Countertop for sink and washing machine: views and choices in the bathroom

A countertop combining a sink and a washing machine is a beautiful and useful element of the interior. Its presence in small rooms is especially relevant. In the article we will tell you what are the tabletops for the bathroom, how to better choose and place them.

The bathroom, toilet, washbasin and washing machine in a small room look rather bulky. A single worktop combines and organizes the decor. This solution is ideal for an interior in which every surface matters. On the countertop, you can put running hygiene products, put a towel or a toothbrush during morning procedures.

Large bathrooms also benefit from this type of furniture. But here it is possible to install a long countertop - from wall to wall, and under one surface to collect not only a washing machine and wash basin, but also shelves, niches, various kinds of drawers. The design has other advantages:

• disguises utility pipes;
• the countertop effectively supports the design of the room;
• makes it possible to functionally use an additional surface;
• protects the washing machine from external mechanical influences;
• rationally used place;
• the machine located next to the washbasin creates less problems with the supply of water to it.

Before installing the countertop, you should consider the negative points:

• repair of communications under the countertop is more difficult to carry out, it will have to be removed (there are other options, for example, a bulk model that cannot be disassembled);
• it is difficult to carry out cleaning, especially if there are leaks;
• due to the horizontal position of the pipe, the drain may clog more often than usual;
• some types of surfaces are too expensive.

The size of the countertops under the sink and the machine is determined by the place and material chosen for it. The parameters of height, thickness, length and depth are different. Otherwise, the product does not have a structural variety. By location, the coverage is divided into angular or straight. According to the method of combining the sink with the countertop, several more types are distinguished.

In this case, a hole is cut out in the canvas, the size of which coincides with the sink, the bowl is tightly inserted into it, and then the communications are connected. In this embodiment, the sink is below the level of the countertop, it is less noticeable and may not be too expensive. It is better to focus on the surface itself, showing the beauty of, for example, stone or wood. Due to the ease of installation, many choose the most budget options: chipboard or plastic.

False sinks "sit" on the surface of the countertops, they are on public display and should look beautiful and stylish. In this embodiment, the coating may be any. But often they choose expensive materials, since the surface does not need to be particularly disturbed, only a small hole for draining will be needed. A snow-white sink with beautiful geometry against a dark background looks spectacular.

This type of surface can be considered the most expensive, hygienic and impeccable. The design combines a countertop with a bowl cast or cut out in it - it all depends on the material chosen. The shell is cut out in a single piece of thick wood, knocked out in stone, filled with liquid stone or resins. The result is a solid monolithic product. A small drain hole is made in the sink, then communications are connected.

In addition to the location, there are other structural varieties, for example, according to the location of the crane. The mixer can rise from the base of the sink or from the wall. In the first case, underwater routes will pass under the countertop, in the second - they are walled up in the wall.

Tabletops are also installed in different ways:

• on the frame;
• on a special table or cabinet where there is no contents inside (it becomes a machine in the form of a box and is covered with a countertop on top)
• attaching to the wall on stable brackets - these are the lightest and most elegant types of structures.

The specificity of the bathroom places certain demands on the material. Products must be resistant to water and hot steam, and therefore, have a minimum porosity. Materials that do not meet these requirements, for example, wood or chipboard, undergo special processing, are covered with a protective layer.

Different types of stone are used to create the countertops: onyx, malachite, granite, travertine, marble. Such coverage looks amazing, expensive and respectable. It is not afraid of water, temperature changes, resistant to fungal manifestations, is easy to care for and lasts forever. But there are also negative points:

• the stone is heavy;
• difficult to transport;
• hard to mount;
• poorly amenable to restoration.

It has minimal porosity and surpasses natural analogues in technical characteristics. Artificial stone can be divided into several types: acrylic, agglomerate and liquid stone (cast). The composition of acrylic products includes white clay powder, acrylic resin and polymers, coloring pigments may be present.

Agglomerate is difficult to distinguish from natural stone, since it consists of 95% natural crumbs (marble, quartz, granite), contains decorative additives, dyes and adhesive polymeric resins.

