Basins

The basin is one of the key elements of any bathroom, which is why we make sure that we always have a great selection here at Posh

When you have to keep your basin off the floor

If space dictates that you need to preserve your floor space as much as you possibly can, then you probably want to look at our range of wall mounted basins, semi recessed basins and semi pedestal basins. 

With these options nothing touches the floor, giving you the absolute maximum of usable floor space for whatever purpose you choose.

What you need to know about installation

The single, biggest point to understand about wall mounted basins, semi recessed basins and semi pedestal basins is that the absence of any support underneath them means that their weight must be supported entirely by the wall on which they are hung. 

This means that you almost certainly want to use a load-bearing wall as a simple partitioning wall is highly unlikely to have the necessary strength. 

If you are in a situation where placing the basin against a partition wall is your only feasible option, then you may find it better to look at a washstand-style traditional basin, which has the smallest footprint of all the floor-standing basins. 

When looking at the question of weight, it’s very much advisable to think how much the basin will weigh when full of water (even if your intention is only to use it for quick hand washing). 

If the size of your bathroom gives you a choice between one of our wall mounted basins, semi recessed basins and semi pedestal basins or to opt for a floor-standing basin, then it may be wise to consider who will be using the bathroom. 

Basically, if users will be tempted to lean on the basin or tug at it, then a floor-standing option will be a bit more robust.

When you can spare only a small amount of floor space

When you have a small area of floor space to use, but still want to keep your footprint as small as possible, then you probably want a pedestal basin or a traditional basin, which comes as a pedestal basin or as a wash stand.

What you need to know about installation

There are basically two questions you need to answer when thinking about installing a pedestal basin or traditional basin, is there existing plumbing and how strong is the wall behind the sink?

Plumbing

If you need to have plumbing put into place for your new basin, then it is strongly recommended to call in a professional for the job and if you are going to have them fit the plumbing for you, then you may find it easiest to have them complete the task for you.

Pedestal basins and traditional basins get part of their support from the pedestal or washstand and part from the wall mounting. 

In practical terms, this means that if you are planning to install the pedestal basin or traditional basin against a load-bearing wall, then the installation should be fairly straightforward. 

If, however, you want to install the pedestal basin or traditional basin against a partition wall, then it would probably be a good idea to call in professional help as a professional will be able to check if the wall is up to the weight on its own or if it needs some form of reinforcement (or if you will need to change your plans).

When you want your basin to be a focal point

If you want to turn your basin into a feature, then countertop basins are an excellent choice.  They are designed to be on show and hence come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes.

What you need to know about installation

Previous comments about plumbing and the importance of managing load apply here too.  Countertop basins generally have their weight over some kind of stand, although in principle they can be placed on a shelf and potentially boxed in to conceal the plumbing. 

Whatever option you choose, make sure to research it thoroughly to be sure it’s up to the weight, including when the sink is full.  There are three further points to consider when looking to install countertop sinks.

Positioning

You probably want your countertop basin to sit in the middle of its support, partly for aesthetic reasons and partly for weight distribution, you, therefore, need to “measure twice and cut once” when it comes to drilling the necessary holes (for the drainage system and the tap or taps), to ensure that you can sit your basin exactly where you want it. 

Obviously, you also need to make sure that these holes are the right size.  Remember, it’s generally easier to make small holes bigger than large holes smaller.

Your taps need to be high enough to clear the countertop basin and be used comfortably.  This means that even if you love the tap(s) on your existing sink, you may still need to replace them.

Remember to account for overflow

With inset basins, there is usually a drainage outlet set into the side of the basins, to prevent the water level from getting too high and overflowing.  The nature of countertop basins makes this infeasible. 

This has two implications, firstly,  you need to make sure you buy a countertop basin which is deep enough for your needs (and again, it’s generally best to err on the side of having a little extra capacity) and, of course, this will have an impact on the overall weight. 

Secondly, you need to think about what will happen if, for any reason, your sink does overflow as this may influence what you put in your bathroom and certainly what you put near your sink and/or on your floor.

When you really want to create storage space

Finally, for those who want to maximize their available storage space, there are the tried and tested vanity units, which take up the most floor space, but put it to good use for storage.

What you need to know about installation

Most of what you need to know has already been covered. 

Vanity units tend to offer the most support underneath the basin, but your sink may still need a bit of help from the wall, so you may wish to double-check with a professional if you’re planning on placing one against a partition wall.

A special word about vanity units

The traditional image of the bathroom vanity unit is probably that of a cupboard under the sink and there are indeed still a number of units which are exactly that. 

These days, however, you have plenty of other options, such as a combination of cupboard and drawer space or units which are actually super-deep drawers rather than cupboards. 

In other words, you have a much wider range of options when it comes to making the most of the bathroom storage.

One of the great advantages of vanity units is that they make it really easy to keep the sink and counters clear, which many people prefer from an aesthetic point of view and which has the significant practical advantage of making it more difficult for items to be knocked over. 

Whatever kind of vanity you choose, you’re sure to be able to find a wide range of options for keeping it organized. 

If you opt for a vanity unit with drawers, then you can use any drawer-organizing products or just apply a liner to provide a surface with grip to hold items in place.  For cupboard-style vanity units, you can use small drawers or stackable bins to keep items neatly organized in the main part of the cupboard and use hooks, rails and over-door storage units to make the absolute most of your storage space. 

This can be a great location to store hot items such as hair tools as they can be left to cool down without damaging bathroom surfaces or being touched accidentally by people in a hurry. 

Vanity units are great places to store unsightly bathroom essentials such as toilet rolls and cleaning fluids (in homes without children) and even though they will be below a sink, they will be perfectly safe from water damage as long as they are in appropriate containers. 

Alternatively, if you have somewhere else to store these items, your vanity unit can easily become your bathroom “control centre”, holding everything you need to make your daily grooming routine run smoothly and getting you out of the house in minimal time. 

In this situation, “lazy-Susan”-type storage systems can also be a good option as they turn to give very quick and easy access to all their contents.

In addition to stocking the basins themselves, Posh also offers basin wastes and fittings for you to complete your perfect bathroom.

All the products on our site come from top-name brands such as Hudson Reed, Premier Bathrooms, and Ultra Finishing, in other words we only sell products from brands you can trust and which we’re happy to use ourselves in our own homes.