Pedestal Sink Woes
#1
12-23-10, 01:51 PM
Pedestal Sink Woes
I am doing some general upgrades and renovation on an older home (built in the '60s or '70s).
I am desperately wanting to install a pedestal sink in the front bath (cheap and they save me space!)...but the hot and cold lines are 23" high and ~11" apart. Thus, they would show their ugly, rusty heads behind the pedestal. My questions are these:
What other options do I have for sinks with a pedestal? Do they make any with a 12-in. wide base? I am not able to move the lines myself as I am a novice when it comes to plumbing and the wall is tile.
Thanks in advance.
I am desperately wanting to install a pedestal sink in the front bath (cheap and they save me space!)...but the hot and cold lines are 23" high and ~11" apart. Thus, they would show their ugly, rusty heads behind the pedestal. My questions are these:
What other options do I have for sinks with a pedestal? Do they make any with a 12-in. wide base? I am not able to move the lines myself as I am a novice when it comes to plumbing and the wall is tile.
Thanks in advance.
#3
12-23-10, 02:34 PM
Geez Ray...you are going to have to send me a bill for all these questions. 
I'll take a look at the chrome sleeves. Do you think it would look a bit awkward having them show to the right and left of the pedestal?
I'll take a look at the chrome sleeves. Do you think it would look a bit awkward having them show to the right and left of the pedestal?
#4
12-23-10, 02:41 PM
I would actually love to take off the angle stops that are on the ends of the pipes right now (they are just right angles, not valves [big pain to turn off all water]). They are however, extremely rusted and old. Do you think if I heated the ends they would turn off eventually? Or is that too much risk to the pipe?
#5
12-23-10, 03:38 PM
Do you have a substrate behind the sheetrock to attach the pedestal sink to? If not, you may have to open the wall up to install solid wood to attach it. That would be a golden opportunity to go ahead, open the wall up right, move the pipes and have them exit where you want them, installing stop valves and hiding them at the same time.
#6
12-23-10, 03:41 PM
Start soaking them with Liquid Wrench and tapping them occasionally. Try after a couple of days. Replace with stop valves.
Do you have access below? Once you start removing corroded galvanized pipes expect some to break or the end to be too rotted to reuse. You might want to re-plumb from below so the pipes come up in the wall and exit behind the sink since you may need to replace some pipes anyway.
Do you have access below? Once you start removing corroded galvanized pipes expect some to break or the end to be too rotted to reuse. You might want to re-plumb from below so the pipes come up in the wall and exit behind the sink since you may need to replace some pipes anyway.
#7
12-23-10, 04:22 PM
Well I am pleased to say that I just used a lighter on all four, and three finally wrenched off without too much trouble. The ends of the steel pipes look good, but there is a lot of rust inside.
The fourth one twisted off about 2 inches from behind the wall, and not at the joint. I was surprised to find another threaded end so close there. I am letting the joint soak for a while before I re-attach it to the pipe and try twisting the end off again.
So, finally, I can get some valves and a chrome plate for the wall. And, there are two studs behind the tile wall that I had planned to use for anchoring the sink. Only the bottom half of the wall is tile, so I'm praying that the stud finder did indeed find wood behind the sheet rock just above.
The fourth one twisted off about 2 inches from behind the wall, and not at the joint. I was surprised to find another threaded end so close there. I am letting the joint soak for a while before I re-attach it to the pipe and try twisting the end off again.
So, finally, I can get some valves and a chrome plate for the wall. And, there are two studs behind the tile wall that I had planned to use for anchoring the sink. Only the bottom half of the wall is tile, so I'm praying that the stud finder did indeed find wood behind the sheet rock just above.
#8
12-23-10, 06:04 PM
No you don't fasten the sink to the studs. You place a 2X8 under the Sheetrock then a sink hanger on the wall with the screws going in to the 2X8 under the sheet rock. You may have to put a 2X8 between two studs so you can center the hanger. Depending on the depth of the sink you may have to use a 2X12.
One type.
And another type.
One type.
And another type.
#9
12-24-10, 06:56 AM
You'll note the top hanger is only 15" long.....don't ask why. But it won't span over two studs, so the need for a spanner block is absolute. Now, if they had made it 18" long, you may have had a shot at hitting both studs. 99.999% of the time the studs you have won't line up with the hooks for the sink.
#10
12-24-10, 08:03 AM
I opened the sink this morning and looked at the installation instructions -- 2 x 4 mounted in between the studs (cut to fit directly in between the studs). The instructions then recommend using bolts to attach the sink top to the 2 x 4 cross-support (the sink top weighs 20-25 lbs.).
Or, do you still recommend using a bracket, and will it sit on the inside or outside of the wall? I suppose that with a bracket I may not have to install the cross-support or would I? And where in Lowe's would I find these? Ugh, last question I think. The wall is tile to waist level, so I was going to sit the sink up on the pedestal and drill two pilot holes where the sink will mount. Then, I was going to remove the drywall about 14" above and work behind the tile. Sound ok?
Thanks!
Or, do you still recommend using a bracket, and will it sit on the inside or outside of the wall? I suppose that with a bracket I may not have to install the cross-support or would I? And where in Lowe's would I find these? Ugh, last question I think. The wall is tile to waist level, so I was going to sit the sink up on the pedestal and drill two pilot holes where the sink will mount. Then, I was going to remove the drywall about 14" above and work behind the tile. Sound ok?
