Selecting Bathroom Fixtures Sink, Lavatory & Basin

With so many options to choose from, selecting the right bathroom fixtures requires a little knowledge to get it right the first time, and getting it wrong can be costly as well as inconvenient.

Here is the basic information you will need to help you choose fixtures appropriate for your style, taste, and budget.

The typical bathroom sink takes a lot of abuse. For­tu­nate­ly, most are up to the task.

The ultra-smooth sanitary surfaces of most materials resist stains, even nail polish and hair dye, and most forms of impact damage.

Some, of course, better than others.

We think it safe to say, however, that except for some unusual and rather exotic materials such as bamboo or wood, almost any sink you can buy from a commercial source will give good service for many years, which is a very good thing because replacing a sink is a serious inconvenience.

In this review, we will look at most of the common styles, configurations, and materials, and the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Sink Configurations

Bathroom sinks are made in three basic configurations: coun­ter­top-mount­ed, wall-mounted, and pedestal.

Coun­ter­top-Mount­ed

The most common type of bathroom sinks are those designed to be set in, on, or beneath a countertop – drop-in, set-on, or undermount sinks, respectively.

The usual mounting surface is a vanity countertop, but the sinks may also be mounted to tabletops and shelves hung on a wall. In fact, any horizontal surface will do as long as it is not more than about 2-1/2" thick. Any thicker and plumbing can get very tricky, still doable, but tricky.

Drop-in Sinks

The classic drop-in sink sits in a hole in a countertop with a lip protruding above the countertop.ommon type of bathroom sinks are those designed to be set in, on, or beneath a countertop – drop-in, set-on, or undermount sinks, respectively.

This is the basic bathroom sink: the most widely available type of sink, the easiest sink to install, and the least expensive to buy.

Most drop-in sinks are self-rimming, that is, they include a protruding lip that sits on top of the countertop and holds the sink in place.

Some, however, are not self-rimming.

These require special hardware formally called a "sink rim," but more commonly known in the trades as a "hootie" or "hoodee" ring (spelling varies) to hold them in place.

The advantage of a hootie ring is that it is nearly flush with the countertop surface, allowing escaping water, stray makeup, and similaar debris to be swept into the sink for disposal without having to negotiate the protruding lip of the sink.

Drop-in sinks were fairly new and very popular in the 1950s during the post-war housing boom. They stayed popular until the 1970s, when undermount and vessel sinks began to appear in large numbers.

The style is still the most widely used countertop sink, just not as widely used as it once was. And hootie rings, once a staple of plumbing supply stores, have all but disappeared. (Not entirely, however. Vance Industries still makes several common sizes.)

Undermount Sinks

They are, however, generally more expensive than drop-in sinks, more difficult and more costly to install, and faulty installation can lead to a sink failure.

While a drop-in sink can be installed by nearly every reasonably competent do-it-yourselfer, undermount sinks generally require professional installation.

The countertop must be a premium material like stone or composite. Nonetheless, as premium countertop materials have grown in popularity, so have undermount sink configurations.

Vessel and Set-On Sinks

The set-on basin (also called a tabletop or top-mount sink) is both the oldest and newest version of the countertop-mounted sink.

The most common of these is the vessel sink, designed to look like a bowl sitting on a tabletop.

It emulates the pitcher and bowl combination from pre-running-water days, in which the morning ablutions of the well-to-do were performed from a pitcher of warm water emptied into a bowl on top of the bedroom dresser.

Drill a hole in the bottom of the bowl for a drain, attach it to plumbing, and the vessel sink is born. Originally round and shaped like a bowl, set-on sinks are now just about any shape.

Vessel sinks started as a sort of fad, popular among the 1960s and '70s counterculture set. By now, however, the style has been around long enough that any suggestion of faddishness is long gone.

The sinks are not expensive, generally at about the same price level as traditional drop-in sinks. They are very easy to install. No countertop cut-out is needed, just a hole drilled for the drain. They can be replaced easily. Just disconnect the drain, remove it, and install the new sink.

They are easier to damage, however, since the whole sink is exposed, while other configurations are set into or mounted under the countertop, where the bulk of the sink is out of harm's way.

They also require special, taller faucets called, unimaginatively, vessel faucets. These are widely available and not expensive.

Vessel sinks are useful in small baths where their minimal size can make the room appear larger, and, for mounting a sink under a low window, there is nothing more useful.

See Redefining the Arts & Crafts Bath for a good example of using vessel sinks to fit under an inconveniently located window.

Integrated Sinks

Karran is famous in the remodeling industry as the originator of the sink that can be integrated seamlessly in high-density laminate (i.e., Formica^®) countertops.

