How to Choose A Kitchen Faucet
The sink and faucet area is one of the most-used in any kitchen, and are often treated as a design focal point for the room. Upgrading your kitchen faucet is an easy and economical way to give your space a quick design refresh, or complement a whole kitchen transformation. A new faucet changes the look of the whole space. Be smart about the choice so that you find the best fit for your home and know what to look for before you buy.
It’s no surprise that the kitchen faucet is one of the most well used items in the room, but what might be news is how many improvements have been made to this simple fixture. There are many more options than just the selection of comfortable handles for the hot and cold water lines. It’s a good idea to explore the different styles, finishes, and features that are available when selecting a new faucet. The right design will look great for years, and add to the value of your home - all while meeting the demands of your busy kitchen. Take a broader view of what the options are and bring home the best fit.
Before you shop, it’s helpful to have an idea of what you want the end result to look like. Take stock of the styles and colors you want to emphasize and accent in your kitchen, as well as the size of your sink and countertop to compare as you consider a new faucet. The most important part about choosing a new faucet is that you be happy with the new addition to your kitchen after the installation, so always keep the final product in mind as you browse.
Grab the measuring tape, because it’s time to get some numbers. It’s usually easier to find a faucet that works in the space allowed than it would be to rebuild the kitchen to accommodate a faucet. As with all home improvement projects, picking a new faucet requires some educated placement decisions, a general idea of what you want the finished sink area to look like, and the scope of the tasks it will be used for.
This means you should know how wide and deep the basin is, especially in comparison to the size of plates, pots, and pans you plan to wash in the sink. Any faucet you buy will need to have a high enough spout for these chores and others, as well as a low enough placement to avoid excess splashing that will make a mess outside of the sink.
Similarly, if you are looking at a deck-mounted faucet, know how much room is available behind the sink to install the faucet. A wall-mounted faucet needs to be placed with the spout extending over the center of the sink, which requires taking into account the space between the interior edge of the sink and the wall. For that, you will compare the sink measurements to the size of the faucets as you narrow down the selection.
Measure the countertop behind the sink, and the diameter of the pre-drilled holes and the distance between their centers. You will need to know the width of the sink as well as the depth between the wall and sink edge. This is important for both the installation and the regular use of your faucet, as you’ll need to be sure there is room between the wall and faucet to fully articulate the faucet handles or levers.
As you search for a new kitchen faucet, you’ll see a number of other options to choose from that influence the overall style and operation of the faucet in your home. It’s a good idea to understand the basic configurations before you choose, to be aware of the product information and ensure you get exactly the features you want.
In a counter- or deck-mounted installation, drinking faucets can be mounted on the counter or sink edge. Deck mounted is the more common style, and it helps draw attention to the sink as a design element in your kitchen. Here you’ll find the largest variety of faucets, ranging from single-hole mounts to up to three-hole mounts, in all sizes and finishes.