Everything About the Kitchen Sink: Read This Before Replacing Faucets

The Kitchen Master | March 11, 2015

Watering plants. Prepping for pizza night. Filling the fishbowl. Bathing the baby. There’s no doubt about it—we spend more active time in our kitchens than any other room in the house. When it comes to choosing your next kitchen faucet, there are numerous things to consider, from choosing a finish to beginning installation. Trust the experience, knowledge and creativity of The Kitchen Master to help you through the process.

Choosing The Perfect Kitchen Faucet

You know that kitchen sink is the command center of your home. To pick the perfect faucet for the job, the first step is thinking about how you use your kitchen sink most. Do you garden often? Are you a dedicated cook? Do you bathe pets in the sink? Considering these things will determine the handles, sprayers and spout height that is right for your family.

Determining Spout Height

If you regularly fill large, tall cooking pots, then you could benefit from a high arc spout (generally 8-10 inches above the sink plane). This will provide more workspace at the sink. If you have low hanging cabinets or a window with a view you don’t want to obstruct, then it’s better to go with a spout that has a lower arc.

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Choosing A Sprayer

Whether you’re rinsing fresh veggies from the farmer’s market or spraying down the corners of your sink, a faucet with the right sprayer can make everyday tasks easier. For extended reach and maneuverability, consider a pull-down sprayer.

With this type of faucet, the sprayer pulls down directly from the faucet for extended length, and returns securely without any assistance. For a space-saving solution, pullout sprayers are easy to install and can be used with lower arc faucets. If you’re looking for an extra-powerful option for cleaning and have a double basin sink, you might benefit from a faucet with a side sprayer.

Installation: Know The Hole Story

It’s not hard to get excited thinking about how your new faucet will transform your kitchen. But don’t forget to take a moment to consider the setup of your sink and how that can affect the type of faucet you purchase. What looks like handles and a spout on top can be something else entirely underneath.

Before picking your faucet, make sure you know how many holes there are in your sink. If you have a single faucet and a two or three hole sink, you can install an escutcheon (sometimes called a deckplate) to hide the other holes.

Mounting Basics

All faucets are mounted in some way, but the two most common are space-saving deck mounts (mounted on the sink’s surface area) and wall mounts, which make it easy to fill large pots and cooking pans. Wall mounts are often pivoted and adjustable for working with containers of various sizes.