The Karran integrated sink changed all that in the first years of the 21st century.

The sinks can be permanently installed in laminate countertops using a patented installation process and an acrylic adhesive called me­thyl meth­a­cry­late injected between the sink and the countertop.

The process forms a virtually unbreakable bond that holds the sinks in place and makes it impossible for water to seep under the laminate.

The company has expanded the types of sinks that can be installed in laminated countertops from its original acrylic sinks to stainless steel and stone-look composite sinks.

Stand-Alone Sinks

Two types of sinks do not need to be mounted in, on, or under a countertop: floor-mounted and Wall-mounted sinks.

These are especially suited for very small baths and powder rooms where space is at a premium or for heritage baths which call for a sink in a vintage style.

Floor-Mounted Sinks

As the name suggests, floor-mounted sinks stand on the floor. These are in two general configurations: pedestal sinks and console sinks.

Pedestal Sinks

These sinks are supported on a narrow base called a pedestal. The pedestal and bowl or basin are usually separate pieces and can often be mixed and matched.

The base is three-sided, open in the back. In addition to supporting the basin, the pedestal conceals the sink's plumbing. The basin sits on the pedestal and is attached to the wall for stability.

The height of the sink is determined by the height of the pedestal. The sinks are typically the traditional 32" above the floor, but an increasing number of manufacturers are beginning to recognize that Americans have gotten taller over the decades, and are making 34" and 36" models.

Console Sinks

Console sinks are holdovers from the Victorian Era when they were first invented. They are believed to have evolved from the Victorian washstand. These stands typically held a pitcher and bowl for washing and often included a shelf for towels.

Their popularity spilled over into the Arts and Crafts period of the early 20th century, and became, along with the pedestal sink, a mainstay of 1920s and '30s bathroom design.

They persisted into the Post-war period but steadily lost ground, replaced by the increasingly popular vanity cabinet that provided what the console did not, storage.

Wall-Mounted Sinks

As the name suggests, these sinks are mounted to strong brackets on the wall. They have no base support at all.

Plumbing is usually exposed, so it has to be neatly done. However, some wall-mounted sinks include a pipe shield that conceals the plumbing.

These are the traditional sinks for some period baths. And, if you need to minimize the size of fixtures in a small bath, wall-mount sinks are worth a good look. In glass versions, they almost disappear.

Pedestal sinks and console sinks are considered better around children than wall-hung sinks. The base supports the sink so it cannot be easily torn from the wall. (Which makes us wonder why schoolhouse sinks are almost always of the wall-hung variety.)

Bathroom Sink Materials

The most common bathroom sink material is glazed vitreous china. It is tough, durable, long-lasting, sanitary, and needs only the most basic care. Sinks can, however, be made of just about any material that will hold water, including some rather non-obvious materials such as bamboo and wood. The only requirements are that the material be somewhat resistant to physical damage and very resistant to corrosion.

Some materials are upscale, and sinks made from them are very pricey. But most materials are intended to compete with the standard vitreous china sink in price, so most are well within reach, even if the reach is sometimes a bit of a stretch.

Here are some of the common and uncommon bath sink materials:

Vitreous China

Vitreous china, also called enamelware, porcelain, chinaware, and fireclay, is the ceramic material created using the same nearly 7,000-year-old process that produces any number of toilets, bidets, and sinks as well as ceramic and porcelain tile, pottery, and dishware.

The material is a mixture of china clay, water, and additives. The clay material is shaped into a sink in a mold, then fired to about 2,200° Fahrenheit. It is coated with a glaze and fired again to "set" the glaze.

The glaze is just glass. Not a special glass. Just ordinary glass. Glass is waterproof and stain-resistant, which makes it ideal for sinks.

Vitreous china sinks are very sanitary, cannot corrode, last for centuries with proper care, and are by far the most common sinks available. But they are susceptible to damage from even a fairly modest impact.

Fireclay, as an alternate name for vitreous china, appeared about two decades ago. Most manufacturers promote it as a new material that produces a stronger, more damage-resistant product.

There is, however, nothing new about the material. It is the same china clay from which all ceramic products are produced.

The added strength of fireclay sinks lies in the engineering and design of the sinks, not in the sinks' material. They almost always have thicker walls and a heavier glaze. Thicker walls and a heavier glaze make a sink stronger and harder to damage.

The heavied-up structure can be applied to any porcelain or ceramic sink, not just "fireclay" sinks.

A Shaws of Darwin upscale fireclay sink can, for example, weigh several hundred pounds, but so can a Kohler porcelain sink, which is also a thick-walled product, but not called fireclay.

