The Wall Bracket
The wall bracket is the piece of metal
that supports the weight of the sink. You might be able to use the bracket that
is already there but if it is an old one, like the picture, the new sink may not
fit on it. If you have to remove the old one, take note when you remove the
screws as at least one of them should have been screwed into a stud or
reinforced section of the wall. You might want to reuse that hole if the sink
will hang at about the same height when using that hole. If not, you'll have to
install the new bracket a bit lower or higher than the old one. Do not go too
far above or below that height as you may not hit the reinforced section of the
wall. You also have to maintain the horizontal alignment as the drain pipe has
to line up with the pipe opening in the wall.
If you have to install a new bracket, you
should put the middle screw in part way and hang the sink on the new bracket.
Use a brace underneath the sink to help you hold it. Level the sink and mark
the wall where you need to drive screws. Pull the sink from the wall and secure
the bracket to the wall. There are usually a couple more screws that you have
to install after hanging the sink. Look on the sides for the holes. Use a
pencil and mark the wall for the holes. If these screws do not hit a stud it is
normally not a problem. Since these screws only stabilize the sink you can
usually use a drywall anchor for these holes. Set the drywall anchors, if
necessary but don't mount the sink on the wall yet.
One note: A tiled wall is the most
difficult scenario for installing a new bracket. If you have to install the
bracket at a different height, you will have to drill through the tiles. There
is a special bit to drill through tiles and it comes in two flavors: one looks
a bit like a spade bit and the other is difficult to describe, but here is
what they look like. The second flavor is also referred to as a masonry bit.
When drilling through the tiles, don't force the drill bit. If you do, the tile
might crack. Just keep pressure on the drill and let the bit do the
work.
Don't mount the sink on the
wall yet!!!
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