looking for help
< Back

Plugs, Taps & Drains – Sizing for Kitchen Sinks

When you’re designing a new kitchen, there is always going to be a lot to consider. From the delicate details of interior design that keep your kitchen aesthetically perfect, to all the practical choices that make it an efficient, effective space for you to cook, clean and eat in.

No one thing should be considered more important than the rest. Your choice of paint colour will affect you every time you enter the room. Whether it’s a peaceful pastel or a fiery red, it’s got to be a colour that matches your mood when you cook. 

While the decision on the size of your kitchen sink could make the difference between a quick, easy, experience washing dishes, or a long, drawn out process requiring multiple refills of water.

Even the tiniest of touches like which kitchen plug you choose, or which kitchen tap you have fitted, will play a part in how user-friendly your kitchen is. Think of it like a machine, where every single cog and component needs to be the perfect fit for it to run properly.

An awareness of this can make the task of picking out those last functional items seem overwhelmingly fiddly. But it needn’t be. 

This is our short introduction to sizing some of the final components of your kitchen. We’re going to answer all the questions you might have about sizing plugs and taps, including: are all kitchen sink plugs the same size? How do you measure a sink plug? And what size are kitchen sink taps?

So if you’re looking to replace your kitchen sink from something fresher, cleaner, or bigger, you’ll feel confident measuring up and correctly choosing the small pieces that make your kitchen efficient and enjoyable to use.

Are Kitchen Sink Plugs a Standard Size?

Luckily for anyone trying to find or replace the plug on their kitchen sink, the answer to the question ‘Are kitchen sink drains a standard size?’ is an almost blanket yes.

This is because all the drain sizes for modern sinks are almost always universal. The exact plug size will then depend on what kind of fitting the drain has, but 1 ¾ inches is usually considered the ‘standard’ size for modern plugs.

Most hardware and DIY stores will offer a range of plugs to fit that size, so you can choose whatever style or colour plug that you wish. A vintage style black rubber plug will give you the most flexibility in size and create the best seal, as the material has a little give to fit more snuggly into your drain. If you are after a more modern looking chrome plug, you are best to double check the measurements before you buy.

Of course, these days, a plug is not your only option of a kitchen sink waste. You could invest in a basket waste, that will catch food debris and lower the chances of a clogged sink. Or perhaps you’d prefer a ‘click clack’ fitting, that works like a push button to release the water from your sink.

The choice is yours, just be aware there is a whole range beyond standard plugs for you to consider.

Are Kitchen Sink Taps a Standard Size?

Conversely, it is impossible to give a standard size for kitchen taps. This is because there are just so many different types and styles of taps available. Though even with the same style, there is scope for a lot of variations.

So before we can even begin to tackle the concept of a standard or universal faucet size, you first need to identify what type of tap you have:

  • Pillar Taps – When there are two separate taps: one for hot water, one cold.
  • Mixer Tap – When hot and cold water come out of the same tap, this is called a mixer tap or monobloc tap. It is worth noting, though, that it is a legal requirement that the hot and cold water are kept separated where they enter the main tap, for hygiene reasons.
Once you’ve identified the type of tap you’re interested in purchasing, then you can start thinking about the concept of a ‘standard size’. 

Most modern mixer taps will fit a standard sized mounting hole in your sink/worktop. 

The standard size for the hole is 35mm. This will be the same for any modern sink, whether it is a classic Belfast style or a stainless steel overmount style.

It follows then, that most modern mixers will be a standard size themselves and that size is 22mm. Regardless of the height or shape of the tap itself, that base fitting size should be almost universal.

The main exceptions to this are older taps and older sinks where the pre-existing holes may be an unusual size. This won’t be a concern when you’re replacing the sink, but if you just want a new tap, then it won’t hurt to double check the measurements and see if they are 35mm, as expected.

Beware that some seals and washers used to mount the tap may make it appear to be a different size, though it is actually still 22mm. The only way to double check this is to measure it when the tap is removed.

———————-

If you’re looking for a sink that is way beyond standard then check our range of sinks. We’ve got everything from classic composite and ceramic styles, to ultra-modern stainless steel overmount sinks and stunning glass sinks, too.

 

<< Back to Sinks