How to Choose the Right Commercial Sink System

Estimated reading time: Approx. 3 minutes

By Brian Platt, Diversified Spec. Sales, Inc.

Users quickly size up the design of a building by the quality of the restroom. While the lobby can make an excellent first impression, the bathroom has the power to make a lasting impression, for better or for worse.

Since a washroom sink can be such a dominant visual element in these spaces, it can make a bold statement right away and serve as a strong anchor for other design elements in the room.

In light of this, it is crucial to consider these seven things when choosing the right sink for your design:

1. Aesthetics

Good design can say all the right things without speaking a word, and sound design is timeless.

In a busy world, more and more, we are drawn to the beauty of simplicity, the elegance of economy. A sink that exhibits this properly will always be in style.

Simple designs with beautiful materials will always be in style.

2. Accessibility

A sink must be accessible by all in a public space; however, a genuinely excellent sink system does so with poise, so much so that the design solution feels as if it was inevitable. Choose a sink that seamlessly exceeds ADA standards. Think ‘elegantly accessible.’

Washing, rinsing, and hand-drying are easily accessible in this design.

3. Durability

Your sink needs to be just as rugged as beautiful to meet public-use demands. The right sink should have a hard, non-porous surface that is easy to clean and scratch-resistant. Hardware like faucets and soap dispensers should be inherently vandal-proof.

Sinks in public areas must be attractive and tough enough to withstand high traffic day-in and day-out.

4. Wellness & Sustainability

Now more than ever, wellness and sustainability concern us all. People and the environment are the most significant stakeholders in any design, and the products we choose have a profound impact on both.

Luckily, more and more companies are becoming transparent about how their products are made, offsetting their carbon footprint and adhering to wellness standards. We should support these efforts whenever we can.

Social distancing, water conservation, carbon-neutrality converge in one great design.

5. Customization Options

The right sink for your project should fit your vision; you shouldn’t have to adapt your ideas to match a sink. Many sink manufacturers impose a cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all approach to their offerings; however, a genuinely exceptional solution will abound with plenty of material and hardware options to meet the unique demands of your project.

The same sink exhibiting two very different looks.

6. Ease of Maintenance

Facility maintenance staff are the people who will keep your space looking good day-in and day-out; ignore them at your peril! A good sink design must serve them too.

Pick features that will make maintenance easy. Faucets and soap dispensers with above-deck controls will save countless backs and knees. Hard non-porous surfaces will get cleaned more efficiently and more often. A well-designed basin will keep water off of the floor and the mop bucket in the closet. Details like these go a long way.

Faucets and soap-dispensers with above-deck controls are easy to maintain.

7. Price

Every project has a budget. Price wouldn’t be a design constraint in a perfect world, but the price doesn’t always align with our visions in the real world.

I’m a big believer in the adage: “buy it right the first time.” You must measure quality against the price point. Stay within budget, but purchase the highest quality you can afford so your sink will last for years, decades, to come.

In Conclusion

When choosing the right commercial sink system for your public washroom design, there are many things to consider. Aesthetics, material options, durability, wellness and sustainability, ease-of-maintenance, and price are all elements you must balance. A well-designed sink system takes all of these factors into account and exceeds expectations for each.

NEXT STEPS

Are you looking for a sink that balances all these considerations well? Sloan is a great place to start. Check out these resources from Sloan to explore what they have to offer.

Discover the Possibilities

Explore Sloan’s Sink Configurator — a virtual design tool that lets you visualize your design and see updates in real-time!

More REsources

Browse – view Sloan’s products page to browse and filter results by product feature
Literature – browse Sloan’s online literature library. Filter by product type. Downloadable content
Spec Sheets – search Sloan’s SpecFinder for spec sheets on any product
BIM Objects – view and download BIM Objects for your design