How to replace a bathroom faucet

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Moen, Incorporated for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I was asked by Moen to review one of their bathroom faucets and I thought it would be a great opportunity to share a tutorial on changing out your bathroom faucet. I will admit that this was the first faucet I have ever changed and although I was a little intimidated at first, it was actually a very simple process.

Here is a before and after shot of my faucet.

 

Items needed for this project:

• Boardwalk Spot Resist bath faucet.
• Safety Glasses
• Adjustable Wrench
• Pliers
• Sealant
• Bucket

 

Directions for taking off previous faucet:

Not all faucets are the same but the process is pretty basic so hopefully you will get the idea.

 

• The first step is to turn off the water going to the faucet. Then turn the faucet on to let the water empty out of the pipes. You will also need to place a bucket under the sink to catch any remaining water dripping from the pipes as you work.
• Using an adjustable wrench, disconnect the hot and cold supply lines running to the faucet (photo 1). Place these lines inside the bucket to catch any drips.
• Remove the mounting nuts that are holding the faucet in place (photo 2).
• Remove the nut that is holding the lift rod in place. Now slide the nut and strap off of the horizontal rod. (photo 3)
• You should now be able to remove the faucet. There was some sealant on my faucet that made it somewhat difficult to remove but it came off with a good tug.
• Scrap off any remaining sealant and clean the area before installing your new faucet.

 

Directions for installing the new Boardwalk Spot Resist bath faucet:

 

• Slip the pipes of your new faucet spout into the center hole then slide the plastic spacer and metal bracket over the mounting bolt and secure with a nut. (photo 1) I used the plastic wrench that was included with the kit to tighten the nut.
• Apply sealant to the underside of the metal rings and place over the holes for your handles.
• Thread the nut and washer onto the hot and cold valves included in your kit. then slip these up through the holes and lock in place with the locking rings. (photo 2) Yes, I realize that there is not washer in this photo. I did fix it but forgot to take another picture.
• Using an adjustable wrench tighten the valves in place then slip on the hose assembly. Trying to get these tubes to twist just right in order to get them on without kinking them was probably the hardest part of this installation. but with a little finagling I was able to get them on. (photo 3)
• Rotate the stems on top of the supply valves until they stop. Then slip the faucet handles on and rotate the handle hubs until they stop.
• There is also a pump up drain assembly included in the kit. Mine was in great shape to begin with so I chose not to replace it. However, if you do choose to replace your drain assembly, now would be the time to do it.
• Once your drain assembly is in place slide the lift rod into the hole at the top of the spout. Then slide the nut and strap back onto the lift rod and secure in place making sure there is and 1/8" gap between the lift rod and the spout.
• Now you can reinstall the hot and cold supply lines and turn the water back on. Check to make sure everything is working properly, then sit back and enjoy.

A few things I learned during this process:

• Expect surprises. Our sink was actually cracked under the faucet. I believe was due to the previous faucet being too small for the sink but was forced to fit anyway. The holes in the porcelain were not round (like they had been sanded down to make them larger) and the handles didn't quite cover the entire hole. The previous faucet didn't cover the holes either but we never noticed because they were covered with sealant. And yes, we are planning on buying a new sink soon.
• Taking photos while installing a sink is not an easy task. I wish that I had more photos to share with you but I was so focused on installing the faucet that I kept forgetting to take pictures. Lucky for you... The Moen Boardwalk Spot Resist bath faucet comes with a complete set of easy to follow instructions with tons of photos to help you throughout the entire process.
• This project took a lot less time than I had planned. I believe it took me about an hour from start to finish. This also included the time I spent adjusting my camera settings to get a clear photo (it's hard taking pictures inside of a dark cabinet.) If you're not planning on taking photos of your progress you could probably do this in less than half an hour.
• Having a second set of hands is not necessary but it did help. I recruited my daughter (who is 5) to hold the flashlight for me and also to hold the valves in place while I slipped on the locking rings.

Overall, I am in love with our new faucet. The Moen Boardwalk Spot Resist bath faucet is Brushed Nickel which resists fingerprints and water spots making it a perfect option for our kids/guest bathroom. The faucet also meets WaterSense criteria to conserve water without sacrificing performance. You can purchase the Moen Boardwalk at your local Lowe's.

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