DIY Network

Bathrooms: Toilet, Sinks, Vanities and Cabinets From "Blueprint for Home Building" episode DBHB-207

In the first two segments of this episode of Blueprint for Home Building the shower and bathtub option. In this segment host Jeff Wilson discusses the toilet, sinks, vanities and cabinets in your new home.

Sink Selection

Sink selection is something that should happen up front, along with your toilet and bathtub selection. You usually want them all to match. There are many different varieties of bathroom sinks:

• Under mount sink (figure A). This particular sink mounts under the counter.

• Over mount sink (figure B). This sink mounts over the counter.

• Pedestal sink (figure C). This sink is chosen mainly for its aesthetic value due to the plumbing being hidden.

Figure A

Figure B

Figure C

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Figure D

Faucet Selection

Your faucet selection requires special consideration also. There are several options:

• There's the single-hole option with a 4" spread between the hot and cold side.

• There's an option with a 6" spread between the hot and cold sides.

• And there's an option with an 8" spread between the hot and cold sides (figure D). This is the most common choice in kitchens, but it's seen in bathrooms as well.

  Faucets come in all shapes and sizes. Some of the things you want to think about include the size and number of handles, budget considerations and how the faucets match with your sink and vanity selections.

Figure E

Vanity Selection

The vanity is the workplace around your fixtures and is available in many varieties as well. Experts have found that 36" on center for a double vanity should be plenty of room for two people to stand at either sink and throw their elbows round without knocking each other down.

In the bathroom you can use tile, limestone, travertine or marble vanities. If cost is a limiting factor in your vanity design, you can buy all in one where the countertop is incorporated in with the sink. The do-it-yourselfer would find the countertop-sink combo an easy unit to install.

Tip: For a classic look, an option is to convert an antique (figure E) into your vanity.

Figure F

Toilet Selection

The commode has come a long way from the chamber pot in terms of style, technology and comfort. For decades the standard height has been between 14" and 16", and now homeowners are opting for the 17" to 19" range -- or the height of a standard chair.

In 1995 the EPA mandated a 1.6 gallon flush as the industry standard. The two basic types of toilet flushing systems are either gravity fed, which quietly relies on the force of gravity to empty the bowl, or a pressure assisted system, which harnesses pressure from the home's water supply to quickly evacuate the bowl.

You can get a commode in basically any shade or color you can dream of, but as far as the design -- the sky is the limit.

A popular feature in a bathroom these days is a bidet (figure F), which has been used in Europe for decades.

Figure G

Bathroom Storage

Cabinetry for your bathroom comes in all standard sizes -- starting at 9" and in increasing 3" increments up to approximately 48". And you can usually get any kind of combination you desire.

There are also custom cabinets (figure G), which means if you can draw it, they can build it. Keep in mind the lag time for custom cabinets can be up to 16 weeks, so be sure to put the order in early.

In the final segment lighting your bathroom and the flooring are discussed.

GUESTS :

John Holton
Senior Architect
Ibacos
Website: www.ibacos.com

Al Sain
Homeowner
7117 Fairway Dr.
Butler, PA 16001
Phone: 724-865-3056
E-mail: alsain@zbzoom.net

John Harmon
Licensed Contractor
Specialized Services
PO Box 1377
Sunset Beach, CA 90742-1377
Phone: 562-592-3831
E-mail: SpecEmail@aol.com

Pierre Abboud
Designer/Sales
We apologize no further information is available.

Skip Weahunt
Homeowner
E-mail: skip@ownerbuildercenter.com

Regina Zernay
CMTS, Inc.
Phone: 310-390-9558

Bob Miller
CMTS
E-mail: robertmillerpe@comcast.net

John Owens
Consultant
1265 South Camino Santiago Drive
Pueblo West, CO 81007

Monroe Makowsky
5357 Lemon Grove
#4
Lox Angeles, CA 90038
Phone: 323-469-2551

Tony Ramos
Phone: 818-762-9318
E-mail: luisantonioramos@hotmail.com