How do I make it look good?????

OK,

Gutted bathroom. Installed tiles on floor and walls. New toilet, sink and light fixture. I have 1/2 inch copper pipes(water) coming out of the wall for the sink and the toilet. They have nice new chrome on/off valves but the actual copper pipe coming thru the wall is an eyesore to me.

How can I "nice" them up?

How much copper are we talking about? Usually the pipe attaches to the shutoff valve at the wall and you use a chrome trim ring to cover the hole and the copper connection. From the shutoff, you could use SS braided line to connect to the fixture.

In my bath where I had a pedestal sink put in, it was copper in the wall, and it transitions to eared threaded 1/2" FIP connection inside the wall (kinda like the shower arm screws into), the ears were attached to blocking he put in the wall between the studs. Then the plumber used a short threaded chromed brass nipple to which he then screwed the shutoffs, and there was a escutcheon plate to cover where the pipe went in the wall. From there I went braided stainless with the lines.

Since your plumber went straight copper to the shutoff then a little of your copper will be showing (or perhaps quite a bit), though no one will pay attention to that but you. Your options to hide it are to redo as above (which will require wall repair...so not a good idea if you already painted), or simply paint the copper silver or slip some sort of split cover over the visible pipe. If you paint the copper, make sure its clean first.

There are split covers that would work, but I would consider turning the water off and removing the valves then putting on the solid covers. It should be a quick and simple job.

Gary Swart said:

There are split covers that would work, but I would consider turning the water off and removing the valves then putting on the solid covers. It should be a quick and simple job.

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There is about 4 inches of copper between the valve and the escutcheon plate on the wall. I have no problem turning off the water and removing the valves myself to put on the solid covers. I did not see them in Home Depot. Do you have a link to them? Is there a standard as to how long the copper pipe is that comes out of the wall?


Thanks,

Joe

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There are some. You want to leave enough pipe to reconnect in the event of future repair/remodel.

That much exposed copper does add to the job. You will have to cut the copper shorter and redo the valves. Using compression fittings should help. A plumber would have it done before you could drink a cup of coffee, an inexperienced DIYer somewhat longer.

Why would anyone install valves on a 4" chunk of copper sticking out of the wall anyways? Nobody needs 4" of play for future repairs...

A little metallic paint never hurt anyone. Seen it done.

4" of tubing is almost twice as long as I leave, but no big deal. In a couple of weeks you won't even see it anymore. Perhaps you are being too picky; I've never heard anyone complain about the length of the valve sticking out or about copper being an eyesore compared to chrome!

Basement_Lurker said:

4" of tubing is almost twice as long as I leave, but no big deal. In a couple of weeks you won't even see it anymore. Perhaps you are being too picky; I've never heard anyone complain about the length of the valve sticking out or about copper being an eyesore compared to chrome!

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That's what I always say. I argue with architects sometimes about placement of devices and equipment... I tell them that no one, except for people in the trade, notices that stuff.

Basement_Lurker said:

4" of tubing is almost twice as long as I leave, but no big deal. In a couple of weeks you won't even see it anymore. Perhaps you are being too picky; I've never heard anyone complain about the length of the valve sticking out or about copper being an eyesore compared to chrome!

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Sanjeev,

You haven't met my wife

tubing

Cut the tubing 1 1/2" from the wall, slide on a spun escutcheon (which EVERY hardware and Home Depot store has), slip on the compression valve and tighten it. There would be almost NO reason to ever need any more tubing than that, assuming whoever works on it in the future knows what he is doing and has the tools to do it.