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Do you have an unfinished basement or a laundry room? You may not have thought about it, but a utility sink can make a great addition to those spaces, giving you a place to prep laundry and clean up after those dirty DIY projects or kids’ craft days without messing up your nicer sinks.

Because aesthetics aren’t usually important with utility sinks, they can be much easier to install than a bathroom or kitchen sink. You still need to get the plumbing right, however, or you could be inviting costly repairs down the road. But typically, one trip to the hardware store can yield everything you need to get a utility sink up and running. Here are some utility sink tips from Powell’s Plumbing:

1. Consider the sink material. For other sinks, you may opt for a certain material that matches your kitchen or bath aesthetic, but for a utility sink you’ll want to go for durability over looks. Porcelain should probably be avoided, as it can crack easily (it’s also heavy and might be tougher to install). Stainless steel or hard plastic are good options; steel offers the combination of looks and function, while plastic is especially budget friendly.

2. Get the right supplies. Here’s what you’ll need for most utility sink installs:

-Plumber’s glue
-Measuring device (tape or stick)
-Pliers
-Wrench
-Small piece of sandpaper
-PVC pipe (be sure to examine your space and route to the drain to see how much and what kinds of pipe you’ll need)
-PVC hand saw
-Splitters and couplers (as needed or required by sink assembly)
-Tubing

3. Double-check your measurements – this is important for pretty much every DIY project, but with this job it can be a pain to keep returning to the hardware store if you cut the pipe wrong. Careful measurements at the beginning of a project can save you plenty of time.

Most utility sink jobs are unique, so if you’ve given yours a go and aren’t making much headway or need some advice, give Powell’s Plumbing a call! We have plenty of experience installing utility sinks, so we can provide tips or help get yours installed today.

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