A basin is a vital bathroom fixture that provides a functional element to the bathroom. Yet, with a variety of shapes and styles available, a bathroom basin can greatly aid bathroom décor. With several solutions available to choose from, there are several types of basins to perfectly complement all bathroom suites.
The Bathroom Showroom offers a helpful guide to help you select the best basin for your customer's bathroom.
What Customers Need to Know Before Installing a Basin
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Before buying a new basin, it’s a good idea to measure the area where it will be installed. This will ensure it fits comfortably in the required space, can be accessed and used with ease, and will not cause potential excessive spillage.
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The height at which the basin is to be installed should be appropriate for all those who will be using it regularly. As a rule of thumb, basin heights should be equal to that of the height of the waist. This will also allow for adding an easy-to-access unit solution under it if required.
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What style of basin waste is required for the basin type chosen? Not all basins come with a basin waste, so this information will need to be checked against the basin specifications.
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Make sure you have the right number of tap holes on your basin choice to suit your tap choices. Tap holes are drilled into the basin and will determine what types of taps can be used. Traditional basin styles offer two tap holes, yet most basin styles now only come with one tap hole to accommodate a mixer tap.
What Are the Styles of Basins?
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Pedestal Basin
Perhaps the most common of basin types, pedestal basins are classic options that are fixed to the wall for support. These basin types also hide any pipework, ensuring a neat and tidy finish. Pedestal basins come in a variety of shapes and sizes and offer various base options. The two most popular types include a full pedestal basin, which reaches the floor, and a semi-pedestal basin which doesn't touch the floor.
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Wall Mounted Basin / Bottle Trap Basin
Increasingly popular in many bathroom suites now are wall-mounted basins. Otherwise referred to as bottle trap basins, these types attach to the wall allowing you to utilise the space beneath them. However, the plumbing can be exposed in some wall-mounted basin designs. For this reason, adding a bottle trap can help conceal the plumbing waste.
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Fully Recessed / Sit-On Basin
Ideal as a furniture basin solution, fully recessed basins, referred to as sit-on-basins, simply sit on the furniture unit. This makes them an easier basin solution to install. Lending a stylish addition to the space, fully recessed basins create a spacious look, are easier to clean, and reduce water spillage. These basins also allow for space to be utilised underneath for storage units.
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Semi-Recessed Basin
A combination of a countertop basin and a fully recessed basin, semi-recessed basins are mounted on bathroom furniture units but they don’t fit into it completely. Offering a deeper bowl choice, they protrude slightly at the front and overhang. Ideal for those bathrooms where space is limited, a semi-recessed basin allows for the use of a storage cabinet underneath.
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Countertop Basin / Vessel Basin
A countertop basin eliminates the need for a fixed pedestal, thus providing a handy way to utilise space. Housed on top of a worktop, these basin types are becoming increasingly attractive modern design options. Countertops, or vessel basins, as they’re also referred to, can create plenty of storage space while enhancing the minimalist look and finish on top of a countertop or vanity unit.
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Corner Basin
Corner basins are the ultimate small basin choice, making them ideal for bathrooms and cloakrooms where space is limited. With the ability to mount these basins on a corner wall or on a corner storage unit, these basin types also make for great design pieces. Available in a selection of shapes and styles, they offer round, offset, and rectangular shapes.
The Bathroom Showroom has several renowned bathroom suites collections with a choice of these basins types including iflo, Britton, Roca, Ideal Standard, Geberit, Roca , Heritage, Atlanta and VitrA.
If you're looking to shop basins for your customer, speak to us at the bathroom showroom. With over 280 showrooms and a renowned history of working with the trade, we're the experts in all things bathrooms.