Vessel sinks: Planning and installation
This vessel sink's owner was very creative, adding color and dimension with colored stones and shells that are unaffected by water. Credit: Tim Carter
ALL THE RAGE
Vessel sinks in the bathroom and the powder room are indeed the rage. These new sinks are radically different in design from traditional sinks in that both the inside and outside surfaces of the sink need to be finished. With a traditional sink, the underside is hidden below the countertop, meaning only one surface needs finishing.
GO WITH THE FLOW
The engineering of the overflow channel is different with a vessel sink because this hidden conduit must be contained within the sides of the vessel so you can't see it easily. The overflow should be able to handle the flow of water if the drain stopper gets closed and the faucet is on.
ON THE EDGE
You also have to keep in mind the height of the cabinet that the vessel sink will rest on. The top edge of the sink should be no less than 31 inches higher than the floor and certainly no higher than 36 inches. To figure out how tall your cabinet should be, you'll have to see how high your sink stands from the cabinet surface and then do the math.
OUT AND A SPOUT
A vessel sink faucet is a specialty item; it must be tall enough that the spout makes it over the top of the vessel and it must project far enough into the bowl that you have room to get your hands under the flow of water. Keep in mind that not every faucet will work well with every sink design.
THE CONNECTION
Your existing plumbing connections will work with just about any vessel sink. A plumber may have to install an extra-long tailpiece from the bottom of the sink to connect to the P-trap under the fixture. This item is a commodity and not expensive at all. The water supply lines will connect to the new faucet with ease using flexible supply hoses that are wrapped with braided stainless-steel wire to keep them from bursting.
LIQUID ASSETS
You'll discover that the costs for the vessel sink and faucet may be a little high. Part of this is the extra material of the sink that needs to be finished. Another part of the cost is the relative rarity and specialized nature of the sink and faucet.
WASH ROOM
You want to make sure there is enough room for the faucet so it doesn't hit the backsplash, your hands fit under the faucet in the sink and the vessel sink lip doesn't hit the wall. Taking a chance with an expensive piece of granite or marble is not prudent.
