How to install a new tub or sink drain ring
A: There’s a good chance the drain covers are pitted, not just discolored, due to prolonged exposure to bleach or other caustic cleaning products that have been used over the past seven decades. Try running your finger over the surface. If it feels smooth, the metal may just have tarnished. Rubbing with baking soda and vinegar should restore the shine to brass and stainless steel.
If the metal is pitted, you can try a few home remedies such as B. Repeated scrubbing with vinegar or a damp, balled up ball of aluminum foil. These solutions may be worth the effort if an expensive faucet has a few small holes, but you’ll likely get faster and better results on a corroded tub or sink drain by installing a new ring and plug.
With a tub drain, first identify the type of plug you have and remove it. This is a no-brainer if your tub has an old-fashioned plug. Other types of stoppers can twist or pop out, and you may need to remove set screws or take other non-obvious steps to get them out. Home Depot has a good overview of the types of stoppers and how to remove them.
To get a new look, the easiest option is to cover the existing drain ring with a new one, e.g. B. the Watco Universal NuFit Push-Pull Bathtub Stopper with Mesh Screen ($19.40 at Home Depot). Depending on the design of your existing drain fitting, you may be able to simply screw it in, or you may need to glue it over the old drain ring using the silicone adhesive provided.
Or you can replace the entire drain fitting, which is usually fairly easy. But as with all plumbing repairs, if you find you’re missing a part or tool midway through, you should tackle the project when a hardware store is open.
To replace the drain assembly, first remove the plug. Then turn the part that contains the ring counterclockwise by grabbing the crossbars inside the drain. While it’s possible to use a wrench for this, it’s much easier if you have a tool like the Husky Tub Drain Wrench Double-Ended ($11.97 at Home Depot) and either a screwdriver or an adjustable wrench to tighten it grab and turn. The drain wrench has a large end and a smaller end with prongs on either side so you can insert it into different types of drains. Thread a screwdriver through the holes on the sides of the drain wrench or grip the top with an adjustable wrench to add torque as you turn.
If the old drain doesn’t have crossbars inside (or if they’re so corroded that they’re snapping off), one solution is to get a device like the Husky Tub Drain Removal Tool ($24.78 at Home Depot). It’s basically a plug with ridges or knobs on the outside that’s designed to grab the inside of the drain when you tap the plug in with a hammer. Use an adjustable wrench to turn the plug counter-clockwise while pushing down and the plug should come out with the drain cover in place.
With the old part out, clean the opening in the tub with a rag. Wrap a pencil-thick piece of plumbing putty around the back of the new drain cover, then screw the new piece clockwise until secure. Remove the excess putty, add the plug and you’re done. (Oatey plumbing putty is $2.49 for 14 ounces at Home Depot.) Read the label on the putty before you buy it; Standard plumbing putty is solvent based and should not be used if you have a plastic tub.
Replacing a sink drain is more complicated and messy, but it’s still doable with a few tools. There doesn’t seem to be a stick-on solution, and with a sink drain, you’re not just replacing the ring and cover you see from the top of the sink; You will also need to replace a short piece of pipe that bolts on from below. If you have a lever drain, you will need a similarly designed replacement part. Most home sink drains are 1¼” in diameter, but some are 1½” or even 1.65″ in diameter, so measure before you buy the replacements.
Cover the floor or cabinet base under the sink with an old towel and have a bucket or pan that fits under the P-Siphon to collect water when you unplug it. For tools, you’ll need an adjustable wrench with jaws that open wide enough to grip the nuts on the pipes, such as a wrench. B. Channellock’s 12-inch tongue-and-groove pliers ($21.97 at Home Depot). Videos are best for instructions. Two good ones that have instructions on how to deal with pop-up stoppers are at bit.ly/replace-drain and bit.ly/replace-assembly.
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