Replacing the bathroom sink can mean myriad decisions. Can you, for instance, add or enhance storage at by installing a new sink and vanity combination? Or maybe you don’t have enough room for a vanity and must select a pedestal sink, or one that hangs from the wall, or one that tucks into a corner.
Clearly, if you’re sink shopping, there are some things to think about. Here’s a look:
Need to know: Exactly how much space you’re dealing with, though simply taking measurements and finding something that fits isn’t the whole story either. The sink you select should be in proportion to all the other fixtures in the bathroom, to allow ease of movement. Plus, the sink (and accompanying vanity, if you can accommodate one) should be of a style compatible with the existing fixtures–unless you’re planning to change them, too.
Whose dirt is it, anyway? Bathroom sinks get a lot of use, so considering the user is important. You might hesitate to put a fancy vessel sink made of glass, copper or bronze (best reserved for guests) in a place where the resident handyman washes off after painting the walls. Likewise, you might want a durable, easy-to-clean sink, made of cast iron or vitreous china, in the bathroom your kids use.
Points for cleanliness: Whatever the composition of your sink, you need to know what to use to clean it. Some sink finishes are so delicate that even the prospect of Comet cleanser and a scrub brush will permanently scar them. If the sales staff where you shop can’t tell you, go to the manufacturer’s Web site. If you’ve already bought a sink, look at the manufacturer’s warranty, which will be invalidated if you do the wrong thing and scuff it up.
What will it cost? For wall-mount and pedestal sinks, prices start at about $100 and go to $1,200, because of the variety of styles and materials available. A midrange drop-in sink for a vanity will cost $150 to $400.
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Mounting issues: Pedestal and wall-mounted sinks offer little non-basin surface area and no storage. But a table or desk can sometimes be retrofitted to hold a small sink and still offer enough room for a soapdish and a toothbrush holder.
Vanity fair: Standard (not custom-built) vanities range in width from 18 inches to 48 inches; they come in 6-inch increments (24, 30, 36, 42 and 48 inches wide) and a variety of woods and finishes. Cabinets are either traditional face-frame with standard hinges or frameless European cabinets with adjustable hinges.
A vanity also requires you to add a countertop and hardware to your list of purchases. Laminate countertops are the least expensive choice, but they can scratch. Stone is durable but pricey.
And you’ll need to coordinate your faucet choices with the style of the rest of the bathroom. If you have a room with a bit of age to it, the task might not be that easy. If your bathroom has remained intact from the 1920s, you’re in luck–many manufacturers are making reproduction faucets in that style. But if your bathroom is of mid-century vintage, say 1950 to 1970, you may have some trouble finding period styles.
What you end up with will be determined not only by availability and price, but by whether the sink you’ve bought comes with predrilled holes. If it does, standard distances are 4 inches, 8 inches and single hole. Widespread faucets are for sinks with centers between 8 and 16 inches.
Draining issues: Pop-up drains are designed for easy cleaning, but beware–if you don’t know what you’re doing, the screw on the pop-up mechanism can become too tight to allow proper drainage. Drains need to be cleaned regularly; otherwise, soap and hair will collect and water will drain more slowly.