A built in soap dispenser is a perfect complement to a new sink and faucet

Today it is common practice to install a dish or hand soap dispenser in the top of the kitchen sink. This is a matter of practicality as well as one of functional beauty. Soap dispensers, like kitchen sink faucets, have entered an era of ornate beauty. While that part of the dispenser that is hidden under the sink is plain plastic or metal, the mount ring or escutcheon and dispenser pump itself above the sink can be crafted in a bewildering array of styles. Fortunately, installing the soap dispenser is a very simple process. The most important aspect is to make sure that you have a sink with enough holes in it to accommodate a dispenser. Traditionally, a four hole sink is used for the purpose.

Preparation

Some sinks that are already installed have a hole cover in place that covers up the hole you would use for the soap dispenser. If so, from under the sink, unscrew the mount clamp that holds the cover in place. Slide the cover aside and lift it free of the sink.

Installing the soap dispenser

1. Remove the pump assembly and mount ring or escutcheon from the soap dispenser bottle.
2. Separate the pump itself from the mount ring or escutcheon.
3. Slide the gasket supplied over the mount ring stem or apply a bead of plumber’s putty to the underside of the mount ring.
4. Have someone hold the mount ring centered in the hole of the sink from on top.
5. From underneath the sink, screw the mount ring nut on the stem of the mount ring and tighten it until the bottom edge of the mount ring meets the top of the sink. A basin wrench, available at most hardware and home center stores, works best for this.
6. From inside the sink cabinet, screw the soap dispenser bottle on to the bottom of the mount ring.
7. Clean all the excess plumber’s putty off from the mount ring.
8. Fill the soap dispenser bottle with the detergent or hand soap of your choice.
9. Drop the pump assembly inside the mount ring and you are ready to use your new soap dispenser.

Tips

Do not use a caulking compound of any sort to install the soap dispenser mount ring or you will almost certainly wind up with a permanent installation.

The mount ring and the bottle may be made of plastic so be very careful not to over tighten them or they will break.

Automatic dishwashers vary in quality from very inexpensive units with minimum controls to top-of-the-line dishwashers that do almost everything except make your coffee in the morning. No matter which product line you choose, they will eventually wear out or need repairs. Due to the cost of parts for most dishwasher brands, the less expensive units typically get replaced rather than repaired. While it is less common to replace an expensive dishwasher, nevertheless, they do require replacement at times. Replacing a dishwasher is another project that is relatively easy to do for an experienced do-it-yourselfer.

Preparation

Replacing a dishwasher is a good project for a do-it-yourselfer

1. Lay down some cardboard or plastic to protect your kitchen floor covering.
2. Turn off the water supply to the dishwasher at the shut off valve in the kitchen sink cabinet, in the basement, or under the house. If your dishwasher does not have a water shut off valve, you should shut off the water to your whole house.
3. Before turning off the electricity to the dishwasher, turn the unit on briefly with the water off to depressurize the dishwater water fill system.
4. Find the circuit breaker in the electrical panel that controls the power to your dishwasher. If you are not sure which one it is, simply turn on your dishwasher and turn off and on circuit breakers in the electrical panel one at a time until you find the one that turns off the dishwasher. Mark it with an indelible marker or ink pen, turn it off, and label it with a red tag for safety.

Removing the old dishwasher

Using a Philips screwdriver or a nut driver, remove the lower access panels at the front of the dishwasher.

Remove the cover plate of the electrical box underneath the dishwasher. Check the wires for power, pull out the wires, unscrew the ground wire, remove the wire nuts and romex connector and pull the wires out of the box.

Unscrew the water supply line at the front of the dishwasher on the left. Leave the dishwasher supply line in place.

Find where the dishwasher drain hose connects to the sink waste under the kitchen sink. Loosen the hose clamp at that point and remove the drain hose. If there is a garbage disposal and an air  gap fitting, the dishwasher drain hose will connect to one end of the air gap. If there is no air gap, the drain hose may connect directly to the garbage disposal or to a branch tailpiece that is part of the sink drain itself.

Open the door of the dishwasher and remove the two screws at the top front of the dishwasher that fasten it to the bottom of the cabinet face frame or countertop.

Turn the two front feet of the dishwasher clockwise to lower the unit slightly.

Grasp the base of the dishwasher and pull it gently out of the cabinet space. You may need to pull the dishwasher a little, then feed the drain hose through the cabinet as much as possible in order to remove the unit gradually.

Installation of the new dishwasher is the reverse of removal.

Tips

When installing the new dishwasher, remove all the contents inside the new unit including the racks and trays.

Run the new unit through at least one cycle to check it for proper operation and leaks before washing any dishes in it.

