Bathroom sink height: what happens and how to calculate?

When arranging bathrooms in houses and apartments where people of different height live, the main issue is the installation of a sink. This is not about the aesthetics of the product, but about the optimal height of the structure so that it is convenient for all family members to conduct water procedures.

Most manufacturers adhere to standard sizes when creating sanitary products, especially for sinks. However, in private they can make a sink for the bathroom according to individual customer requirements.

Modern manufacturers of washbasins for bathrooms use SNiP 3.05.01 in their work, which was developed in 1985. It says that the optimum height of the sink from the floor level is 85 cm. In this case, a slight deviation from the declared norm is allowed by a maximum of 2 cm up or down.

The height of the washbasin of 85 cm is considered the most compromise decision regarding ease of use by representatives of the stronger and weaker sex, given that ladies are generally less complex and short. For this reason, many domestic and foreign brands market pedestal sinks and spacious cabinets with mounted bowls, the height of which ranges from 83-87 cm.

The correct choice of the distance from the floor to the side of the sink will play an important role in the convenience of its operation.

• The sink in the bathroom, installed according to SNiP, will allow all family members to comfortably carry out water procedures. If the sink is low, with ordinary washing, a person will have to bend very much. Because of this seeming, painful sensations arise in the lumbar spine. And the sinks placed at a decent height will not be able to use children.
• The height of the sink affects the connection to the sewer pipes and water supply. Quite often, a water meter, filtration systems and various devices are placed near the wall just below the basin of the washbasin, for the installation of which sufficient space must be left.

Modern scientists keep statistics on changes in the body structure of men and women. They argue that average people’s growth rates are changing. This means that the standards of the times of the Soviet Union are no longer relevant. therefore in modern houses where all family members are tall, it is preferable to set sinks at a height of 95-100 cm. Thanks to such a serious deviation from GOST, it will be possible to create the most comfortable conditions for receiving water procedures.

Sink - one of the varieties of plumbing equipment, made in the form of a deepened bowl. The product is installed in a bathroom or toilet room, so that a person can perform hygiene procedures. On the constructive side, modern sink models can be suspended using reinforced brackets, embedded directly into the wall, mounted on a cabinet or mounted on a special leg.

But Regardless of the design features, it is important to consider the height standard when installing the washbasin. This value allows you to position the sink for its comfortable operation.

During the Soviet Union, institutes and scientific departments were created that studied the field of standardization. With their help, it turned out to develop uniform standards for various things, objects and even food. Needless to say about plumbing equipment.

Particular attention to the nuances and several years of research helped to identify the optimum installation height for installation and subsequent operation of the sink. The main factor in determining this value was considered the average person's growth.

• According to the statistics of our days, for the fair sex, the most convenient and comfortable height of the sink ranges from 80-92 cm.
• A modern man is much higher than the fair sex, which means that using a sink of 80 cm will be inconvenient for him. The best option is to install any type of structure at a height of 85-102 cm.

But the height of the sink is not the only indicator of the standard in the arrangement of the interior of the bathroom. There are standards for the most acceptable distance between plumbing fixtures. So, for example, the minimum distance from the sink to the toilet should be 25 cm. The same indicators apply to the bidet. The bathroom and shower should be 30 cm away from the sink. The distance between the sink bowl and the mirror should not be less than 20 cm. But the towel dryer and outlet should be located at least 60 cm away from the sink.

In addition, do not forget about the space surrounding the sink. The dimensions of the bowl itself should not be less than 70 cm.Otherwise, the water from the tap will not have time to drain into the drain hole, and the spray will be on the surface of all objects close to the sink. The distance between the side of the sink and the wall should be within 20 cm.

Before making the installation of the sink, it is necessary to make special calculations based on the growth of all family members. Each person living in the house needs to measure the exact growth, but not from the floor to the crown, but to the elbow. From each indicator it is necessary to subtract 6-8 mm. From the results obtained, you should subtract the average value, which will be an indicator for the installation of the structure.

Builders of various profiles, finishers, tilers, and especially plumbers know that the optimal height for installing a sink is 85 cm. This indicator is followed when repairing office buildings. But making out a bathroom in an apartment or house, the owner of the room can move away from the standards and put the sink at a different height. The main thing is to know the legal nuances regarding such alterations.

