Bathroom faucets come in a variety of styles and finishes, the most common faucets are a 4" minispread(most common), 4" centerset, and a 8" widespread sink faucet. Before purchasing a new faucet check to verify what style of faucet fits your sink. Standard bathroom sinks have three holes for the faucet, these holes are spaced 2" on center making the outer two holes a distance of 4" on center. If on your sink the distance between the two outer holes is 8" from center to center you will need a 8" widespread faucet.
On standard bathroom faucets the two outer holes are for the water supply connections and the middle hole is for the pop up drain assembly vertical push rod. For the 4" minispread faucet the handles and the spout are one piece together. Both the 4" centerset and the 8" widespread faucets come in three pieces, the two handles and the spout are all separate. The water supply lines connect to the handles and is diverted to the spout through special water supply lines that come with the faucet.
The tools required for replacing a bathroom faucet are two adjustable wrenches, plumbers pipe dope, thread tape, a ratchet & extension with a 3/8" or 7/16" deepwell socket, and a small bucket or large bowl to catch the water while disconnecting the water supply lines. For the ease of use I recommend using braided water supply lines to connect the faucet to the water shut off valves
Removing a Bathroom faucet
Step1.
Disassemble the push rod clevis from the vertical push rod. Pull the vertical push rod out of the faucet.
Step2.
Close the hot and cold water shut off valves and diconnect the water supply lines from the faucet and from the water shut off valves.
Step3.
Remove the lock nuts and washers that fasten the faucet to the sink using a ratchet and deepwell socket. Then remove the faucet from the sink.
Installing a Bathroom Faucet
To make the water supply connections to the faucet easier connect the water supply lines to the faucet before installing the faucet into the sink. This way you don't have to reach up behind the sink to hook up the water lines, you only would need to connect the water lines to the water shut off valves. The plastic gasket installs in between the faucet base and the sink, to do this after connecting the water supply lines insert the plastic gasket around the base of the faucet and insert the faucet into the sink. As mentioned above I recommend using a ratchet & extension with a deepwell socket to tighten the lock nuts that fasten the faucet to the sink.
Step1.
Wrap thread tape around the male connections that connect the water supply lines to the faucet then apply a light coat of pipe dope on top of the thread tape, connect the water supply lines to the faucet. Before installing the faucet to the sink, insert the plastic gasket around the base of the faucet and then install the faucet into the sink.
Step2.
Install the washers and lock nuts that fasten the faucet to the sink, tighten the nuts just enough to hold the faucet secure.
Step3.
Insert the vertical push rod into the hole on the top of the faucet, under the sink install the pop up drain clevis to the vertical push rod. Use the metal retaining clip to connect the pop up drain clevis to the horizontal push rod.
Step4.
Connect the water supply lines to the water shut off valves, then turn the water on and check for leaks.
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