A top-mount kitchen sink has a lip which sits on the edge of the kitchen countertop. This kind of sink is held in place by both silicone caulk that seals the joint between the lip and the countertop, and by kitchen sink clips which hold the sink onto the countertop. Replacing a kitchen sink and securing it with sink clips are tasks which any homeowner needs to be able to achieve in about an hour with a few basic hand tools.
Put the sink to the cutout from the countertop to be certain that the sink will fit correctly. If the sink is too large for your cutout, cut just a part of the countertop to permit the sink clips to fit within the cutout, using a binder.
Remove the sink and flip it over. Put a tube of silicone caulk into a caulk gun and then cut the tip off of the nozzle in a 45-degree angle, with a utility knife.
Squeeze a continuous bead of silicone caulk around the bottom lip of the sink.
Turn the sink over and place it in the cutout. Lean in the sink cupboard and lay on the back, looking upward at the sink.
Rotate every sink clip so that it’s facing away from the middle of the sink. Snug (but don’t overtighten) every sink clip into the countertop by rotating the clip screw with a screwdriver. Rotate every screw one extra turn to tighten the sink into the countertop. Inspect the sink from above and also tighten the clips as needed until the lip of the sink is tight and with the top of the countertop.
Wet your finger and smooth the caulk along the lip. Wipe away any excess caulk that oozed out of the lip.