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Bathroom sinks selection has expanded along with the number and type of bathrooms in the average home. They range from tiny wall-hung versions for the smallest of powder rooms to elaborate dual-basin models for luxurious master baths.

Traditional baths are made of enameled cast iron or vitreous china, more contemporary styles use metal, glass, crystal, stone or solid-surface resins. It’s up to you to decide whether you want to make a design statement or prefer durability of less sophisticated materials.

Deck-mounted models, which can be set into or on top of a vanity or a freestanding frame, allow for storage, unlike pedestal or wall-mounted sink styles. Console sinks offer an expanded deck space for sundries. Some bathroom sinks come with predrilled faucet holes.

Kitchen sinks are the most heavily used every day; therefore the material a sink is made of is essential. Stainless steel is very practical (the heavier the gauge, the better); enameled cast iron is elegant, easy to clean and available in a variety of colors. The most durable of the choices is quartz composite; some prefer old-fashioned soapstone, some – new-style concrete.

Self-rimming sinks sit on the countertop, they are easy to install but can also collect dirt at the seams. Under mount sinks attached to the underside of the counter, stay cleaner but are more difficult to seat. Kitchen sinks generally come with four holes used for mounting faucets and sprayers, plus dispensers for liquid soap, hot water, and purified water.

Faucets are one more important piece of kitchen and bathroom hardware. You turn faucets on and off repeatedly, day after day, for many years. So, obviously you need one that not only looks great, but is convenient and safe and will provide durable service for a long time.

The right type depends upon your sink a lot. Before you buy a certain faucet you have to know the sink or countertop’s hole configuration unless you are able to drill the countertop to suit a particular faucet. Kitchen sinks are usually designed for single-handle faucets (these are centersets where hot and cold are controlled by one lever or knob that’s often part of the spout). Bathroom vanity and pedestal sinks are designed for widespread faucets (with separately mounted hot- and cold-water valves and spout), single-lever and centersets (single-handle or double-handle types). Single-control faucets are probably more handy both for bathroom and kitchen.

Daniel Smith writes about Kitchen Hardware and Bath HardWare