# Vessel sink on 36" vanity. Too high?



## Jkatfish (Oct 22, 2013)

I am thinking of putting a 5" tall vessel sink on top of a counter which is 36" high. Just imagining where the spout and flow will be, it seems ok as I am 6' tall. I do not want a new vanity and really like the look of the vessel. Has anyone else done this and satisfied with its function?


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## md2lgyk (Jan 6, 2009)

Is this in a kitchen? Bathroom vanities aren't usually 36 inches high. I don't think I'd put a vessel sink in a kitchen - they don't drain well even without grease and food particles to contend with. 

Both of our bathrooms have a vessel sink. I built the vanities; they are 32 inches high. I don't remember how we arrived at that particular height, but it works for us. I am 6'6" and my wife 5'10". A height of 36 inches would work (for me at least) though I think it would look a bit odd being so tall.


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## wkearney99 (Apr 8, 2009)

We have a vessel sink in the master bath of the rental house we're in until we move THIS WEEKEND. We hate that sink. The drain just runs too slow. While it looks nice, living with it sucks. The small holes in the grate just do not drain effectively. That and there isn't a way to close it. Not that you'd want to risk that anyway because vessel sinks don't typically have an overflow. The slow draining means there's always a bit of a scum line after use unless you specifically take effort to wipe out the sink. 

I wouldn't say that's 'too tall'. But as an observation, the one we've had to put up with is too tall for kids to use. That and since it's tall and they'd have to use a stool, it's not really the most sturdy sort of sink. They'd be leaning on it a lot just to use it. That puts a lot of stress on the vessel and the drain bits. That's just something to think about...

As for flow, that can be a challenge with any sink setup. The vessel we've got has a spout that isn't really ideal. I had to turn down the flow at the valves in order to avoid a tidal wave of water sloshing up should someone accidentally turn the faucet on fully. That and I turned it a little bit to make for a more circular flow to the drain instead of down into the side of the bowl closer to the faucet. This also helped get the drain flow started more directly, instead of just waiting for gravity and the coriolis effect to do their thing.


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## md2lgyk (Jan 6, 2009)

wkearney99 said:


> We have a vessel sink in the master bath of the rental house we're in until we move THIS WEEKEND. We hate that sink. The drain just runs too slow. While it looks nice, living with it sucks. The small holes in the grate just do not drain effectively. That and there isn't a way to close it. Not that you'd want to risk that anyway because vessel sinks don't typically have an overflow. The slow draining means there's always a bit of a scum line after use unless you specifically take effort to wipe out the sink.


Not that it matters if you're moving, but the solution to the slow draining is to use a popup drain. Also allows you to close off the drain if you want. Unfortunately, one of our sinks was made by some hippie potter in North Carolina and the drain hole won't accommodate any popup drain assembly I've been able to find. But the wife just HAD to have it (who puts vessel sinks in a log home anyway?). We put it in the guest bath which almost nobody uses.


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## Jkatfish (Oct 22, 2013)

Thanks...all good inputs! Most vanities, at least Kraftmaid will be 36" high with counter. I asked Home Depot about vessel height and he said most just put it on top of the 36". I thought that would be too high as well. This will be in the master bath, so no kids. My wife thinks it will work fine as she has a hard time bending over on an undermount sink we have now. I'm not the neatest when washing up, so I get splashing now. No pop up, but I almost never use a stopper anyways. Getting a spout made for vessels, so hopefully the flow will be ok. Doing a Zen bathroom, and the vessel is a key element in the look and feel.


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## md2lgyk (Jan 6, 2009)

Jkatfish said:


> Thanks...all good inputs! Most vanities, at least Kraftmaid will be 36" high with counter. I asked Home Depot about vessel height and he said most just put it on top of the 36". I thought that would be too high as well. This will be in the master bath, so no kids. My wife thinks it will work fine as she has a hard time bending over on an undermount sink we have now. I'm not the neatest when washing up, so I get splashing now. No pop up, but I almost never use a stopper anyways. Getting a spout made for vessels, so hopefully the flow will be ok. Doing a Zen bathroom, and the vessel is a key element in the look and feel.