Thanks!
#11
12-24-10, 08:42 AM
The bracket won't work on stud spacing (see post#9). I think your idea of working from above shows good yankee get'r done attitude. Easier to patch and still accessible. Although they recommend a 2x4.....splurge a little and put in at least a 2x8. It will give you a warm and fuzzy feeling about where you connect the bolts. If your instructions allow you to install the sink with lags only, the so be it, but use a washer on the lag for added security. Let us know how it goes.
#12
12-25-10, 10:33 AM
Thanks again. The 2 x 8 does indeed sound like a must because I'm a little afraid that I would have attached the wood too high to too low for the sink because I am working from above the tile.
How much of the wall do you recommend I cut out? I suppose that doesn't really matter as long as I can work freely.
Anyway, Merry Christmas. I'll be starting the sink Monday morning and I'll let you know how it goes.
How much of the wall do you recommend I cut out? I suppose that doesn't really matter as long as I can work freely.
Anyway, Merry Christmas. I'll be starting the sink Monday morning and I'll let you know how it goes.
#13
12-25-10, 11:55 AM
The 2 x 8 does indeed sound like a must because I'm a little afraid that I would have attached the wood too high to too low for the sink because I am working from above the tile.
Part of the reason I always use at least a 2X8.
How much of the wall do you recommend I cut out?
I use deck screws not nails and a hammer because I do not like to hammer on studs with a finished wall attached. Never know what might shake loose. If you have a framing nailer though that should be ok for the 2X2 blocks. I would still use screws because they hold better to fasten the 2X8 to the blocks though probably not needed.
Last edited by ray2047; 12-25-10 at 12:14 PM.
#14
12-25-10, 06:09 PM
Hmm...
First, how much room will there be in between the front of the stud and the drywall?
And you are describing using 2 x 2s to attach inside the studs, 2 inches deep, leaving enough room to attach the 2 x 8 so that it is flush with the front of the stud?
I'm assuming that I can't get a drill behind the tile so I was going to compensate by attaching extra screws to the 2 x 8 up top, and then use as much length as possible going down the wall behind the sink with the 2 x 8. Would that make sense? I guess I'm thinking 'reinforce the 2 x 8 up top by cutting out more of the drywall -- if you can't get screws in directly behind where the sink will attach to the wall'.
I'm getting quite irritated that this wall is tiled with 30 year old tile!
Thanks...
First, how much room will there be in between the front of the stud and the drywall?
And you are describing using 2 x 2s to attach inside the studs, 2 inches deep, leaving enough room to attach the 2 x 8 so that it is flush with the front of the stud?
I'm assuming that I can't get a drill behind the tile so I was going to compensate by attaching extra screws to the 2 x 8 up top, and then use as much length as possible going down the wall behind the sink with the 2 x 8. Would that make sense? I guess I'm thinking 'reinforce the 2 x 8 up top by cutting out more of the drywall -- if you can't get screws in directly behind where the sink will attach to the wall'.
I'm getting quite irritated that this wall is tiled with 30 year old tile!
Thanks...
#15
12-25-10, 07:47 PM
And you are describing using 2 x 2s to attach inside the studs, 2 inches deep, leaving enough room to attach the 2 x 8 so that it is flush with the front of the stud?
And we may not exactly understand your situation. Can you give us a couple of picture? I'm beginning to though. When I did one for a friend I had to remove the tiles around the sink. No way to match so I made a square of new white tile framed with rope trim. The replacement was made all the harder because the tiles were on a thick set mortar base.
You don't have to install from the bathroom side if this is an interior wall.. You could open the wall on the other side of the bathroom wall.
#16
12-25-10, 08:04 PM
I'll get a couple of pictures up tomorrow...I did some image searching after putting up my last post and realized none of my questions would make sense because I was totally wrong about how the inside of the wall would look.
I think you actually solved all my problems -- I'll open the wall in the spare room behind it! That will be much easier I think.
What kind of bit should I get to drill through the tile?
I think you actually solved all my problems -- I'll open the wall in the spare room behind it! That will be much easier I think.
What kind of bit should I get to drill through the tile?
#17
12-25-10, 09:37 PM
A masonry bit should work or a ceramic tile bit. You may need to use a steel punch to chip the tile just a bit where you want the hole. That keeps the bit from skittering around. Use a variable speed drill and start very slow till you get it going. You may want to start with a smaller size bit and work your way up. Do not use a hammer drill in hammer mode to go through the tile. If you have thick set mortar base only as last resort use hammer mode and not till your through the tile.
Note never tried it but a glass bit is supposedly made not to skitter and slide. You might try starting with one of those.
Note never tried it but a glass bit is supposedly made not to skitter and slide. You might try starting with one of those.
#18
12-28-10, 07:18 PM
Well, I'll let you subscribers know how the sink goes but it is having to wait for a bit. I was hoping to install a new toilet in the same bathroom, but the subfloor was so rotten around the flange that there was nothing to bolt to and I'm waiting for someone to repair before continuing with the sink. I'd like to slap whoever left such a big, rotten hole under the old toilet! 
