Just put in a new kitchen sink and wondering if anyone else struggled this much

pmusician39 · 2025-04-11T09:44:59Z

Okay, I thought swapping out our old kitchen sink would be like, you know, a quick weekend thing. Bought this stainless steel one from the hardware store—seemed straightforward enough. But man, was I wrong. First off, the instructions were kinda vague (or maybe I'm just not great at interpreting diagrams, lol). Had to watch like three different YouTube videos just to figure out how to get the clips in right. Then came the plumbing part—ugh. The drain pipes didn't line up exactly with the new sink's drain hole placement. Ended up making two extra trips to Home Depot for random pipe fittings and adapters. And don't even get me started on sealing it all up without leaks... silicone caulk everywhere, looked like a kindergarten art project gone wrong. I mean, it looks pretty decent now that it's done—no leaks yet—but geez, what a pain. Took way longer than expected and my back is still sore from crawling under the cabinet for hours. Curious if anyone else had such a hassle with what seemed like a simple DIY project... or am I just unusually unlucky?

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buddycollector5282

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- Honestly, farmhouse sinks aren't that bad if you prep right—just gotta get creative. I managed mine solo by rigging up a makeshift support with scrap wood and clamps... wasn't pretty, but it worked.
- Undermounts seem simpler at first glance, but the silicone mess and alignment stress can be sneaky frustrating.
- Ever considered drop-in sinks? They're underrated IMO—way less hassle, and some newer designs look surprisingly sleek.

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margaretguitarist

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"Undermounts seem simpler at first glance, but the silicone mess and alignment stress can be sneaky frustrating."

Can confirm—just installed an undermount myself, and the silicone cleanup was way more tedious than I expected. Thought it'd be straightforward, but aligning it perfectly took some patience and a few retries. Props to you for rigging up that farmhouse sink solo... sounds like quite the DIY adventure. Glad it worked out in the end!

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richard_johnson

(@richard_johnson)

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Totally relate to the silicone struggle—spent way too long scraping off dried bits afterward. Thought I'd save money doing it myself, but after the third alignment attempt, I was seriously questioning my life choices... Glad I'm not alone in this DIY sink saga.

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history_simba

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"Thought I'd save money doing it myself, but after the third alignment attempt, I was seriously questioning my life choices..."

Haha, been there. DIY silicone sealing is always messier than those YouTube tutorials make it look. But honestly, the frustration makes me wonder—did you consider using any eco-friendly sealants instead of the usual silicone? I've heard mixed reviews about their durability and ease of application. Curious if anyone's given them a shot and if they're worth the hassle...

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culture977

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Haha, totally relate to the silicone struggle. I haven't tried the eco-friendly stuff myself, but a buddy of mine did when he redid his bathroom. He said it was a bit trickier to apply—something about it being stickier and drying faster—but once it set, it held up surprisingly well. Might be worth a shot if you're patient enough to deal with the learning curve. Personally, I'm still recovering from my last DIY plumbing adventure...