Having the perfect seized hole of your kitchen faucet can help you a great deal in the long run. The hole connects the water coming from the tank and can affect how fast it flows. Likewise, having a faucet with a hole of just the right size is important; you don’t want a shower-sized faucet for the dishes, would you?
However, there is no “standard” size for faucets; it just depends upon the kind of faucet you have in mind. All you need to do is pick a faucet that goes perfectly with your kitchen, and drill a hole.
How You Can Measure the Hole Size
The most accurate and precise way you could measure the diameter of a hole is by using a Vernier caliper. If you can get your hands on the sliding calipers, that would be best. All you need to do is place the jaws of the caliper inside the faucet hole. Slide the scale until it fixes on both sides (stretch it out to the maximum). Take it out and read the measurement.
While some kitchen faucets measure 1.5 inches in width, some are a little less by 1/8th of an inch. Both these dimensions for the faucet holes can be considered standard sizes if you want; however, a kitchen faucet usually has three holes for the water to run through. These are most often installed with plates and small bowls.
The thickness of the deck you’ll be installing the faucet on also plays a vital role. You might find something that would go well with your kitchen but it can’t fit the basin, there’s no point. This is why you should be measuring the thickness of your basin before going out to shop.
Types of Hole Spacing in Kitchen Faucets
The most common hole drillings on faucets include Centerset, Minispread, Widespread, and Single-hole. Hole spacing largely depends upon each particular faucet and how you intend to mount it on your kitchen’s deck.
- Centerset
In this, the handles of the faucet are generally about four inches apart. Including the two handles and the spout, you get a total of three holes underneath. In some cases, you might see the handles spaced six inches apart but both would be resting on a single plate.
- Minispread
This is the same as the centerset. There is, however, a slight difference; the spout and the two handles are separate and detached from each other.
- Widespread
The Widespread also comes with three holes underneath. However, the spout and the handles can be as far as 16 inches apart with a minimum distance of 6 inches.
- Single-hole
This is perhaps the most common configurations in the market. There is only one hole and only requires a faucet that comes with one as well. If you see your basin having extra holes, cover them up using escutcheon plates.
While purchasing keep in mind that of which brand you are going to purchase whether its Moen or Delta.
In theory, there is a chance you might mess up with getting the right hole sizes. If yours is smaller, you can use a drill to make it wider. Also, you can hire a plumber, let him worry about the little details.
