All Basins

All Basins

How the basin mounts is the first decision, because it dictates the unit, the plumbing and the tap. A countertop or sit on basin rests above the worktop, which looks striking and frees the surface underneath, but it needs a tall or high rise tap to clear the rim, so check tap height before ordering. A furniture washbasin is designed to sit on or into a matching vanity unit, hiding the trap and giving storage in the same footprint, which is the practical choice for a family bathroom. A cloakroom basin and unit is a compact combination for a small WC where floor space decides everything. Width is the constraint that cannot be worked around, and the range here runs 42cm to 102cm, so measure the available run and allow clearance either side rather than fitting edge to edge. Tap hole configuration matters just as much: a single hole takes a mono mixer, two holes take a pair of pillar taps, and no tap hole means the tap mounts on the worktop or wall instead, which is easy to miss and impossible to correct afterwards. Material affects both weight and upkeep. Ceramic is the standard, hard, easy to clean and able to chip. Mineral composite is warmer to the touch, can be moulded into slimmer shapes and resists chipping better.

Armavit covers the larger furniture washbasins, with a 102cm gloss white basin and an Amelia mineral composite basin at 60cm. Bathroom Studio supplies a Sol sit on countertop worktop basin at 42cm and a ceramic washbasin at 60cm in white. Faro makes a 45cm rectangular ceramic basin in white, and a Turin cloakroom vanity unit and basin at 46cm in grey covers the compact end. For taps see Basin Taps, for units Vanity Units, and for wastes Waste Fittings.