Installing a New Faucet This Weekend? What the Box Leaves Out
The new faucet is on the counter. The plan is Saturday morning. Before then, take ten minutes tonight to open the box and look under the sink. If a part is missing, or the sink does not match the faucet, tonight is the time to find out.
This guide covers both kinds of faucet: the bathroom faucet and the kitchen faucet. It sorts what is usually in the box, what may or may not be, and what you bring yourself. Then come six checks to make under the sink. Each one comes from the faucet makers' pages or This Old House, and the sources are at the end.
Open the box tonight, not on Saturday
Moen says to follow the installation sheet for your exact model, and to look on the faucet's box for the list of tools it needs. Do that tonight. Lay every part on a towel and tick it off against the parts list on the sheet. If a part is missing, you have time to fix it.
What may or may not be in the box
These five items change from model to model. The parts list on the install sheet or the product page says which ones you have.
| Item | What the makers say | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Pop-up drain (bathroom) | Moen says drains are generally sold with its bathroom faucets, with two exceptions sold separately. Delta lists a matching pop-up drain in the box for its Nicoli widespread faucet. | Look for the drain in the box. If there is none, see the drain section below. |
| Valve body (widespread bathroom faucets) | Moen widespread faucets generally come as trim kits with model numbers starting with T. The valve underneath is separate. | If your model number starts with T, you need the matching valve too. |
| Deck plate (escutcheon) | Moen says some faucets come with a base plate, and not all of them must be used. The specification sheet says if the faucet can go in without it. | Unused holes can be closed with a sink hole cover. |
| Supply lines | Moen lists flexible supply lines among the things that help with an install. Its faucets typically use 3/8 in. compression or 1/2 in. IPS connections. | Check the faucet end and the shutoff end. An adapter may be needed. |
| Soap dispenser (kitchen) | Moen notes that some two-hole kitchen setups use a soap dispenser sold separately. | Count the holes in the sink before you decide what goes in them. |
What you bring yourself
Most of this comes from Moen's list of tools that may help with a kitchen or bathroom faucet install. The pan and rags come from This Old House.
- A basin wrench. It is on Moen's list. This Old House tightens the mounting nuts in the tight space beneath the sink with a tool made to fit that nut.
- An adjustable wrench, and channel locks or pliers. For the supply connections and the drain nut.
- Screwdrivers and a flashlight. Both are on Moen's list.
- Safety glasses. They are on Moen's list too.
- A bucket or pan and rags. This Old House sets a pan or rag under the sink to catch the water left in the lines.
- Plumber's putty or silicone sealant. Whichever your install sheet calls for. The next section has the rules.
- Thread seal tape. It is on Moen's list. It is for threads, which putty never is.
Plumber's putty is a soft bedding compound for seals that are not under pressure: the base of a faucet, a pop-up drain flange, a basket strainer. One putty maker's guide says to check the fixture's instructions first, because some fixtures come with a gasket or call for silicone instead. Regular oil-based putty may stain granite, marble, quartz and other porous stone, so use a stain-free putty there. Putty is not for ABS plastic; use 100 percent silicone sealant with ABS. And putty never goes on threads or pressurized connections. It does not need to cure, so you can test for leaks right away.
Six checks to make under the sink the night before
Check 1: Count the holes and measure the spread
Moen says you may need to look under the sink, or take the old faucet off, to see exactly how many holes your sink has. Match the faucet to that count. For a three-hole bathroom sink, This Old House measures from the center of one outer hole to the center of the other. Moen's rule: three holes 4 in. apart, from the center of the hot handle to the center of the cold, take a centerset faucet, and a widespread faucet cannot fit a 4 in. centerset layout. The spread each faucet fits is on its specification sheet. Unused holes can be closed with a sink hole cover.
Check 2: Check the countertop thickness
Moen's advice is to know how thick a surface your model is designed to go through. That number is on the specification sheet. Some models have an extension kit if yours is thicker.
Check 3: Leave room for the lift rod
If your new bathroom faucet comes with a lift rod for the drain, Moen says to make sure there is enough clearance between the back of the faucet and the wall or backsplash for the lift rod to work. The clearance is on the specification sheet.
Check 4: Find the shutoffs and prove they close
Moen says any faucet work needs the water shut off, and that failing to do so could result in flooding or injury. The shutoffs are generally under the sink. Turn them clockwise until they are closed, then open the faucet to make sure the water is completely off. In some homes the only shutoff is the main, usually near the water meter.
This Old House turns a shutoff by hand, or with a wrench made to fit over the end of it, and warns not to over-torque on old work. Know where the main shutoff is before you turn an old valve, in case it will not close. If a valve will not close by hand tonight, you have time to plan for the main shutoff, or for a plumber, before Saturday.
Check 5: Match the supply connections
Look at the outlets on the shutoffs and at the connections on the new faucet. Moen says its faucets typically use flexible supplies with 3/8 in. compression fittings or 1/2 in. IPS connections, and that you may need an adapter to connect a new faucet to your existing supply lines or shutoffs. The adapter depends on the model and the fitting. Measure the run from the shutoff to the faucet while you are down there.
Check 6: Look for an overflow hole before you plan the drain
Moen describes the overflow as the small hole along the inside wall of a sink that keeps water from spilling over when the drain is closed, and all of its lift-rod drain assemblies are listed for sinks with one. Look inside the bowl near the rim. Moen's lift-rod drains, and the FourHome drains below, are made for a sink with that overflow. Vessel sinks, kitchen sinks and push-button drains take something else.
