Broken Sink Drain? How to Easily Connect It to Your Wall Pipe

Is your bathroom sink not draining properly? Do you have water backing up or leaking from the pipe connections? A disconnected or clogged sink drain can cause messy flooding and water damage if not addressed quickly. Thankfully, you can easily reconnect the sink to the stub pipe sticking out of the wall yourself - no need to call a plumber!

In this handy DIY guide, I'll walk through everything involved with removing your old p-trap assembly and installing a new one to get your sink drainage flowing freely again in no time. With the right p-trap kit and some basic tools, reconnecting a broken sink drain is a straightforward task anyone can tackle.

What You'll Need

Before getting started, make sure you have all the necessary equipment and parts:

• P-trap kit (with p-trap, slip nuts, washers, and pipe fittings)
• Adjustable wrench
• Bucket
• Plumber's putty
• Plumbing cement/ABS cement
• Flashlight

Choosing the Correct P-Trap Kit

The key item that connects your sink drain to the wall stub pipe is called the p-trap. This U-shaped piece of pipe gets its name from the curved shape that helps prevent sewer gases and odors from entering the sink drain. When selecting a new p-trap kit, make sure to choose one designed specifically for bathroom sink drains verses kitchen sinks or other applications.

It's also crucial to measure the diameter of your wall pipe and purchase a p-trap kit with components that will properly fit onto that stub out location. Many home improvement stores sell universal p-trap kits, but you can also bring one of the pipes along to test different size options.

Preparing the Sink Drain and Wall Pipe

With the new p-trap kit ready, it's time to dismantle the old drain assembly. Start by locating the water shut off valve below the sink and turning it off to prevent leaks when unscrewing pipe sections.

Place a bucket under the drain, then loosen the slip joints connecting the curved section to the stub pipe using pliers or a wrench. The p-trap will then easily disconnect. Inspect the stub pipe protruding from the wall - clean any putty or grime so the new p-trap adapter can form a tight seal.

Installing the New P-Trap

Cementing the Adapter

The p-trap kit includes a special adapter that cements over the wall stub pipe, allowing the new curved section to twist lock into place. Apply plumbing cement around the stub and lining of the adapter, then slide it on fully and hold for 30 seconds. Next, use pliers to tighten an additional quarter turn - don't force it too much.

Connecting the Pipes and Fittings

As the cement cures, attach the two shorter lengths of pipe to the tailpiece on new p-trap using the slip washers and nuts. The angled pieces should point toward the wall stub adapter. Carefully align the p-trap curve so it's oriented correctly, then hand twist the tailpipes into the adapter slip fittings.

Double check all connections are tightened securely with your pliers or wrench. Also confirm proper positioning - there should be no tension pulling pipes too far in any direction. The p-trap should hang freely down once fully assembled.

With the physical pipe connections complete, there are just a few final steps to perform.

Turn the water supply back on and verify no leaks or drips around the newly completed joints - tighten as needed. Pour some water into the sink drain and test for proper flow down to the wall pipe. Lastly, consider using an enzyme drain cleaner to break up mineral deposits or grease that could slow drainage;

And that's all there is to it! In less than an hour you can have your sink drain working again without waiting days for a plumber. Just follow these tips to ensure there's no leaks, backups or other issues - allowing you to finally use your bathroom sink hassle-free.