Preparing to mount a pedestal sink

U-ra! You've chucked your old vanity in favor of a sleek new pedestal. Now it's mountin' time. So what to do. Just because it's called a pedestal sink doesn't mean it sits free on top of the pedestal. Oh, no. That top has to be fixed to the wall for added stability. Some models mount right on to the wall, others come with a bracket. If you want, you can also buy a bracket at a hardware store. It is possible, if not likely, that the mounting holes will not line up 100% with your wall studs. If this is the case, you will need to buttress the wall. Otherwise your sink will just pull away from the wall, sooner or later, and you will be very unhappy.

To make sure this doesn't happen, look at the directions and see how high up from the floor the manufacturer says your lav should be mounted. (Could be anywhere from 29-33”) Figure out where the center of the sink will be on the wall. Now forget about the lav top for the moment. Put your pedestal in place and mark where you want to fix it to the floor. Now you are ready to place the lav top on the pedestal for measuring purposes. It should fit easily into a pre-manufactured groove or slot in the sink bottom. Double check to see that everything is lined up correctly. After you have marked everything, put both the sink and pedestal to one side. If your pedestal sink requires bolts, you will need to drill holes in the floor. If not, you will just need to caulk it in place. You can now attach the pedestal to the floor.

To mount the lavatory top, find the studs in the wall to the left and right of the sink. To put in a support board, you will need to cut out a piece of your wall. Before you start hacking away, be sure, be very sure, that there is nothing behind it that you shouldn't be cutting. Like wires and water pipes, and such.