If the drain is not in the box
If your bathroom faucet arrived without a drain, or the old drain is corroded and you want to change it while the sink is apart, these FourHome lift-rod drains fit a standard bathroom sink with an overflow hole. Neither includes plumber's putty, so add it to the list. Our own install steps for the PVC drain say to tighten the mounting nut from below in small steps, because one hard pull can crack a porcelain basin.
If the drain body under your sink is fine and only the stopper is missing or worn, you do not need a new drain. The FourHome stopper reuses the pivot rod, ball and lift rod already under your sink. It fits pivot-rod pop-ups only, not push-button or lift-and-turn stoppers.
Our pivot rod page lists the signs of a worn rod: the stopper sticks open, drops on its own, or the lift rod moves but the stopper does not. The FourHome pivot rod kit is 6-1/2 in. long and reuses your clevis strap. Our pop-up drain guide walks through the whole assembly.
On Saturday, in this order
- Shut the water off at the shutoffs and open the faucet to prove it is off.
- Set a pan or rags under the sink, and open the faucet to let the pressure out of the lines, as This Old House does.
- Disconnect the supply lines from the old faucet and take it out.
- Set the new faucet with the gasket, putty or silicone your install sheet calls for, and tighten the mounting nuts from below.
- Bed the drain flange, if you are fitting one: the putty maker's method is a rope about 1/2 in. thick under the flange, then tighten and wipe away the squeeze-out.
- Connect the lift rod, then the supply lines, then turn the water on slowly and look at every connection for drips.
Everything else is in your model's install sheet. Keep it with the receipt.
When to stop and call a plumber
- A shutoff will not close by hand, or leaks when you turn it.
- The sink holes do not match the faucet, and the specification sheet confirms it will not fit.
- The countertop is thicker than the faucet is designed for, and no extension kit is listed.
- Anything behind the wall moves when you turn a valve.
Frequently asked questions
Do new faucets come with supply lines?
Some do and some do not, so check the parts list in your box. Moen lists flexible supply lines among the things that help with an install, and says its faucets typically use flexible supplies with 3/8 in. compression fittings or 1/2 in. IPS connections. If your existing lines do not fit the new faucet, Moen says you may need an adapter, and the adapter depends on the model and the fitting.
Does a new bathroom faucet come with a drain?
Often, but not always. Moen says drains are generally sold with its bathroom faucets, with two exceptions sold separately, and Delta lists a matching pop-up drain in the box for its Nicoli widespread faucet. Look in your box before you shop. If you need one, the lift-rod drains from Moen and from FourHome are listed for sinks with an overflow hole.
Plumber's putty or silicone under the faucet and the drain?
Use what your faucet's install sheet calls for. Some fixtures come with a gasket instead. One putty maker says regular oil-based putty may stain granite, marble, quartz and other porous stone, so use a stain-free putty there, and that putty is not for ABS plastic, where 100 percent silicone sealant is the choice. Putty is never for threads or pressurized connections.
What does a model number starting with T mean on a Moen faucet?
Moen says its widespread bathroom faucets generally come as trim kits, with model numbers starting with the letter T. A trim kit is the finished pieces above the counter, such as the handles and spout. The valve that goes underneath is separate. If the trim and valve come together, the model number has no T.
Will a widespread faucet fit my sink?
Measure first. Count the holes, then measure from the center of one outer hole to the center of the other. Moen says three holes 4 in. apart, center of the hot handle to center of the cold, take a centerset faucet, and that a widespread faucet cannot fit a 4 in. centerset layout. The spread each faucet fits is printed on its specification sheet.
Sources
Every check above comes from these pages. We opened each one on October 5, 2026.
- Moen Solutions, How do I install my kitchen or bathroom faucet?: follow your model's sheet, the tool list on the box, and the list of tools that help.
- Moen Solutions, My existing supply lines will not fit on your faucet: 3/8 in. compression or 1/2 in. IPS connections, and adapters.
- Moen Solutions, Will a faucet fit my thick countertop?: surface thickness on the specification sheet.
- Moen Solutions, How to Choose a Lavatory Faucet and How to Choose a Kitchen Faucet: counting holes, the 4 in. centerset rule, trim kits, base plates, lift rod clearance, soap dispensers.
- Moen Solutions, Lavatory Drains: drains generally sold with bathroom faucets, drain types, the overflow.
- Moen Solutions, How To Turn Off The Water Supply To The Faucet.
- Delta Faucet, Two Handle Widespread Bathroom Faucet 35749LF-CS: the drain listed in the box.
- This Old House, How to Replace a Bathroom Faucet: measuring the holes, shutoffs on old work, the pan and rags, setting the faucet.
- Oatey, Plumber's Putty: What It Is, How to Use It and When Not to Use It: when to use putty, stone, ABS, threads.
- FourHome part pages: PVC pop-up drain, cast brass pop-up drain, stopper 5 pack and pivot rod: fit, box contents and install steps.
FourHome pop-up drains, stoppers, pivot rods and replacement cartridges and stems for Moen, Delta, Kohler, Pfister, Glacier Bay and more, shipped from Amazon fulfillment centers with Prime delivery.
See the full FourHome assortment on AmazonFourHome is an independent brand and is not affiliated with Moen Incorporated, Delta Faucet Company, Oatey or This Old House. Brand names and model numbers are used only to identify compatibility and to credit our sources. Follow the instructions that came with your faucet, and call a licensed plumber if a shutoff will not close or you are not sure of a step.
FourHome is not affiliated with or endorsed by any faucet manufacturer. Brand names and part numbers are used only to identify compatibility.