"Most" bathroom vanities are not 36 inches high. While there is no standard I know of, a much more typical height, and in fact the only height I've ever seen in other houses, is 30 inches or so. If you are concerned that 36 inches is too high, set the sink on your kitchen counter and see how you like it.

Both of my bathrooms have a vessel sink. Take it from me - you DO want a popup drain whether you use the stopper feature or not. Any other type of drain will cause the sink to drain very, very slowly. And one more thing: NEVER, NEVER take advice from a clerk at a big box store. Sooner or later, you'll be sorry.


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## TheEplumber (Jul 20, 2010)

I've plumbed about 30 houses this summer and all the master baths were 36"
The other bath vanities were lower- which is more common, but people are starting to prefer 36".
Same goes for shower heads- we are pushing them up higher now too. And toilets are going to comfort height.
We must be getting taller...

The pop up is the way to go- avoid the grid strainers.

There are also many vessel sink faucets on the market. No need to fabricate one unless you're after something unique. Bear in mind you may need to reduce the water flow leaving the homemade faucet if it has a water fall affect. Otherwise, it'll look like you wet yourself when you turn it on.


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## Jkatfish (Oct 22, 2013)

Yeah, I always preferred a taller counter. The lower ones under 36" feels really low, dip with an undermount. I am buying a waterfall faucet, so force shouldn't be a problem, but thanks for the heads up. 
Pretty sure I will go with it. I only did a simulation with a vessel and seems to be ok. Btw, my home, built in 1995 has a 36" high counter. And I am going to go comfort height toilets, which used to be called ADA compliant. Makes it sound better now that more and more are going to that style.


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## md2lgyk (Jan 6, 2009)

TheEplumber said:


> We must be getting taller...


We are indeed. I'm 6'6", and three of my grandchildren, all under the age of 16, are taller than me. Back when I was that age 50 years ago, I was "only" 6' tall. And I "only" wear a size 12 shoe; both of them that are boys wear at least size 14.


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## Jkatfish (Oct 22, 2013)

TheEplumber said:


> I've plumbed about 30 houses this summer and all the master baths were 36"
> The other bath vanities were lower- which is more common, but people are starting to prefer 36".
> Same goes for shower heads- we are pushing them up higher now too. And toilets are going to comfort height.
> We must be getting taller...
> ...



Were any of the 36" vanities installed with vessel sinks? I will do it, but just want to see the trend. Even with the 36" undermount, my back gets sore and i usually have to support myself on the counter, so i hope my new sinks help. I am doing both sinks this way, but sometimes think I should do one at a lower height.


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## TheEplumber (Jul 20, 2010)

Nope, they were all lower end homes.
I haven't installed a vessel for about a year now


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## Live_Oak (Aug 22, 2013)

Vessel sinks are no longer on trend. People discovered that they were hard to actually live with, and worse, clean around! 

If choosing a vessel sink, you need the lower of the two standard vanity heights, which is 30". The taller 36" vanity height has become standard in any master suite in the past 10 years, but only with undermount or topmount sinks.


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## Jkatfish (Oct 22, 2013)

Live_Oak said:


> Vessel sinks are no longer on trend. People discovered that they were hard to actually live with, and worse, clean around!
> 
> If choosing a vessel sink, you need the lower of the two standard vanity heights, which is 30". The taller 36" vanity height has become standard in any master suite in the past 10 years, but only with undermount or topmount sinks.


Thanks, who cleans anyways? Actually, I think this will be easier to clean if I ever get around to doing since it will be higher. I am a messy washer and have to bend and balance and then to wipe down, with this I will tend to be more careful since it's wider and deeper....size matters!! Yeah, I know its trendy, but my rustic zen bath is old world so it's so outdated it never gets outdated. I mean once rustic, another 10 years will make it even rusticer!! Besides, life is short!! Enjoy!


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## ChuckTin (Nov 17, 2014)

Hooray for 36" vanities! I thought I was a freak cause I hate bending over a sink.

Wifie had to have a vessel sink. Bad idea. Ours is a thick glass bowl. Looks like a mini radar dish.
Looks good, sounds good (tap the side with a spit glass sometime, carefully), won't drain worth a flip and difficult to clean under. We saw the overfilling problem first thing and reduced the pressure/flow to keep from flooding the counter. Am expecting wifie to reverse course any time now (4 years later).


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