements for all three holes.
All of the measurements should be noted on a piece of paper or on your phone so that you can easily refer to them when it comes time for installation. If there are any obstructions, such as cabinets, under-sink piping, and dishwashers nearby, then make sure to measure around those too!
Make A Hole For Plumbing
Measure how far the plumbing locations are from the back of the vanity and transfer them to the wall using a tape measure. This is done by measuring and marking where each area will go on the wall with a pencil, chalk, or a drawing utensil.
Do not make any holes until you know where all of your plumbing will be located, and ensure that all your measurements are accurate. If you are installing a two-hole faucet, then there should be an offset to the left of your vessel sink.
The first hole will go in between and above those holes (but not too close). Use a pencil or marker to trace out where it should go on your wall. Marking out these locations is important because you want to make sure that your plumbing is not too far away from the sink, or else you will have an oversized hole in your wall.
If there are any obstructions near where these pipes would go (such as cabinets), then make sure they are marked out on a piece of paper before making holes for them!
You will need to drill a hole for the water supply pipe, which will be on one side of your countertops. The location for this should be in line with where you have drawn lines from the back of your vessel sink so as not to make any difference between it and other plumbing locations.
Location & Level The Vanity
The location of your vanity will depend on the size of your vessel sink. Determine where you want it to go before leveling and installing it into place.
Make sure that its height is not excessive so that there is enough space for someone to use comfortably, but also make sure not to put them too close, or else they will limit access from the other side of the vanity.
Some vessel sinks will need to be custom-ordered, so you may want to have this in mind before placing it up on your countertops. If this is the case, then make sure there is enough space for someone.
When considering levelers or shims, measure, and mark where they go so that they are not too close to the sides of your countertops. Marking out these locations is important because you want to make sure that all of them have enough space around them for someone to comfortably use in case there is an obstruction nearby, such as a cabinet or dishwasher.
If this installation has more than one hole, then you will need to make a hole for the water supply pipe. This is done by drilling it into one side of your countertops, but in line with where your lines are from the back of your vessel sink so as not to make any difference between them.
You should also measure and mark out all other plumbing locations on this side.
Attach The Vanity To Wall
There are two ways to attach a vanity top to the wall. The first is with brackets and lag bolts, which require more time, but you cannot see any of them from your finished product.
If this is the kind that you want, then mark out where they go on the backside of your countertop. The second way is with either screws or a nail gun; both are fast, but you can still see them in your finished product.
You should be able to install it without having to remove the wall covering paper, which will save time and work! Mark out where they go on the backside of your countertops, making sure there is enough space.
If you have a vessel sink with more than one hole, then make a mark where the water supply pipe will go in line with your lines from the back of it so as not to create any discrepancies between them.
You should also measure and mark out all other plumbing locations on the side of your countertops.
Fix The Faucet
If your sink has a faucet, then you will need to attach it. Follow the instructions from your manufacturer for specific information about how this is done.
Alternatively, if there are no holes or something else wrong with it that requires fixing, but you still want it installed on your vessel sink – just screw in an escutcheon plate and attach it to the back of your countertops.
Then, if you want a faucet there and not just an escutcheon plate, then match up with what you need for that type of fixture before installing it so that all plumbing connections will be correct.
If this installation has more than one hole, then make sure to screw in an escutcheon plate in line with what you need for that type of fixture before installing it so that all plumbing connections will be correct.
If your sink does not have a faucet, then this is unnecessary.
Join The Vanity Top To The Countertops
Match up the holes at the back of your vanity top to those on your countertop and screw in a set of screws. Make sure that they are not too close to any side edges, so there is enough space.
If you have more than one hole, make sure it matches your lines from the back of your vessel sink and screw in a set of screws.
Attach The Vessel Sink
Position your vessel sink in the center and then attach it with screws all around. Make sure that this is done in line with your lines from the back of it so as not to create any discrepancies between them.
If you have more than one hole, make sure they are matched up properly before screwing in screws – there should be enough space.
You can also do this by attaching it with brackets and lag bolts, which takes more time but is not visible from the end product; if you want that type of installation, then mark out where they go on the backside of your countertops so there will be enough space.
Attach The Remaining Plumbing
Once you’re done attaching the vessel sink, you can attach the water supply pipe, and any other plumbing marked out on your countertops. Attaching the remaining plumbing is a fairly simple process, but it’s also the most crucial step because it will determine whether or not your sink has water.
Final Verdict
If you’ve been considering adding a vessel sink to your bathroom or kitchen, we hope that this installation guide on how to install a vessel sink has been helpful. The key is how detailed the instructions are and where they explain why certain steps need to be taken.
It should also help if you have someone with plumbing experience assist you on some of these more complicated aspects of the project because it can get tricky when there are pipes involved.
This detailed guide offers step-by-step directions from start to finish, so give it a try!