• Changing the height of the sink does not apply to redevelopment. So, you can mount it without additional coordination with regulatory authorities. The main thing is that the installation and connection of the sink are made according to the rules.
• Relocation of plumbing equipment is allowed in apartment buildings, for which you do not even have to collect documents to obtain permission. Only after carrying out all the work will you need to call a representative of the service organization to check the correct connection of the devices and give an official conclusion that the changes made do not affect the operation of the sewage system and the water supply system of the whole house.
• To install additional plumbing inside the bathroom, again, you do not have to take special permissions. If the second sink will be installed outside the bathroom, this is considered a redevelopment, but the installation height does not affect it. Only to obtain permission will it be necessary to collect a sufficient number of documents from regulatory authorities. In case of self-transfer of a sink and other plumbing fixtures without the permission of the service organization, the owner of the home will be fined.

After reviewing the information provided, it becomes clear that when creating the interior of a bathroom in your own home, the level of the height of the sink can be of any value. The main thing is to make it convenient to use. But in public institutions, sinks are installed exclusively in accordance with SNiP, and it is impossible to deviate from the stated norm.

However, during the construction of business centers, as well as shopping and entertainment venues, where there is usually a large concentration of people of any age, architects suggest slightly increasing the height of the sinks in the restrooms.

Despite the existence of standards, the height of the washbasin in some institutions has a significant difference from the norms. We are talking about kindergartens and centers for child development. The child’s height is much less than that of an adult, and he will not be able to use the sink independently, even with the use of a high chair.

And in kindergartens, where there are 2 teachers per group of children, it is impossible to keep track of how the kids climb the coasters. Having lost his balance a little, the child will simply fall and can injure himself. In order to avoid such troubles, different standards for the installation of sanitary equipment have been developed for child care facilities.

• In the premises of nursery groups, where the little ones are engaged, sinks are installed at a height of 40 cm from the floor. It is very convenient for children to use such low constructions for washing hands.
• In the older groups of the kindergarten, the toilet rooms are equipped with sinks installed at a height of 50 cm.With such a distance, even tall children do not experience discomfort when operating plumbing.
• In school institutions, the toilet rooms for the elementary grades are equipped with washbasins 55-60 cm high.
• For students of middle and senior grades of school institutions in latrines, sinks are installed at a height of 70-85 cm.

In typical apartments and houses, an individual washstand for a child does not allow the bathroom to be squared. For this reason, parents are trying to find a compromise that allows the baby to use plumbing fixtures on an equal basis with adults. The most relevant decision is the purchase of a special chair, stand or retractable step.

Modern families consist of at least three people. Each of them has a different body structure and growth. Each of them should be comfortable using plumbing.

In principle, you can not take the initiative and put the sink in accordance with the standards of the Soviet era. But in this case, each member of the family will be uncomfortable to conduct water procedures.

Thanks to the many experiments carried out, employees of standardization institutes were able to determine at what distance it is preferable to hang a sink. Wherein indicators for representatives of the stronger and weaker sex have differences. For men, the appropriate height of the washbasin ranges from 85-102 cm. Women are more comfortable to carry out morning and evening hygiene procedures when the sink is fixed at a height of 80-92 cm above the floor. It is convenient for a child who, for example, is a middle school student, to use a sink located at a height of 65 cm.

Knowing these indicators, you can safely proceed to the calculation of the optimum height of the washbasin. For this, it suffices to recall the rule of finding the arithmetic mean. The average indicators of the above standards for men and women are taken as terms. It turns out the following: 93.5 cm (average height standard for men) + 86 cm (average height standard for women) + 65 cm (standard washbasin height for middle school students) = 244.5 cm.

Next, the resulting amount must be divided by the number of terms used: 244.5 cm / 3 (number of average indicators) = 81.5 cm. The resulting number is rounded to the nearest whole value, it turns out 82 cm. This height is the most optimal for this family.

However, the presented calculation option is not the only one. There is a simpler calculation method. It consists in measuring the height of human growth from the elbow to the floor. Surely many are aware that wash your hands as conveniently and comfortably as possible in the sink located 100 mm below the elbow joint. To begin with, measurements are taken of the growth of each family member from the floor to the elbow. 10 cm are taken from the received data. Then the arithmetic mean value is calculated. However, the presented calculation does not make much sense for young children and adolescents, since they will grow up with time.

It was previously said that according to the approved standards, it is allowed to make small changes in the height of installation of the sink with a maximum deviation of 2 cm. In simple words, SNiP assumes 85 cm, but a deviation from the norm to 83 or 87 cm is permissible.

It is much more difficult to deal with the required height of the overhead sink when the hygiene bowl is mounted in the bathroom on the countertop. From the point of view of aesthetics, it looks very attractive. In terms of convenience - a moot point. The countertop has a standard height of 80-85 cm. A bowl with high sides is installed on top. Accordingly, the height of the structure becomes even greater.To avoid mistakes, you should choose a lower countertop so that, together with the bowl, its height is the standard for SNiP.

See how to position the sink in the bathroom correctly.