The term "fireclay" is a misnomer imported from Eng­land where vitreous china is often called fireclay — merely a corruption of "fired clay" that has nothing to do with what is called fireclay on this side of the big blue pond.

Fireclay: There is a real fireclay, but it is never used to make sinks. It is a specialty clay from which highly heat-resistant refractory products are made, including the bricks used in fireplace linings and crucibles to hold molten metal. Obviously, no sink is ever going to need such incredible resistance to heat.

Anyway, if the sales clerk tells you that a particular sink is more expensive than a regular porcelain enamel sink because it is fireclay, you can tell him or her that you are on to that particular con.

Very few bathroom sinks are made of "fireclay." It is more commonly found in kitchen sinks where robustness in the presence of cast-iron skillets and other heavy dropables is a very desirable trait.

The exception may be for wall-mounted sinks that are exposed to all sorts of potential hazards and need to more durable.

Porcelain and Other Ceramics: For more information on the difference between porcelain and other ceramics, go to Porcelain vs. Ceramic Tile: Is There a Difference?

Metal Sinks

Stainless Steel, Copper, and Zinc are the metals most often found in sinks. They are common in kitchens, less so in baths. But, they are available, although probably not at Home Depot or your local plumbing showroom. There are others: bronze and pewter, for example. But these are very rare, almost always custom-made, and not considered here.

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel can be an excellent material for sinks. It is rust-resistant, durable, and lightweight. Type 304 stainless, often called "food grade" stainless, containing at least 18% chromium and 8% nickel, is the usual choice for residential sinks. Type 316 stainless, the so-called "marine grade," contains a higher percentage of chromium (16-18%), and nickel (10-14%), and adds a little molybdenum (2-3%). It is considered more robust and is more common in commercial sinks.

Why Stainless Steel Does Not Rust: Properly alloyed stainless contains at least 10% chromium (which gives stainless its slight yellowish tinge) and a dollop of nickel. These form a coating of oxides and hydroxides on the outer surface of the steel that blocks oxygen and water from reaching the underlying metal, preventing rust from forming. The coating is very thin, only a few atoms thick, so thin that it is invisible to the eye under ordinary light but thick enough to protect the fau­cet.

Stainless is common in kitchen, prep, and bar sinks but rare in lavatory sinks.

Until a few years ago, they were largely relegated to commercial restrooms, factory washrooms, and jail cells: places where their extreme durability is an asset.

We see a few more on the market year by year, however, in new designs with interesting finishes. Even traditional manufacturers like Kohler are starting to produce them.

Most stainless steel sinks are made by pressing the shape of the sink into a sheet of heavy-gauge steel, a process invented by Elkay Manufacturing in 1948. The result is then trimmed and finished.

Stainless steel sinks resist damage from impacts but can be dented if you try hard enough. They will rather easily scratch, however, which is why most are given a "brushed" finish to hide the inevitable small scratches.

The difference between economy stainless sinks and their pricier cousins is generally not the material's composition, It is the steel's thickness. The thicker the steel, the less susceptible it is to denting, bowing, and noise transmission, but the more difficult it is to fabricate.

The thickness, called "gauge", can be determined by its number. The lower the number, the thicker the steel.

Most sinks come in 18- or 20-gauge steel. The 18-gauge is the thicker of the two and is more than adequate for residential sinks. If you can find a 16-gauge sink that you like the look of on sale, then buy it; you cannot possibly go wrong with this commercial-grade sink. The thinner 20-gauge is usually fine for the typically smaller sinks in bathrooms, but suspect in larger kitchen sinks.

Avoid Polished Stainless: That stainless sink with the gleaming in the showroom with its polish finish will not stay gleaming for long. Even modest everyday activity leaves scratches. We suggest you leave the polished showroom sink where it belongs: in the showroom.

Copper and Zinc

Zinc was used for sinks during the Victorian and early Arts & Crafts period, and is still widely used in utility sinks (but is being rapidly replaced by plastics). It is still a good choice when reproducing the bathrooms of these periods.

We know of no major sink manufacturer that makes zinc or copper sinks.

They are usually artisan-made and generally pricey for that reason. For bathrooms, these hand-formed sinks are often hammered into shape rather than pressed by machine, and the hammer marks help hide any inadvertent bashes.

These metals require more maintenance than stainless steel. Both are softer and dent more easily.

Engineered Composites and Solid Surfacing

Composite is another name for plastic, but not just any plastic. The material used in sinks is very dense, stain- and water-resistant, and durable. You may be familiar with "cultured marble," which is a composite plastic material — one of the first, in fact. Solid surfacing, like Corian®, is the updated, more durable form of plastic composite.

