Bathroom faucets add to the overall beauty and finish of a bathroom. There is a wide range of faucets with different uses from adding beauty, to comfort, or water conservation. You need to choose faucets that are suitable for you and your house. The faucets should be practical and easy to use.
Bathroom faucets, like all bathroom fixtures, come in a huge variety of finishes and styles. There are so many options that it can be tough to choose the right one for your needs. A little bit of knowledge and an idea of your finished project will go a long way toward making your decision easier. Here’s what you need to know to make the right choice for your new bathroom faucets.
Choosing the Right Faucet for Your Sink
In new construction or in situations where the sink is being replaced, the current type of faucet isn’t important. However, when there is an existing sink and a new faucet is being installed, it’s essential to get the right kind of faucet.
Mounting Configurations
There are four main types of faucet, all of which require different mounting configurations. These are:
Center-set faucets, which fit the typical three-hole mounting configuration. The outer mounting holes should be four inches (4”) apart, with a third in between. This type of faucet generally has two knobs or levers, or may employ only a single lever, along with the spout.
Single-hole faucets, wherein the spout and handles are all mounted through a single hole. This is a fairly simple faucet, excellent for smaller sinks; it’s usually operated by a single lever. They can be installed in three-hole sinks, but generally need a plate to cover the additional openings.
Wall-mount faucets, which are typically used with freestanding sinks or bowl sinks (also called vessel sinks). This type of faucet is mounted directly to the wall and is most useful in applications where longer spouts are required.
Widespread mount faucets, which are made of three pieces: two handles, one spout. The holes are usually eight inches (8”) apart, and the pieces of the faucet are oversized, as compared to center-set faucets. Some widespread faucets, called “mini-spreads,” are available for sinks with a center-set (4”) configuration.
Compression Faucets, Ball faucets, Ceramic Disc Faucets & Cartridge Faucets
These three faucet types work using the same mechanism. The faucet has the handle which is moved up to start the flow of water and down to stop the flow. The degree in which the handle is lifted determined the amount of water that flows through. The handle can be moved left or right to adjust the temperature of the water. Ball faucets are made using a lot of parts hence they are likely to leak during their lifespan. Ceramic disc faucets are high quality and tend to last for a long while.
A ball faucet has a ball at the base of the lever that facilitates the rotation of the handle when you are adjusting the flow and temperature. The ceramic discs faucets have a ceramic disc under the lever and the cartridge faucets have a cartridge. The ceramic disc and cartridge cannot be seen on the outside of the faucet. They are used to control the flow and temperature.
These are the basic types of faucets. What makes choosing a bathroom faucet hard is deciding on the finishes of the faucets. Deciding whether you want a traditional compression faucet or a double handle ceramic disc faucet is easy. The finishes come in many forms from different metals and other materials like ceramic, designs and color. The options include expensive metals like gold and silver. There are a few important things to consider when choosing the right faucet.
Choosing a Finish
In today’s market, there are literally hundreds of options for faucet finishes. Gone are the days of simply choosing something in polished chrome because it was the only option. Clear coating and modern finish techniques have produced a huge array of long-lasting and eye-catching faucet options.
Making your choice relies almost solely on the look you want to create, so pick the option that really completes the room. Match faucets to other fixtures, like towel bars and hardware, or give special consideration to cleaning and maintenance (shiny, bright faucets are beautiful, but exceedingly hard to keep spot-free, for instance). The right finish isn’t something that requires a lot of knowledge; just choose the one you like best, for whatever reason. The only caveat is to look for a faucet with a lifetime finish warranty; there are many on the market.
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Choosing Your Style
Like finish, style is mostly left to your preference. Some faucets are designed by well-known designers, while others are simple, functional, and even plain. It all boils down to whether you want a bit of haute couture in your bathroom, or you’d rather have something a little less flashy.
Choosing the Features
There are lots of different options to consider when choosing the features of your faucet, and these will likely end up being far more important than a designer name in the long run. There are faucets that conserve water (low-flow faucets), some that make the water softer (laminar flow faucets), some that provide sanitizing properties (antibacterial faucets), and even some that are interactive (motion-activated faucets). Your choice should be based on what’s most important to you. After all, it’s your bathroom, and your faucet.
Single or Double Handle/Knob
You should decide if you want a faucet that has a single knob or a double knob for hot and cold water. Double knobs are traditional and easy to operate. You can easily control the temperature of the water to your desired temperature. A single handle is easy to handle once you memorize how to adjust the temperature. This is a personal decision depending on what you like.
The Cost
Faucets made of real gold and silver are expensive. They are a good investment and good decorative features. However, you need to choose faucets within your budget. It is easy to find beautiful faucets at an affordable price.
Other Bathroom Fittings
The faucets you choose should match other fixtures like the door handles, light fixtures, the towel bars as well as the bathroom surfaces. The faucets you choose should coordinate with the overall look of your bathroom.
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At the end of the day, the type of faucet you choose will depend on the faucet that attracts you the most.
Thanks for stopping by our blog and we hope this information was useful. Everyone deserves to have a faucet for both form and function. If you’re in need of a custom plumbing installation or remodel, call us today!
