Once you have the faucet out, count the holes and measure the distance apart. If there is only one hole in your sink you'll need a faucet designed with the handle as part of the faucet. If you have three holes but want a decorative set of water lines above the sink, select a “bridge faucet" that mixes the hot and cold.
Measure the countertop behind the sink, and the diameter of the pre-drilled holes and the distance between their centers. The hole dimensions are how to determine what size faucet will fit, before you buy the faucet.
There are many types of faucets for bathroom use and not all bathroom sink faucets work with every sink. It's important to make sure the faucet you choose will fit your sink or basin. Standard faucet drillings are centerset, single-hole or widespread.
Similarly, faucets that have a standard-size connection may not fit a sink that has a non-standard-size connection. Therefore, it is important to check compatibility before purchasing a faucet to make sure it will fit your sink or countertop and that the installation process will be as smooth as possible.
If you can get a good look at the bottom of the sink by using a flashlight and a tape measure, count the holes and measure the spread. If you can't see or measure the holes from underneath, you may need to remove the faucet and you will need some tools.
Faucet Connector Sizes
The inlets on a faucet are the components that connect to your water supply lines. Most faucets in the United States have a 1/2" MPT (male) or 1/2" FPT (female) threaded inlet. These connections use the NPT (National Pipe Thread) standard.
To do this, you'll need to measure the diameter of the pre-drilled hole and compare it to the diameter of the base of the tap. If they are the same or similar, the tap should fit snugly and securely. Multi-hole kitchen tap fittings, on the other hand, are designed to fit sinks with specific hole configurations.
Most of the time, the hole for your kitchen faucet will be 1 3/8 inches across. That's the standard size you'll typically see. But here's the catch - not all faucets play by the same rules. Some of them require a little more breathing room with a 1 1/2-inch hole instead.
You can install a one-hole faucet in a three- or four-hole sink by adding a deck plate but not vice versa.
To find your faucet type, simply measure the distance between the center of the faucet handles. A distance of 4 inches between handles indicates the faucet is a centerset type. If the distance between handles is 8 to 16 inches, that falls into the widespread faucet category.
However, all faucet handles and faucets produced in the U.S., even if made by different manufacturers, are interchangeable as they have the U.S. beer industry-standard 3/8"-16 UNC threads.
How to Measure Faucet Supply Line Sizes. Identify the Connection Points: Find the supply lines and shut-off valve under the sink. For Male Threads: Measure the outside diameter (OD) of the male threads using a caliper or a ruler.
For the most accurate measurement, remove the faucet and handles from the sink. To get the faucet center, measure from the center of the hole in the sink on the far left to the center of the hole on the far right. Faucet center measurements can be anywhere between 4 and 16 inches.
If you are wondering, "Can you replace a single-handle faucet with a double" the answer is yes.
The faucet center is the distance in inches between pre-drilled faucet holes. Measuring the hole spacing or faucet center ensures you get the correct size faucet (or deck plate) for your mounting area. For an accurate faucet center, simply measure the distance between the outermost faucet holes.
Before installing a new kitchen faucet, be sure to go underneath your kitchen sink and check how many holes your existing sink uses. While a one-hole faucet can work in a 2-hole sink, the same won't be true for a 2 or 3-hole faucet in a one-hole sink.
Sinks generally come in one of three configurations: 6”, 8”, and 6”-16”. The faucet will cover the holes in most of these configurations. You will need to measure the width between the outer holes or estimate it by measuring the width of the deck plate.
If there's one hole, you'll need a mono mixer tap. And where there are two holes, you'll need pillar taps or a mixer tap that uses two tap holes. Finally, think about what spout size is needed. Spouts vary in height, the length they protrude over the sink and the angle at which they project water.
Not all taps and countertop basins will be the same size, so you'll want to make sure that there is adequate space from the top of your countertop basin to where the spout exits on the tap.
As mentioned earlier, you can always identify AN fittings based on the male thread size (outside diameter). These sizes are constant regardless of brand, hose type, or fitting configuration. If your fitting has a convex 37 degree flare at the end, the threads will tell you the AN size (and vice-versa).
There is not a set standard faucet size used for a kitchen sink although this is important to check. The two factors to consider are functionality and proportion. A higher spout is recommended as it provides more space to stack pots for washing.
The most common sizes are usually either ½ inch or ¾ inch. All that this size refers to is the diameter of the pipe.