A utility sink is a relatively easy home improvement to install if you have the right tools. However, it’s essential to make sure you hook it up in the best area of your house.
For example, a laundry room is an excellent place for a new sink. You already have water supply lines connecting to your washing machine.
Whether you’re looking for a sleek stainless steel addition or rustic copper pipes and accents for your sink faucet, here’s how to DIY a new sink remodel beside your washer to increase your overall household efficiency.
What You’ll Need:
- A wrench and pliers
- Plumber’s glue
- A tape measure
- Flexible tubing for your hot and cold lines
- Two brass pipe splitters
- Sandpaper
- PVC hand saw
- PVC Y-fitting
7 Steps For Installing Your Utility Sink Next To Your Washer

Step 1. Take sink drain measurements.
You should always turn off your water supply before you do any plumbing work.
Once that’s done, measure the distance from the ground to the laundry sink’s drain pipe connection. Then, look against the wall by your washing machine and find where the drain line enters the wall or floor.
Measure from the ground to the height of the drain connection, then mark that place on your washing machine’s drain pipe.
Step 2. Cut your standpipe.
The existing PVC pipe should be cut from the mark on your washer to the vent pipe placed above it. You’ll cut the T-fit where your washer’s water moves toward the drainpipe exit, as well.
After you make the appropriate cuts, use your sandpaper to smooth the interior of the pipe to prevent uneven edges.
Step 3. Attach your Y-fitting.
At this point, you’ll attach a Y-fitting to the existing drain pipe. This lets you divert the water so that some of it flows to the washer, and some of it flows to the laundry sink.
One of the arms attaches to the horizontal exit flow of the drain. The top should attach to your venting pipe.
The final arm of the Y attaches to the pipe that runs out of the drain hose. Use glue or plumber’s putty to ensure that you have a waterproof, tight seal.
Step 4. Find your water sources.
There should be pipe connections for both hot and cold water nearby the washing machine. These connections run into just one fitting on your existing pipe.
Once you find the fitting, disconnect the pipe so that you have both the hot and cold water lines.
You might find that there is just one long pipe instead of two separate hot and cold pipes. If that’s the case, you’ll have to cut through the pipe to access the lines.
The cut should be made halfway between your sink and washer. If the pipe needs to be threaded, you can do so with a threading tool.
Step 5. Use your pipe cutters on the cold and hot lines.
You will need to screw the brass splitter onto both the cold and hot water lines. It should be tightly screwed and sealed.
Ensure the connection is stable by using a wrench.
After installing the splitter, reconnect the lines to your washer.
Step 6. Connect the hoses.
Now you’ll connect your hoses to your laundry sink. You’ll use flexible tubes to reach the cold and hotlines from the pipe to the sink.
Use a blue tube for your cold water and a red tube for hot water, as this makes it easier to differentiate.
Tighten your connections with a nut and a wrench.
Step 7. Connect the tubing to the faucet.
The steps involved in this are described below. Once you’ve done this and made sure that all of the connections are secure, you can turn on your main water supply.
Because there is already plumbing in the room for your washing machine, this is a relatively easy DIY project.
How To Add The Faucet

Depending on the model, you might need to add the faucet to your laundry room sink separately. Be mindful of any existing pieces of countertop when placing this sink up against the wall.
These are the tools you’ll want:
- Wrench and pliers
- Nuts and washers
- Rubber or foam gaskets
- Plumber’s putty
- Plumber’s knife
If you’re working in a dimly lit area, you’ll also want a flashlight to see what you’re doing.
Follow these steps.
Step 1. Turn off your water.
If you just installed your sink, the water is probably already off. But if you’re doing the faucet on a different day, make sure your water supply is switched off so there’s no accidental flooding.
Step 2. Use your gaskets or plumber’s putty to mount the faucets.
Your utility sink should come with a hole for the faucet. Slip the faucet inside from above.
If you purchased a new faucet for the laundry sink, there should be included nuts and rubber gaskets to help you secure it. You can use the plumber’s putty alongside these to tighten the seal and prevent leaks.
Step 3. Tighten your mounting nuts.
At this point, you’ll use your wrench to tighten the nuts. These attach your faucet to the sink.
The nuts should be mounted underneath the sink, and you should tighten them until they are secure.
As you tighten the faucet, some extra plumber’s putty might ooze from the sides. Before it dries, clear it away using your putty knife and a damp towel.
Step 4. Thread your water lines.
The faucet handles should be marked with hot water or cold water. Thread the corresponding hot or cold line to the correct side of the handle.
You can tighten these either with your hands or your wrench.
Before you finish up, double-check that you have a complete seal around the water supply lines and handles.
Step 5. Turn on your water.
Now that you’ve gotten the laundry room sink firmly in place, you can turn on the water. You’ll want to look all over for leaks, including the water supply lines, faucet, shutoff valves, and all drain pipes.
If anything starts leaking, find the loose connection.
It’s important that the space below the faucet is totally sealed. Shining your flashlight over the faucet and all drain pipes can also help you see if there are gaps.
Never make adjustments until you’ve turned off the water supply again.
Conclusion
It might seem like an intimidating home improvement task to install a utility sink. But with just a little knowledge of plumbing and mechanical tools, you should be able to DIY this task.
The laundry room is one of the most efficient places to put a new sink since it already has lines installed for plumbing.
Always turn off the water supply before doing plumbing work, and make sure you know where your cold and hot water lines are at all times.