Many are a combination of some sort of filler and a plastic bonding material, commonly polymethyl methacrylate, a food-safe acrylic resin. The usual ratio is 80% filler and 20% binder, although the ratio can vary substantially. Typical fillers are quartz and granite dust, but glass shards, metal shavings, and even paper fibers have been used.

Corian sinks, for example, include aluminum trihydrate as their primary filler along with pigments. Blanco's Silgranit^® sinks are made of a "patented granite composite material made of up to 80% natural granite." Elkay identifies its fillers as "a granite material [that] combines natural quartz." We are not at all sure what that means.

Composite sinks are heavy and, as you might suspect, can be damaged by heat, so be careful where you put that curling iron. They also scratch easily, so no abrasive cleanser. They are very resistant to impact damage, however, and can shrug off a nit that would severely damage an enameled or metal sink.

Many solid surfacing countertop manufacturers make sinks that exactly match their countertop materials. These are either cast as a unit, or the sink is permanently bonded to the countertop with a seam that is almost completely invisible.

Enameled Cast Iron and Steel

Both Kohler and American Standard got their start in the 1800s when they figured out the chemistry of bonding glass to cast iron to make easy-to-clean livestock watering troughs.

Farmers almost immediately figured out that they made even better bathtubs — why waste such good technology on hogs? So the clawfoot bathtub was born.

The same technology is still used to bond glass to cast iron and steel sinks. The glass is typically called porcelain or vitreous enamel glazing, but don't be fooled by the fancy names. It's just glass.

Cast iron sinks are heavy and durable. We know of some have been in use for 150 years and longer. Steel sinks are thinner, lighter, and not as durable. The glazing can be chipped, but chips are usually reparable.

The thick glazing of cast iron sinks can be polished out to a like-new luster many times. The glazing on steel sinks is usually thinner, and on some imported sinks, thin enough that it cannot be re-polished.

Enameled cast iron is the gold standard for kitchen sinks and much more common in the kitchen, but there are a few cast-iron lavatories around. However, if=f cast iron fits your bathroom decor and your budget, it is the sink to have.

If there is a sink that is more durable than cast iron, we have not found it. Some manufacturers — Kohler comes to mind — guarantee their sinks against chipping forever. If a Kohler enameled cast iron sink "chips, cracks, or burns," Kohler will repair or replace it free.

Glass

Glass is a common material for vessel and wall-mount sinks.

A glass sink can contain a beautiful array of colors and hues that do interesting things to light when water runs through it. Some are minor works of art. But most glass sinks are just clear glass.

The thick tempered glass they are made of is durable, easy to clean, and won't stain. It will break, however, if hit hard enough, and, unfortunately, that's not at all rare.

Tempered glass is vulnerable along its edges and vessel sinks, with their exposed rims, are particularly at risk. To reduce the risk of breakage, buy a sink of the thickest glass you can find.

They are not advised for baths used by young children.

Stone

All stone materials will hold water, but they are porous and require considerable maintenance to retain their new look over time.

The basic problem is that the solid waxy components of soap get into the pores and provide a breeding ground for all sorts of interesting micro-critters. So, they have to be sealed regularly after a thorough cleaning. (It is also a good idea to use soap in liquid rather than in bar form.)

Sealing is the process of filling the pores and crevices with silicone or a similar material to keep soap and debris particles out.

Many sealants are available. Any sealant designed for stone countertops is also suitable for stone sinks, but make ccertain the sealant is rated "food safe."

if the sink manufacturer has a recommendation, use the recommended sealant.

Granite, soapstone, limestone, and marble are the natural stones most often used to make sinks.

Of these, granite is the most durable. The high density of granite makes the sink scratch-, chip-, and heat-resistant to 535 degrees Fahrenheit — not much of an issue in a bathroom (but a kitchen is a different story).

Limestone is more porous than granite and, like marble, it is not at all resistant to acids, which can permanently mar the material. (If you don't think your cosmetics, lotions, creams, and pastes contain acids, read the labels, then think again.)

Marble is probably the material that the first stone sinks were made out of. It is a soft stone and fairly easy to carve with hand tools, but it stains easily. However, with periodic re-polishing, it can last for centuries — in fact, marble sinks several hundred years old are still in use in various parts of Europe.

Soapstone is a little different from other stone materials. It is a very soft stone that stains easily, but the stain does not penetrate beyond the surface of the stone, and to soapstone aficionados, the staining is part of the allure, creating a patina from use that adds to the natural beauty of the stone.

