Micro-basins and Small Sinks

by tirial

Sinks and basins with 24cm depth projection or less, made for tiny rooms like cloakrooms or waterclosets. These are a few tips on finding and installing them.

Micro-basins

Finding Micro Basins

I encountered micro-basins when I was looking at a house with a friend. When the agent said the house needed modernising they weren't joking. It didn't have a cloakroom or a half-bath: it had literally a watercloset. Less than one yard wide, just over two metres long with a toilet, nothing else, and a door that opened inwards.

When they bought the house, one of the first orders of the day was to turn this tiny space into a proper cloakroom, which is when I started researching micro-sinks. These are small basins, usually wall mounted which project less than 25cm (8 inches) into a room.

With people now moving into smaller spaces - flats or apartments - or older houses, these sinks are something a lot of homeowners seem to be looking at.

An Overflow

Many Micro-sinks lack an overflow.

Many micro-sinks do not actually have overflows, as it is assumed there will be no space to fit the pipes behind it. With those that do have overflows they may require you to bury pipes in the wall behind it, which is not always ideal.
An ideal solution would be an overflow at one end - under or opposite the taps - but I haven't found any like this.

Click-waste or plug?

Filling the basin

To save space, many micro sinks come with click-wastes. Effectively these are small plugs that sit in the plughole. To open or close them, you click on the plug itself. They do have the small problem that if someone forgets to open them the next user has to put their hands in the dirty water. Standard plugs may be used but few basins come with a chain hole. You may have to attach the chain to the wall, which can be difficult through tiles.

A lever plug with a pull on the tap may be possible to fit, but it depends on the type of sink you purchase.

Click Waste Examples

Click-Waste on Amazon
Samuel Heath V192.PN Basin Click Clack Waste In Polished Nickel

Samuel Heath V192.PN Basin Click Clack Waste In Polished Nickel

Ad

More Examples

Click Waste on Amazon.co.uk
A Click Waste on Amazon.co.uk for under £5

Projection from Wall

Projection need not be total depth

"Projection" is the measurement of how far the basin stands out from the wall. However some measurements assume that part of the basin will be embedded in the wall: a problem if you have partition walling or single brick. Check the measurements carefully, and any plans, to make sure you get the accurate total depth of the basin.

Internal Basin Size

Too small to use

The size of the internal basin for some of these sinks can be tiny. For example, the basin may be a tiny oval in the middle of the already small rectangular sink. If the sink is too small, you may find yourself with nowhere to put your hands, making it impractical and liable to splashing as people wash their hands over the sink.

It also means that the use of the basin to wash faces or freshen up is very difficult if that was something you were looking at. In general, although it may not look modern, the largest possible basin in the smallest possible sink is a good goal to aim for.

Remember, even if you can use it, it may be too small for guests.

Standartpark 16x16 Large Catch Basin with Sediment Basket and Ductile Cast Iron Grate SWI8473

Great price for a great product. This 16x16 basin is the solution for the end of your drainage needs. Made of PPE plastic and perfect for removing sediment and debris from your ...

View on Amazon

Gaabb Double-Layer Separation Design Multifunction Kitchen Colander Rotatable Drain Basin and Bas...

➢♛ Gaabb Double-layer Separation Design Basket PP Material Wash Fruit Basket ✿Description: ➢Made of high-quality PP material, double-layer separable design, beautiful appearance...

View on Amazon

SUGEER Drain Basin and Basket, Double-Layer Separation Design Multifunction Kitchen Colander, Dou...

Welcome to "SUGEER" Shop✿HPAYY SHOPPING✿♥Double-layer Separation Design Basket PP Material Wash Fruit BasketDescription:♥Made of high-quality PP material, double-layer separable...

View on Amazon

Taps

One or two, lever or twist?

The majority of Micro basins come with one tap positioned at an end or corner, for obvious reasons of saving space on piping.These will almost always use lever taps - I haven't seen any exceptions although there probably are - as they need to control mix and flow through one control.

There is one thing to consider, which is that many sinks position the tap close to the wall. If it is too close the wall can obstruct the lever. You need to consider angling it when the tap is installed, or the tap may end up running hot or cold only.

There are a few basins that offer two taps. In general these are on the ends of the sink, as taps against the wall cut into the sink space and force the sink to project further forward. These are normally shown and installed with traditional turning taps, although they are also usually slightly larger.

Decorative Basin Examples

Designed to work with another basin
Pegasus FS2AD202BNV 8-Inch Double Handle Basin Pillar Tap with Pop-Up Drain, Brushed Nickel

FS2AD202BN Finish: Brushed Nickel Shown in Polished Brass - Sink Not Included (Polished Brass color no longer available) Features: -Series 6100 Collection -Available in: - ...

Only $75.0
Pegasus FS2AD202RBP 8-Inch Double Handle Basin Pillar Tap with Pop-Up Drain, Oil Rubbed Bronze

Product can not ship to California, Vermont, and outside United States. Pegasus FS2AD202RBP Series 6100 8 In. Double Handle Lavatory Faucet with Pop-up, Oil Rubbed ...

Decorative basins

Meant to work with larger sinks

These need a special mention, because while they are nice features, they are not micro-sinks and not designed to be used as such. A quick look should show that these are not large enough to be used on their own. They could be fitted to a microbasin if you particularly liked the idea of two taps or the look of the stepped waterflow. However, that does take up more space in the cloakroom or half-bath, defeating the purpose of a space saving sink.

If you have an awkward location however, where taps may be fitted at one height but the basin must be at another, or you have an awkward corner to deal with, they could be useful and attractive.

Would a Micro-sink be useful in your residence?

Do you have a cloakroom, half-bath, or elsewhere where one of these might be useful?

More Bathroom Furniture Ideas

Other Wizzley pages about bathrooms
Lighting does two things in a bathroom, adds to the ambiance and decor of the room, and adds light to the room so that you can see yourself well.
Updated: 01/26/2015, tirial
 
Thank you! Would you like to post a comment now?
1

Comments

Only logged-in users are allowed to comment. Login
butterslices on 02/12/2013

I only have 400mm x 150mm for a handbasin and is proving VERY difficult to find one. HELP!!!!

larrisa on 11/29/2011

With the easy access to internet and awareness among the consumers, it becomes very convenient to shop and browse a variety of shower enclosures and to locate the right products complementing with the whole theme and ambience.

You might also like

Bathroom Designs To Update Your Bathroom

Looking for easy bathroom designs to update your bathroom? Continue reading h...

Why Squat Toilets Need No Novelty Toilet Seats

Black or white toilet seats are boring. Buy a cool novelty toilet seat, not n...


Disclosure: This page generates income for authors based on affiliate relationships with our partners, including Amazon, Google and others.
Loading ...
Error!