Can you convert a double sink to a single without replacing the countertop?
You can replace a double sink with a single basin while keeping your existing countertop, provided the new sink fits the cutout. The process involves removing the unused section of plumbing and capping off the extra water lines on the right side.
What the numbers show
Counted from the threads quoted below. How we count
- The most recent one is from October 2026.
- This comes up 16.1× more often in r/Plumbing than across the site as a whole.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Trimming the countertop corners where the new sink drops in to fit different templatesDid this help you?
- 2Doing a bit of plumbing rework during installationDid this help you?
- 3Disconnnecting the left side of the double sink plumbing and capping it offDid this help you?
- 4Cutting inside the wall and adding a tapped teeDid this help you?
- 5Buying a matching black drain assembly online to replace the stainless oneDid this help you?
- 6Removing the pipe plug with a bucket underneath to break the vacuum lock and drain the water.Did this help you?
- 7Fishing around the drain with a wire coat hanger to try to clear an assumed physical clog.Did this help you?
- 8Considering drilling a small hole in the plug to let air enter the pipe.Did this help you?
- 9Use a deck plate (escutcheon plate) to cover the extra sink holes.Did this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“My question is, is it as simple as removing the section in the red circle and replacing it with one that only goes to the left? Then obviously capping the water lines on the right side.”source ↗
“Is there a better way to do this like leaving that area as it and just cutting and caping the pipe to the right?”source ↗
“Going from double divided to single undivided. Can I just keep this same plumbing and cap the left side off?”source ↗
“I replaced it with a single-basin sink and a new faucet. Unfortunately, the drainage has been a little slow, and the other night the sink completely stopped draining.”source ↗
“When I installed the new sink, I had to modify the plumbing a little bit. In the photos, I've circled the plug I installed in red. This connection originally routed to the second basin of the old sink.”source ↗
“So, with a bucket underneath the pipes, I removed the plug—and everything immediately drained away.”source ↗
“Does anyone know if you can replace this type of sink and faucet with a larger single basin sink and a nicer faucet without changing the counter tops?”source ↗
“We are on a tight budget and don’t want to replace the counter tops but the sink that’s in the house now is incredibly shallow.”source ↗
“I’m not a plumber and have never done anything like this. What kind of drain assembly will I need?”source ↗
“What if the positioning of the new sink drain hole isn’t lined with the top of the garbage disposal? Will I need to lengthen that far right pipe?”source ↗
“Can I replace a 4-inch centerset 2-handle bathroom faucet with a single-hole single-handle one?”source ↗