Stainless steel makes a beautiful, fashionable, durable, commercial quality surface that is easy to clean. It excels as a backsplash material for countertops and wall cabinets. Available at many home centers and hardware stores, it is relatively easy to obtain, although in some locations it may need to be special ordered. Even though stainless steel is very hard, you can drill and cut it, with patience. It is better to install stainless steel backsplash material before the countertops and wall cabinets are installed but it is possible to install it after the fact, as well.

Preparation

1. Make certain your walls are square where they meet each other and the countertop.
2. Make sure the wall surfaces are clean, intact, and thoroughly dry.
3. Mark the location of every wall stud on the countertop frame or countertop and above the top of the new backsplash on the wall below the wall cabinets or even on the bottom panel of the wall cabinets.

Purchase

1. Measure for the new backsplash material and either purchase a large enough piece at your home center or hardware store or special order it cut to fit.
2. You can also cut a template out of cardboard to fit the new backsplash and take that with you to purchase the piece you need or order it.

Installation

1. If the piece you purchased needs to be cut to fit, do that now. Use a pair of heavy-duty sheet metal shears designed for stainless steel or cut it with a very fine tooth saw blade designed for stainless steel and a saw like a jigsaw, supporting the piece completely along its length.
2. Lay the new piece of stainless steel in position and mark out the location of each fastener, using a prick punch or scribe.
3. Pay close attention to the corners where two pieces of backsplash material meet. If your walls are square the stainless steel should meet in a perfect joint but that is rare.
4. Trim the edges of the stainless steel to meet at the corners or install a piece of corner trim and butt the stainless steel backsplash pieces up to it.
5. Drill the fastener holes slightly larger than the size of your fasteners.
6. You may want to apply an adhesive caulk like liquid nails to the back of the stainless steel before placing it in position.
7. Install the fasteners with trim washers.

Tips

The key to cutting and drilling stainless steel successfully is to cut or drill with a very sharp blade or drill bit and turn it very slowly, the slower the better. Use a good lubricant for stainless steel, as well.

Protect the stainless steel surface where you are going to cut or drill in case your tool slips. Use painters masking tape and remove it as soon as you are through cutting or drilling. However, you can leave it in place while you drive in your fasteners just in case the screwdriver slips, too.

Plastic laminates, also known as Formica, come in various sizes, colors, and patterns and they make an excellent impervious surface treatment for counter tops, tabletops, and work surfaces. They are not particularly difficult to install, requiring very little in the way of specialized equipment.

Substrate Preparation

The substrate that will receive the plastic laminate must be flat, clean, and free of any defects. It can be plywood, particleboard, or even another plastic laminate surface.

1. Sand the new substrate and remove the dust with a vacuum or brush. If the substrate is another finished product, clean it thoroughly and let it dry before proceeding.
2. Ensure that the substrate is flat and defect free. If there are low spots or defects, fill them in with a product like Bondo auto body filler, or Fixall. Trowel the leveler off, sand it smooth, and remove all the dust.

Plastic Laminate Preparation

1. Cut your sheet of plastic laminate a little oversize with a fine blade circular saw, a laminate trim knife, or a fine tooth handsaw. In general, cut from the back side of the laminate. Trim it to fit once it is installed.
2. Coat the substrate with at least one uniform moderate coat of contact cement and let it dry to the touch.
3. Coat the bottom of the plastic laminate with at least one coat of contact cement and let it dry to the touch as well.

Update your countertops with a beautiful plastic laminate

Plastic Laminate Installation

1. Lay 3/8” wooden dowel rods across the substrate surface about 12” apart and parallel.
2. Beginning at one end, lay the plastic laminate in place being careful not to let the laminate touch the substrate surface.
3. Remove the dowel rods as you lower the plastic laminate in place.
4. When the final dowel rod is removed, use a roller to work out any air bubbles. You can also use a wooden block and mallet. Work from the center outward.
5. After the cement has dried according to the manufacturer’s instructions, trim the plastic laminate. You can use a router with a plastic laminate trimmer bit or a file.

Tips

Always use as large a piece of plastic laminate as possible to avoid unsightly seams. If you have to use two or more pieces, bevel the adjoining edges with a fine tooth file so they are almost invisible when overlapped. You can also butt them together but the seam will be highly visible.
You can use a sabresaw, jigsaw, or even a tablesaw to cut the laminate but cut from the back side to avoid chipping. If you cut it with a razor knife or laminate cutter, cut from the front side.
Contact cement will hold up to 70% of its permanent strength upon initial contact so avoid letting the two cemented surfaces come into contact until they are perfectly lined up. After the job is done, clean up any excess contact cement with acetone. Let it dry and wash the laminate with a mild detergent and warm water before use.