Kitchen update #5: Plumbing

Next up on our list for the kitchen remodel was plumbing. Nothing major. We just wanted a pot filler over our cooktop. K and I agree there are certain upgrades we feel that are "in a different tax bracket" as we put it. In other words, a little luxurious. Never necessary, but always a touch of class. Like heated flooring. Also, a pot filler. Since we'd have access to the wall above the cooktop while we updated the electrical and before we tiled a new backsplash, it was the perfect opportunity.

Spoiler: we love it and use it all the time.

First things first: source a fixture we liked. We wanted something nice and eventually found the Studio S model from American Standard. Par for the course, I checked Ebay before paying full retail. The price was a little steep for a new one. Sure enough, someone was listing one for less than half the retail price. It seems there's always someone, a builder or a homeowner, who bought a fixture they didn't end up using and then lists it for sale on Ebay because it had been too long before finishing their project to return it.

Once sourced, we had to do the fairly simple task of running a cold supply line from under the sink over to above the countertop. Having splurged on a PEX crimping tool when we added plumbing to our espresso bar, it was quick and easy to once again cut and splice into the cold supply line for the kitchen faucet.  That supply line is starting to look tapped out. Get it? Haha.

From there, I measured and cut enough PEX to make the run to directly under where we'd install the filler. Another beauty of PEX, in addition to how easy it is to work with, is it can be run without burying it inside a wall. So I just ran it along the baseboard under the cabinets. Then added a length vertically up to where we spec'd the faucet. To get it back in the wall, the pipe had to go into and out of the cabinet beneath the cooktop.

Then I screwed up. I did read the instructions, but missed the importance of installing the blocking right up against the wall on which we were installing the faucet. As evident, I set it back against the stairwell wall. Oops. 

Fast-forward to after we finished tiling and I went to install the faucet. Extended, it became clear quickly how much torque the fixture would have and thus force it would put on the four screws holding it. Since the 2x6 block had a gap between the new concrete/tiled wall and where I had placed it, that force would likely cause the faucet to loosen and potentially fall off the wall. I had to backtrack. Frustrating, but solvable. Not the end of the world.

I started by carefully cutting out two tiles with my trusty cutoff tool.

I then cut another hole in the drywall on the opposite side of the wall. 

Then pounded in some additional blocking tight against the cement wall. Once I set the screws for the faucet's mounting bracket, I checked to make sure the new blocking was doing the trick. In the photo below, I could see the mounting screws poking out of the new blocking. The faucet was solid.

I'd of course also then have to do some drywall patching in the stairwell. But all's well that ends well. Back to finishing the faucet installation… It was a matter resetting two tiles before drilling the screwholes and threading the mounting plate on the 1/2" plumbing stubout (which had to extend fairly precisely, so I had bought a few options, each a 1/2" different in length). 

For this particular faucet, the mounting plate had a geared spline that I had to make sure once the faucet was installed on it was level. That step had to be done before sliding the faucet onto the spline.

Once level, it was a simple matter of sliding on the escutcheon and tightening down the set screw. With that, our plumbing update was finished. Note to self: pay better attention when reading installation instructions and… now we have a pot filler.