Vessel Sink – What Is It?

Vessel sinks are a very exciting extension of the idea of the traditional porcelain and ceramic plumbing fixtures that are mostly in vogue. Mainly they differ from the traditional kind from the way they are installed. Generally, they are made to drop in the counter or they could be under-mounted. A vessel styled fixture is basically a container to hold water, hence the name vessel. It can either be mounted on top of the counter or partially buried in the counter. The look is very visible and you can choose a model to match your personal style.

This design of sink could either be mounted on the counter or partially recessed therein. Those mounted on the counter are fully visible and many people like to have this kind of installation. With a counter mounted vessel sink one can see all the details. This type of installation is easier and thus less time consuming too, as you need to create just a hole for the drainage. The other design- partially recessed, necessitates more cutting and preparation work. With this design you have to make a hole for the drainage and the bottom portion of the unit. A partially recessed design is preferred by some, worried about damage to the exterior of the vessel, but many view this method of installation detracting from viewing the style in its totality.

As the style of their installation differs from other sinks, they require special hardware to ensure proper functioning. Often, people have this fear of overflowing and splashing associated with vessel sinks. Overflowing is preventable using specially designed drainage system. Two kinds of drains are used, the pull stop drains, by virtue of which you can close off water supply to eliminate overflowing. The other design of drain comes with holes that permit the sink to drain out continuously at a slow rate. But, overall, one needs to be bit careful while using this style of sink as they tend to get filled up rather quickly, and need to be monitored. Similarly, these sinks are shaped to encourage splashing. Many traditional models come with depth and width. Sinks of this style can have any shape that is desired, which encourages style rather functionality. To have better control over splashing, some people opt to have recessed installation for increased depth.

Installation of this kind of a sink is a skilled job and necessitates the services of a licensed plumber. The special faucets need to be installed and used independently. The faucets should be so installed that they remain at a definite height from the basin to maintain proper water flow and at the same time cause minimum splashing. It is of paramount importance to ensure that the plumbing is accurately connected, so that the flow of water is not blocked. It will be worthwhile to have professional assistance for installing your vessel sink and the connected plumbing to ensure that it not only looks good, but also continues to function properly.