Buying a bathroom sink is a significant decision in a homeowner’s life. To properly install a bathroom sink, there are three different styles that we’re going to look at to effectively and efficiently install it.
The three factors we must understand to purchase a bathroom sink:
- Determine the style that fits your bathroom. Do you need it for everyday use, or do you want it to stand more for cosmetic purposes?
- Choose the vanity. Determine what kind of vanity the sink needs to accommodate the use of your sink.
- Choose the material for the vanity & sink.
- Speak with a professional to make sure everything will install and fit properly.
This article will serve as a guide, especially if you’re a new homeowner, to help you feel confident when searching for a bathroom sink.
Buying A Bathroom Sink
Before you even think of spending a dollar purchasing bathroom sinks, we’d like you to consider a few things. We recommend reading this article in its entirety before you spend any money.
It will help you, in the long run, to save money and not have to revisit the sink for repairs. When purchasing a new bathroom sink, our goal is to do it once, do it correctly, and wow your guests.
Sizing The Sink
First and foremost, we need to know how much room is required to install the sink and still give guests enough room to come in and out of the bathroom.
If you’re building a brand new bathroom, we need to get a tape measure and accurately decide how big we want the vanity.
There are a few factors you need to consider when installing the bathroom sink in regard to sizing:
- How much room is needed to walk in and out of the bathroom comfortably
- Will you or any kids be leaning on the sink
- How much room you’ll need on the sink
The vanity is the sink top, and the wooden cabinets are attached underneath. One thing that needs to be taken into consideration is the hang-over of the vanity.
Measure 2-3 feet from the wall, but you also need to factor in the 2-3 inches of extra vanity that hangs over the wooden cabinets.
Another factor in determining the size of the mirror that you’re going to put above the vanity. We, of course, want to pick out the mirror after we’ve decided on a vanity. But to complete the picture, it’s a good idea to have what size the mirror will be in the back of your head.
If you’re stressing about finding a mirror, don’t worry, we have a guide ready.
Choosing The Right Vanity
The second thing you’ll want to research is the type of vanity you want in your bathroom.
When buying a vanity top, it’s important to know there are several kinds of vanity tops, and they can be customized based on your personal preference.
Bathroom Vanity With No Sink
The first vanity that we’re going to look at is a vanity with no sink. These vanities are great if you’re looking to purchase just the vanity and not the actual sink.
If you’re looking to customize the sink bowl, levers, and spout, this will give you the best option. A vanity with no sink is the best option to customize to your liking completely.
However, we don’t recommend buying a vanity with no sink components if you’re a beginner. It is better to customize. However, it may be harder for you to find one that looks good or fits your vanity. We recommend you look at the vanity with a sink.
Bathroom Vanity With Sink
The vanity with a pre-loaded sink can be purchased, and we recommend it to beginner homeowners.
It makes everything easier when installing and hooking up rather than assembling all parts. Again, if you’re an expert and have the experience, vanity without the sink might be fitting, but newcomers’ coming stock is much easier.
We highly recommend reading about how bathroom sink plumbing works before purchasing a vanity. This will help with installation and making sure you have the proper plumbing before you purchase
Now that we’ve picked out what type of vanity we want, we need to determine if this vanity is a single bowl or double bowl.
Types Of Bathroom Sinks
Single Bowl
A single-bowl vanity is exactly what you see in most bathrooms. A single sink bowl is typically equipped to serve one person at a time. This is common in 90% of bathrooms—one sink, spout, and the person using it.
Here is an example of a single bowl:
If you’re looking to install a sink in a common area or for your children, simply having a single bowl will do the trick.
If you have multiple kids at once or are looking to install multiple sinks, you’ll want the double bowl.
Sink stoppers at the bottom of your bowl will also go nicely with your sink’s design. Look at how they work and a list of sink stoppers here.
Double Bowl
The double bowl allows the homeowner to add another sink to the vanity. While these are great for master bedrooms, it’s important to know a few things about installing a double bowl:
- Adding another bowl means you’ll need even more room for the vanity
- You’ll have to have a second water supply for both sinks
However, the double bowl does solve many problems, as mentioned, if you have multiple kids or want their sink.
Best Bathroom Sinks
Now that we’ve sized up the vanity and know how many bowls we want, it’s time to decide what type of material you want the vanity to be made of.
The vanity type is entirely up to the homeowner. The types of vanity types are:
- Solid Wood
- Granite
- Marble
- Quartz
This is entirely up to your preference with the bathroom finish. We’re a big fan of granite, as the finish is easy to clean and looks slick in most bathrooms.
After we’ve decided what type of vanity top we want, the next is to determine what type of cabinets you prefer.
Wood is a common cabinet type and should be considered if you’re looking to match the trim in the rest of your bathroom. Most vanity tops will have wooden cabinets that come standard.
We recommend that you look into the wood if you’re beginning a remodeling, as it traditionally will go nicely with all of your finishes.
If you’re not concerned about matching, metal cabinets are a great alternative to have for secure and reliable storage.
Conclusion
We recommend you start by measuring out the size of your bathroom and ensuring you have plenty of room to accommodate your desired vanity size.
Once sufficient space has been calculated, search for vanities and materials that best fit your liking.
We recommend going in person to see the vanities to ensure the product is high quality and precisely what you want. Remember, we don’t want to have to redo this process. We want it to go as smoothly as possible. Follow our steps to help ease the pain points, and let us know how your remodeling looks!
For over a decade, Robin has been a real estate agent, interior design specialist, and mother. Through her trials and tribulations, she wanted to create the perfect website to help you save money and make your home look beautiful.