Full bathrooms typically contain a sink and a bath and shower combination unit, while half bathrooms will often contain a sink and a stand alone shower. On the far end of the spectrum are master bathrooms, typically fitted with two sink, a shower, and a bathtub, along with guest bathrooms, simply containing a sink with no bathing facilities. The common factor in all of these bathrooms, regardless of the size or designated use of the room itself, is the bathroom sink, often referred to as a lavatory. In settings such as guest bathrooms, where the bathroom lavatory faucets are the only fixtures that can be used to create a decorating theme, choosing beautiful bathroom lavatory faucets becomes just as important as selecting functional ones. One of the most important things to look at before selecting your faucet, however, is the various styles and designs they are available in.
Single Handle Lavatory Faucets
Single handle lavatory faucets are the simplest design and often the easiest to install. The water controls and spout are combined into a single unit and a single lever is used to control both hot and cold water functions. Up and down movement of the lever determines the water pressure and flow, while side to side movements control the temperature of the water. Single handle faucets are ideal for small bathrooms, as their compact nature offers a clean and simple look for the sink. These types of faucets can range from antique inspired to ultra-modern and can be made from a wide range of materials in a number of finishes. Single handle lavatory faucets are also easy to keep clean and maintain with proper care. Delta lavatory faucets, for example, are incredibly easy to maintain and care for.
Double Handle Lavatory Faucets
Double handle lavatory faucets, on the other hand, have separate controls for hot and cold water, with each lever or knob independently controlling flow of the hot or cold water. Temperature is determined by the amount of flow allowed by each control, with higher hot water pressure and lower cold water pressure leading to higher temperatures and colder water being created by higher cold water pressure and lower hot water pressure. Kohler lavatory faucets offer numerous double handle designs in their lineups.
Lavatory Faucet Designs
Once you ave decided between a single handle and double handle lavatory faucet, there are also several options to consider with regards to the particular design of faucet you prefer. For the most part, there are five options to choose from, each identified by the way the bathroom lavatory faucet itself mounts into the sink or counter top.
Single Hole Lavatory Faucets
Designed for guest bathrooms and other small areas, single hole faucets require that only one hole be drilled into the sink or counter top. They are not only the most space efficient faucet designs, they are also often the most affordable, often due to their smaller nature overall. The single hole is used to run both the hot and cold water supplies to the faucet, in turn being controlled by a single lever or compact double lever.
Center Set Lavatory Faucets
A center set faucet consists of a mounting plate that connects to the sink or counter top, into which three holes have been pre-cut to match up to the identical size holes in the back of the sink or in the counter. The three holes are spaced evenly apart, with 4 inches being the distance between each hole. The center hole is used for the spout, while the two outer holes are used for the hot and cold water lines. While other faucets have similar setups, the center set faucet is distinguished by its mounting plate. Center set lavatory faucets are simple to install and very space efficient, however, the mounting plate layout makes them somewhat more difficult to keep clean that other designs.
Mini-spread Lavatory Faucets
Similar to center set faucets, mini-spread lavatory faucets are also designed to be mounted into sinks or counters with three holes, each mounted 4 inches apart from one another. The primary difference lies in the fact that each piece of the mini-spread faucets mounts separately, eliminating the need for a mounting plate. This not only makes this particular design easier to clean, it also makes them slightly more upscale looking, as some mounting plates used for center set faucets may not be as visually appealing.
Widespread Lavatory Faucets
Designed for much larger bathrooms, widespread lavatory faucets have the same three separate components as a mini-spread design, however, the holes are drilled 8 inches apart from one another, as opposed to just 4. For a more unique statement, some widespread lavatory faucets can even accommodate up to 16 inch spacings between each controls, sometimes found used in master bathrooms that have a single large sink installed. A widespread bathroom lavatory faucet is also ideal for a sink that are wider, as opposed to one that is deeper and longer.
Wall Mount Lavatory Faucets
For even more space saving technology, many people are turning to wall mount lavatory faucets for their bathroom needs. Eliminating the need for the faucet to be mounted into the sink or counter top, wall mount designs instead have all the fixtures connected directly to the wall above and behind the bathroom sink. In order to accommodate the unique spacing, wall mount faucets are often much longer than standard faucets, allowing the waterspout to extend over the sink for adequate clearance. Wall mount faucets not only offer a definite unique visual appeal, they also offer their own solution for smaller bathrooms. By running the plumbing lines within the walls, as opposed to under the sink, the need for a vanity is often eliminated when using a wall mount lavatory faucet, clearing the area under the sink for additional storage or simply allowing for more open space.
Vessel Lavatory Faucets
The final style of bathroom lavatory faucet is designed specifically for use with vessel sinks. Given their added height, as they are mounted on the counter as opposed to being sunk into it, vessel sinks present a unique challenge for faucet design. While some wall mount faucets can be designed to accommodate a vessel sink, faucets created specifically for the task work best.
A vessel sink faucet is designed for height rather than width. They are mounted into the counter area directly behind the vessel sink and designed to rise above the top of the sink several inches. The faucets can be designed similar to traditional water spout faucets, often having the water controls mounted much higher on the faucet stem than usual, or they can operate on a single lever design. More ornate vessel sink faucets tend to rely on the waterfall effect for more elegant operation. In these designs, instead of the water being forced down a water spout into the sink, the water is pushed up the spout where it gathers in a small holding area, gently spilling out once the water level reaches the optimum fill area. These styles are not only more attractive in nature, they also tend to pair rather well with the general unique design of the vessel sink itself. There are a great number of Kohler lavatory faucet collections geared specifically towards vessel sinks.
Lavatory Faucet Construction
Lavatory faucets come in a number of materials, including porcelain and even glass, however, the most common materials used in faucet construction are often brass and steel. A brass lavatory faucet, for example, is extremely durable and able to withstand heavier usage. Stainless steel faucets are very scratch resistant and highly resistant to corrosion. A Delta lavatory faucet made of stainless steel, for example, can provide a flawless finish for years to come. Because of their quality features, both steel and brass lavatory faucets are ideal choices for all your bathroom needs.
Related posts:
