Sinks & Taps

When choosing a sink and tap there are a number of factors to remember, space, size, pressure, type and finish, on this page you will find information on all of these topics to help you choose the right sink and tap for you.

Sinks

When choosing a sink, it is a good move to start with space, if you are limited with space you could be limited to the size of sink you can have, you may also have to think about a corner sink. There are single bowls, 1 1/2 bowls and double bowls, and depending of the space you have and the use you require will greatly affect your choice. If you are looking for more than a single bowl, remember that the base unit they sit in will need to accommodate this; most sinks will fit in a 600mm base unit, but check the specifications of the sink before you choose.

The next thing is type, there are 4 main types - Sit on (where the sink sits directly on top of the worktop or cabinetry, but remember that this can add extra height and the worktop level would need to be reduced to make the sink accessible), inset (where the sink edge sits on top of the worktop and the bowl (s) are recessed into the base unit, this type is most common and can be used with all worktop materials), Flush mounted (where the sink edge sits flush with the top of the worktop, a stylish alternative to inset, but make sure the worktop suppliers can accommodate for this, although some suppliers of laminate worktop suppliers can do this, it is primarily reserved for wood, stone and composite materials) and finally under mounted (where the sink sits below the worktop, with the draining grooves cut into the worktop, these sinks can realistically only be used on wood, stone, composite and glass worktops)

Material, there are a number of materials available with Stainless steel being the most common. When choosing a Stainless Steel sink, companies use thinner metal to reduce cost and this can mean unwanted flexing, especially when using the tap making it unsteady and reduces the quality feel of your kitchen, I would also look for 10/18 Stainless Steel, this means better quality. You can also get ceramic, stone and even sinks that are included in the worktop moulding itself; this is reserved for composite materials such as Corian.

Taps

Before you start looking for a suitable tap check your water pressure, the national average is 4-6 bar for cold water mains, but the hot water predominately runs using gravity fall, so ask your plumber or local water board for advice. Even though the majority of taps are designed to work with most water pressures, some mixer taps require a minimum pressure and having lower than this can affect the performance.

The next thing is worktop thicknesses, most taps are designed to fit onto your sink itself, but if you would like to position it directly onto the worktop make sure to take note that tap fixings are designed for worktops no thicker than 50mm. If you are using thicker than this you will need to inform your kitchen supplier so that they can reduce the worktop thickness from underneath your worktop to make it fit.

Once you've checked that you can start choosing your style and there are more choices out there than you realise, make sure you choose a tap to fit the size of your sink, some come with large necks and can look out of proportion, so try and keep the proportions correct. Below is a list and brief explanation of the types available.

- Pillar, this is where there are two pillars, one for hot and one for cold. These are inn expensive and easy to fit, but aren't used much in the kitchen any more, but the option is still available.

- Mixer taps, mixer taps have two handles usually either side of the spout that combine the hot and cold water within the body of the tap. These types of tap require specific water pressures, otherwise may not work correctly.

- Dual flow, these taps look the same as mixer taps and give a single stream of water, but keep both water flows separate meaning that they can be used with varying water pressures.

- Monobloc taps only use one handle to control the flow and heat of the water stream and look very stylish. These too have to work with specific water pressures.

- Pull out spray mixer; these taps incorporate a pull out hose which gives unbeatable control for washing and rinsing food.

- Instant hot water, there are now suppliers that provide instant almost boiling water, they are seperate from the main tap and are are expensive, they are meant to replace your kettle.

When you have chosen your type, you can move onto the finish. Most taps come in Brass, Chrome, brushed, matt and satin finishes. The Brass may suit more traditional kitchens, where as brushed, matt or satin finishes are stylish and suit more contemporary styles.