1269671108 Ask the Builder: Pros and cons of pedestal sinks

DEAR AMY: I've had lots of experience with these elegant sinks. I grew up with a traditional cast-iron pedestal sink in my childhood home. One of the things I hated about that particular sink was that the hot and cold water came out of their own faucets. you couldn't get warm water. your hands either were under the cold faucet or the hot one. That problem was long ago overcome with faucets that have only one spout.

Let's start with the positive attributes of pedestal sinks. perhaps the biggest is style. These sinks offer a classic look, and the colors, styles and shapes are so varied that you can almost always find one to fit any decorating theme.

I'm also a fan of how easy they are to maintain. Keeping them looking brand new is simple if you periodically wash them with liquid dish soap and water. never use any abrasive cleaner on the glazed finish.

The faucets for these sinks are some of the most gorgeous I've ever seen. the spread faucets -- ones that have separate hot and cold valves and then the center spout -- can take your breath away. Just about every metallic finish you could want -- polished nickel, bronze, brass -- looks great on a pedestal sink.

However, I think pedestal sinks have some disadvantages, particularly in full bathrooms. for one, there's simply not enough space to put things on top of the sink. Many pedestal sinks have a flat rim around the sink basin, but it's usually only a few inches wide. this is not enough room to put much more than a toothbrush.

Pedestal sinks also lack the storage space offered by traditional bathroom vanity cabinets. if you do install a pedestal sink, you can make up for this loss in storage space by installing a 12-inch-deep wall cabinet over the toilet.

To install a pedestal sink like a pro, you need to do some planning. since there is no cabinet to hide the drain line and water supply lines, it takes a little finesse to rough in the piping so that all of the connections are hidden. this means the drain line must be perfectly centered and the water supply lines installed at the right height and very close to the centerline of each of the faucet valves.

From a purely functional standpoint, these sinks are fine. if you want to wow your houseguests at a party, then a pedestal sink in a powder room is a no-brainer. They look fantastic in these small half bathrooms.

Tim Carter is a columnist for Tribune Media Services. he can be contacted via his Web site, askthebuilder.com/printer_submit_question.shtml.

Ask the Builder: Pros and cons of pedestal sinks

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