Lavatory Faucets

In contrast to kitchen faucets that are generally purchased for their functionality first and style and color second, bath and powder room lav faucets are often chosen the other way around.

Variety abounds in these faucets and the only limits to their design seem to be the manufacturer's imagination. While traditional plain-Jane units are still sold in large numbers, particularly for mass-market housing, most upscale home buyers seek unique designs to express their own individuality.

The most crucial consideration in choosing a lavatory faucet is the requirements of the sink or top on which it will be mounted. Not only are the number of holes critical, but some sinks such as vessels cannot be drilled at all.

If the faucet will be mounted on a deck or through the wall, will the spout reach the bowl? If it swivels, will it clear the vessel? The bowl and faucet should always be bought together, because once it is installed, or attempted to be installed, the faucet may not be returnable.

It's also important to remember that desired accessories such as an instant hot-water spout, a soap dispenser, a sprayer or the like, require additional holes.

Basic Types
Faucets are manufactured in three basic styles, the centerset, widespread, and mini-widespread, with a number of variations within those styles.

Centerset:
The most common style over the years has been the two-handle centerset style, where the spout and both valves are combined on a single base unit, and the hot and cold valves are 4" apart, center to center. Each valve requires a separate hole in the sink or countertop.

Single-handle faucets, common in both baths and kitchens, are also usually centersets, but the hot and cold water are controlled by one lever or knob that's often part of the spout. Usually both hot and cold water feed through a single hole in the sink or top.

Examples of single_handle    centerset faucets

Widespread:
The second type of lav faucet is called a widespread faucet, where each of the valves, hot and cold, as well as the spout are all mounted separately, and each requires a separate hole in the sink or countertop.

A widespread set usually includes three separate parts that measure from 8 to 20 inches from center to center.

Widespread sets do not have to be mounted in the traditional fashion with the hot and cold valves flanking the spout. They are sometimes arranged in a more artistic fashion depending on the location.

But flexibility comes at a premium; widespread faucets are considerably more expensive than most centerset units.

A single-handle faucet can also be a widespread, but in that case the handle is a separate unit, not mounted on the spout. Sometimes the handle is mounted away from the spout for the sake of convenience or aesthetics.

Mini-widespread:
A variation of the widespread faucet is the mini-widespread. It is similar to a widespread but with a 4 inch center to center instead of 8 or 12 inches. Single basin faucets are still available as well, where the hot and cold water valve each have their own handle and spout. These are built to fit antique or period style sinks, but internally they are built to modern specifications.

 
Wall Mount:
Some sink designs, such as vessel sinks, require wall-mount faucets. These are usually widespread units with separately drilled valves and a single spout.

Wall mounted lavatory faucets generally have longer necks than conventional faucets to allow for standard placement of the bowl.

Spouts:
Spouts vary as well, from straight to gooseneck, depending on the requirements of the sink and the buyer's individual taste. Most spouts are fixed, but some will swivel if needed. Some have longer necks than others, particularly if they're wall-mounted.

Valves
Four basic types of valves are used in today's faucets: compression, cartridge, ball and ceramic disc (they are so named by the parts that control water flow).

Compression Valves:
Compression valves always have two controls.

They have been in common use for many years and they're the least expensive type. In this type of valve, turning the handle raises or lowers a stem. A rubber washer is affixed to the bottom of the stem and seals off the flow of the water as the lowered stem compresses against the valve seat mounted in the waterway.

The problem with this type of faucet is that the rubber washer or seal wears out by the grinding action of the washer against the valve seat as it closes. When the washer wears down, the faucet drips. Some newer designs raise and lower the washer without grinding it into the valve seat which extends their life considerably.

Washerless:
Most other faucet designs are called washerless because do not use washers and valve seats to control water flow, although some do use O-rings and elastomeric seals to prevent leaking. In general, washerless faucets offer precise, ergonomic control.

Cartridge:
Cartridge units are offered on both single handle and two handle faucets. On the two-handle faucet, flow is controlled by turning the handle. On single-handle models, water flow is controlled by the vertical movement of the cartridge; while temperature is determined by its rotation. These faucets tend to be quite reliable, and if repairs are necessary they're usually accomplished by a simple O-ring or cartridge replacement. Moen offers a number of these faucets using a patented one-piece cartridge design. The ball faucet uses a single lever that controls a rotating slotted metal ball. The ball's slots line up with cold and hot water inlet seats in the faucet body to regulate the amount of incoming water allowed to reach the mixing spout. The ball faucet is only available on single-lever styles. Delta uses this design on most of its single-lever models.

Ceramic Disc Valve:
A popular design today is the ceramic disc valve. A ceramic disc faucet actually has two fire-hardened ceramic discs, an upper one that moves and a lower one that is stationary. The two discs move against each other in a scissor motion, blocking water or allowing it to pass through. The two discs are highly polished and flat to form a watertight seal when closed. They may require only a quarter or half turn for their full range of flow although some are made using a three-quarter-turn for added flexibility.

This type of valve is offered both on single lever and two handle units. Most of the manufacturers we deal with sell units using this design. Ceramic disc faucets are extremely durable, nearly maintenance free and typically carry a lifetime guarantee.

Materials and Finishes
Most quality faucets are made from brass and are sold in several finishes, from powder-coated enamel to gold plating. Parts may be either machine made or cast in molds, but the cast process is considered to be superior.

Popular finishes include polished and brushed chrome; high-gloss, satin and antique brass; gold-plating; and powder-coated decorator colors such as white, black, red, gray and almond. Powder-coated colors are electrostatically applied, then baked on, providing a durable finish that should last as long as the faucet. Some companies mix and match colors, using one color for the faucet body and a contrasting color for the accents.

In traditional chrome or polished brass design, faucets are nickel-plated before applying a layer of brass plating. In the case of polished brass, a factory-applied clear-coat is often added to improve durability and reduce maintenance. But chrome is left uncoated because it doesn't tarnish like brass.

Recently, PVD finishes have taken the spotlight because of their superior appearance and durability. These finishes are available in a variety of colors and can be applied to any material. See Faucet Finishes and Materials for more information on this process.

Other Considerations
A scald-guard or temperature-limit feature is offered by several makers for single-control faucets. On these units, the water temperature can be controlled by adjusting a setting under the handle, a great feature to protect small children or the elderly from scalding. This type of valve is required in showers in new residential construction.

Gerber has a complete new line of faucets specifically designed to fight water's corrosive properties which can cause damage to internal working parts.

This is achieved by a special Ceramaflow^TM cartridge. Their Hardwater® single-handle faucets are also supplied with a "temperature limit stop" that maintains water temperature within 1° - 3°F, even when there is a sudden drop of water pressure.

For water conservation, all new faucets are now mandated to deliver no more than 2.5 gallons per minute; some provide additional adjustable flow rate restrictors.

Warranties vary from a year to the lifetime of the original buyer, so it's important to keep the receipt for purchase. Separate warranties usually apply to the moving parts and to the finish.

Architectural Style or Architectural Design
Lavatory faucets are often chosen to complement the architectural style of the bathroom. These faucets are offered in hundreds of different designs, so the homeowner should be able to find one that's perfect for his needs. Each of the major manufacturers offers models in several different styles.

Soho Corp is the premier importer and manufacturer of English Plumbing fittings, Towel Bars, and bath Accessories from Italy and England.

Sunrise Specialty sells period and antique style bath fixtures and faucets.

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