The composition of liquid stone includes decorative fillers and polymers. As a basis, additional material may be needed - for example, MDF. The thickness of the filler layer is 5-15 mm. Due to its plasticity, artificial stone can be cast in any form. The flooded surface is smooth and seamless.

The stone is easily restored, although it is rather difficult to damage the material, since It withstands large temperature differences, does not swell and does not crack. Artificial stone, unlike natural, does not have a radiation background, It is absolutely safe and costs much less.

The most original material for creating countertops, because thanks to it we get fantastic surfaces. Epoxy resin is plastic, has a transparent structure, it can be filled with everything: a cut of a tree, shells, sea pebbles, printing products, herbarium. If necessary, coloring pigments are added to the composition, making the surface even more spectacular. The material has almost no porosity, tolerates hot vapors and does not absorb foreign liquids.

Wood looks rich and presentable, it attracts with its natural, environmentally friendly structure. There is a misconception that wood and water are incompatible, but it’s enough to recall the ships of our ancestors, plowing the oceans for decades to refute this theory. Wood perfectly tolerates moisture, even if you make a wash basin out of it. When choosing a material, you just need to consider two things:

• wood should belong to the hardest types of trees (oak, plum, larch, ash, walnut, hornbeam), that is, have the lowest porosity;
• it should be subjected to special antifungal treatment, which will periodically have to be repeated.

To create a wooden surface optional to use a solid array. It can be assembled from two large pieces glued under high pressure on presses. The main thing is to fold the picture as effectively as possible. Beautiful large countertops with monolithic sinks are created from a large solid bar, which are cut out in the material itself. Together, the countertop and sink create a sophisticated and unified composition.

The most unique and expensive wood surfaces are slabs. This is a cut of a large tree with raw natural edges, made according to the thickness of the countertop. For such products, rare and beautiful tree species with a unique pattern and color are chosen. After antimicrobial treatment, the surface is coated with varnish or epoxy.

Particle boards are among the most inappropriate materials for use in rooms with high humidity and hot fumes, but they have a budget cost, so the choice often falls on them. To create a countertop in the bathroom, the plates are laminated. They should be treated with care: if the protective layer is damaged, moisture will quickly begin to destroy the material, it will begin to swell and delaminate.

Glass is also used for countertops with sinks, but it does not belong to popular materials, plastic surfaces can be found much more often.

For the countertop, you should choose a practical, waterproof and durable material that tolerates temperature fluctuations well. It is necessary to carefully examine it for chips and scratches, otherwise these defects will eventually cause the destruction of the product. To make the bathroom look harmonious, a surface that immediately catches your eye, should be styled to fit the environment.

It is necessary to stock up on a special siphon with an additional nozzle so that it is possible to connect the drains from the machine and the washbasin. Before buying, you should check the accessories: fasteners and other parts.

Since the countertop is the same for a washing machine and washbasin, a place for the unit is chosen next to the plumbing. To correctly install the machine, you will need to follow some rules:

• it is important that the selected area is at least 120 cm;
• a small space should be left behind the equipment to accommodate the hose and connect the filters;
• the height under the countertop should not interfere with the installation of equipment;
• the machine should not enter the niche too tightly; gaps are always left for possible vibration of the equipment;
• the countertop is arranged in such a way as not to interfere with the maintenance of the unit (loading the hatch, falling asleep powder, etc.).

After using the bathroom, the countertop should be wiped with a soft cloth. This applies to all surfaces, but otherwise the care will depend on the texture of the selected material. Glass, glossy, polished countertops harms the use of abrasive and powder products. Wooden planes should be periodically treated with special oil.

How good is the countertop in the design of the bathroom, you can understand by looking at photos of some interiors.

When the room is endowed with complex geometry or small sizes, corner models of furniture help out.

Having a minimum of space, you can fill it beautifully and comfortably by including warm saturated wood in the form of countertops, shelves and mirror decor.

A two-level wooden surface rationally organizes the space.

Glass coverings seem fragile, but they look modern and can satisfy all the requirements of a bathroom.

Onyx looks great, has a rich color scheme and is in harmony with any type of washbasin: built-in, monolithic, overhead.

The majestic brown marble contrasts flawlessly with white fixtures.

For how to make a countertop in a bathroom from drywall, see the next video.