Soapstone is a fairly common stone for kitchen sinks, less common for bathroom sinks. It is available, however, from companies like Vermont Soapstone, but in very limited styles, and they are pricey.

Concrete

Like natural stone, it needs to be sealed to maintain its stain resistance, and the sealing chemical has to be reapplied regularly.

The concrete used is not what you see in your driveway. It is a special high-density material used for countertops. Every maker has its own secret concrete recipe, but they all seem to produce much the same result.

Concrete can chip as well as stain, and once chipped is difficult to repair invisibly. It can also develop hairline cracks over time, which in your driveway are not a problem, but in a sink, probably will be.

Wood & Bamboo

Wood

Wood will hold water. But unless it is kept well sealed, it can easily become the happy home of mold and mildew, and the color will probably fade over time.

Most wood sinks are turned on a lathe in small woodshops and sold on sites that sell crafts. They are unlikely to be found in regular plumbing supply houses or decorative plumbing showrooms.

Small craft shops seldom have access to the latest conversion varnish technology. So the most common finish applied to wood sinks is polyurethane. With a three-coat minimum, the finish should last for several years of careful use but will need to be refinished from time to time.

Teak is widely used for sinks because of its close grain and anti-bacterial properties – the same properties that make it popular for use on boats and ships. Other wood types used for sinks are mahogany, wenge, pear, birch, and olive.

Bamboo

Bamboo has many of the same properties as wood, but it's not wood. It is a grass that has been extensively processed to look something like wood.

During processing, the material is sealed with a phenolic resin, usually baked on, which makes it much more water-resistant than actual wood and usually a better choice for a wood-look sink.

It also has the advantage of being much more sustainable than hardwood. Commercial bamboo grows so fast that it replinishes itself is three to four years compared to 20 ro 100 years for hardwood.

What to Look For in a Sink

Choosing a sink is more than merely selecting the right color. You need to consider the size, configuration, and materials that best fit your bath.

The Right Size

Fit your sink to your bathroom. If your bathroom is small, you may not have room for a standard drop-in bowl and cabinet. A pedestal sink or wall-mounted sink may be a better choice. On the other hand, there are so many styles of wall-mounted small vanities that it may be possible to have the convenience of a vanity and the right size sink for your bath without overwhelming a small bath with a big, boxy cabinet.

We typically avoid vanities. Most are bulky and make any bath look smaller, something we could put up with if they provided anything like adequate storage. But most vanities provide truly terrible storage.

If we use a vanity, it is almost always wall-mounted and equipped with drawers.

The better solution, however, is to separate your sink from storage cabinets and use cabinetry that is designed primarily for storage.

Wall-mounted shallow cabinets provide particularly good storage, especially in a small bath.

Enough Surface Space

Ensure there is enough space around the bowl for toothbrushes, eyeglasses, soap, and so on. If the sink is mounted in a cabinet, this is not usually a concern. But, it is important if you're considering a pedestal or wall-mounted sink, since you may not have a countertop surface nearby.

A glass shelf or two installed above or alongside the sink is a good idea where more surface space is needed.

Ease of Cleaning and Maintenance

How easy is the sink to maintain? Good quality vitreous china fixtures — the normal material for sinks and basins — are easy to keep spotless.

If you are considering another material, such as glass or copper, keep in mind that it may not be as easy to keep clean.

Cultured marble and solid surfacing materials, for instance, although not easy to stain, will not stand hard scrubbing if they do get stained.

Copper and brass need to be polished often, and stone needs to be resealed periodically.

A Good Match for Your Style

Sinks and basins come as plain or as fancy as you want. Ornate pedestal sinks, art-glass basins, and cultured marble vanity tops with integrated basins are all available in a wide variety of colors and textures.

Sinks can even be custom-crafted by glass, ceramic, and metal artists.

If you are reproducing a vintage bath for your heritage home, you will be somewhat limited by the styles that are compatible with the period, but not overly so. It is possible to use a modern sink in a heritage bathroom. It just takes a little creative design.

To see how we integrated modern vessel sinks into a Craftsman bath, go to Redefining an Arts & Crafts Bath.

Do not be concerned with matching your faucet. Always buy the sink first, then the faucet. It is a lot easier to match faucet to sink than sink to faucet. Of course, if you have already bought a faucet, then its size, dimensions and placement must be condidered.

Choosing The Perfect Toilet

The can, the throne, the head, the john, the privy, the WC, the crapper, the lav, the loo, the commode, the oval office: whatever your favorite euphemism, what you mean is plain and simply, the toilet.

Modern toilets consist of a bowl fitted with a hinged seat and are connected to a waste pipe where waste is flushed using water pressure… (Continues)

Rev. 07/09/25