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Kitchen Sink Drain Height

Shoeman | Posted in Construction Techniques on September 6, 2006 11:07am

If you were stubbing in a 1 1/2″ drain line for a kitchen sink to be installed some time in the future – how high off the floor would you center the drain pipe coming out of the wall?

Roughing in a cabin that I hope to put a kitchen in somewhere down the line.  I was just wondering if there is any sort of standard height for the drain line.  Kitchen will have standard 34 1/2″ cabinets with the top of the counter finishing 36″ off floor.  Sink will most likely be a stainless steel with about 8″ deep bowls.

I know it is not a real critical thing – just wondered if there was some sort of “standard”

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  1. neilpuck | Sep 06, 2006 11:27pm | #1

    I made this mistake when roughing in my sinks.  My disposal is centered on the sink, and roughed in the drain centered on the supply lines. WHich makes it damn near impossible to dun the P trap properly and comfortably.  Better idea is to rough in the supply shutoffs wide enough to be on either side of the disposal, and have the drain line somewhere outside of that.  Don't take my suggestion as gospel,  just relaying my experience, and mistake.  Also I ended up with one of the shutoffs behind the disposal.  Oops!!! I'm the guy I curse years down the line.

    Someone will surely be able to lend more experienced advice. 

     

    1. Shoeman | Sep 07, 2006 02:33am | #3

      Good points - thanks.

  2. Shacko | Sep 06, 2006 11:35pm | #2

    If you ever plan to have a garbage disposal I would put it approx. 14inches from the floor, the lower height will work with deeper sinks also, if you put it too high you are SOL when you try to hook it up. Luck.



    Edited 9/6/2006 4:41 pm ET by Shacko

    1. Shoeman | Sep 07, 2006 02:34am | #4

      Thanks for the number.  Just curious - are you a plumber?

      1. Shacko | Sep 07, 2006 02:01pm | #5

        43 years as a plumber, almost have the hang of it!

        1. Shoeman | Sep 08, 2006 04:34am | #9

          Only 43 years.  Would you mind asking the master you work under if he concurs with your 14" recommendation?

          (Grin)

          Thanks Shacko,

          Shoe

          1. Shacko | Sep 08, 2006 02:10pm | #11

            I bez the master, next year I will learn to spell plummer. SIC."If you don't have time to do it right, where will you find the time to do it over?"

          2. Shoeman | Sep 09, 2006 04:15pm | #12

            How about for a bathroom sink - what size and how high off the floor?

             

            Thanks again,

            Shoe

          3. Shacko | Sep 09, 2006 04:59pm | #13

            To Shoeman; 1 1/2 in. is usually the size for bathroom sinks. The height above the floor depends on what you are installing, the type of sink and the type of drain assembly, thats where you get your measurements, but if you don't know what you are hooking up I would go with 19 in. center line above the floor, that won't be right but will work. Luck.

            Edited 9/9/2006 10:00 am ET by Shacko

          4. Shoeman | Sep 09, 2006 05:37pm | #14

            Thanks once again

          5. Shacko | Sep 09, 2006 05:41pm | #15

            No problemo.

  3. User avater
    johnnyd | Sep 07, 2006 02:50pm | #6

    I would concure with the 14" recommendation, and also suggest that you put in 2" instead of 1 1/2", as long as you are starting from scratch like this.

    1. Shacko | Sep 07, 2006 05:54pm | #7

      Agree with the 2 in. recommendation.

    2. 30ALL | Sep 07, 2006 08:25pm | #8

      Does 2" pipe help if existing pipe in wall is 1 1/2"? If I can replace in-wall pipe with 2" as much as I can, Will it be problem with boring 2x4 stubs to fit 2" pvc?

    3. Shoeman | Sep 08, 2006 04:37am | #10

      Thanks Johnny,

      14" it is

       

      Will have to see if I can fit 2" as well

       

      Thanks again,

      Shoe

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