The height of the sink in the bathroom: what happens and how to calculate?

When arranging bathrooms in houses and apartments where people of different heights live, the main issue is to install a sink. We are not talking about the aesthetics of the product, but about the optimal height of the structure, so that all family members can comfortably carry out water procedures.

Most manufacturers adhere to standard sizes when creating sanitary products, especially for sinks. However, privately, they can customize the bathroom sink according to the individual requirements of the customer.

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 solution regarding the ease of use by representatives of the stronger and weaker sex, taking into account the fact that ladies generally have a smaller build and short stature. For this reason, many domestic and foreign brands put on the market sinks with a pedestal 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 in accordance with SNiP, will allow all family members to comfortably carry out water procedures. If the sink is located low, the person will have to bend strongly during normal washing. Because of this seemingly, painful sensations arise in the lumbar spine. And children will not be able to use sinks located at a decent height.
• The height of the sink affects the connection system 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 sink bowl, for the installation of which it is necessary to leave enough space.

Modern scientists keep statistics on changes in the structure of the body of men and women. They argue that the average height of people varies. This means that the standards of the times of the Soviet Union are losing their relevance. That's why in modern houses, where all family members are tall, it is preferable to put 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.

The sink is one of the types of plumbing equipment, made in the form of a recessed bowl. The product is installed in a bathroom or toilet room, thanks to which a person can perform hygienic procedures. From the constructive side, modern washbasin models can be suspended using reinforced brackets, embedded directly into the wall, installed on a cabinet or mounted on a special leg.

But regardless of the design, when installing the washbasin, it is important to take into account the height standard... This value allows you to position the sink for its comfortable operation.

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

Special attention to nuances and several years of research have helped to identify the optimal installation height for the installation and subsequent operation of the sink. The main factor in determining this value was considered the average height of a person.

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

But the height of the sink installation 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 figures apply to the bidet. The bathroom and shower should be located at a distance of 30 cm from the sink.The distance between the sink bowl and the mirror should not be less than 20 cm.But the towel dryer and the outlet should be located at least 60 cm away from the sink.

Also, don't forget about the space that surrounds 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 splashes will end up 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 installing the sink, it is necessary to make special calculations based on the growth of all family members. For each person living in the house, it is necessary to measure the exact height, but not from the floor to the crown of the head, but to the elbow bend. It is necessary to subtract 6-8 mm from each indicator. From the results obtained, the average value should be subtracted, which will be the indicator for the installation of the structure.

Builders of various profiles, finishers, tiles, and especially plumbers know that the optimal height for installing a sink is 85 cm. This indicator is adhered to when renovating administrative buildings. But when making out a bathroom in an apartment or house, the owner of the premises can deviate 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. This means that it can be mounted without additional approvals from the regulatory authorities. The main thing is that the installation and connection of the sink is done according to the rules.
• Relocation of plumbing equipment is allowed in multi-apartment buildings, for which you do not even have to collect documents to obtain a permit. Only after all the work has been completed, it will be necessary to call a representative of the service organization so that he checks the correct connection of the devices and gives 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 permits. If the second sink will be installed outside the bathroom, this is considered a redevelopment, but the installation height does not affect this. Just to obtain a permit, you will need to collect a sufficient number of documents from regulatory authorities. In the case of self-transfer of the sink and other plumbing fixtures without the permission of the service organization, the owner of the dwelling will be fined.

After reviewing the information provided, it becomes clear that when creating a bathroom interior in your own home, the height level of the sink can have any meaning. The main thing is that it is convenient to use it. And here in state institutions, car washes are installed exclusively in accordance with SNiP, and it is impossible to deviate from the declared norm.

However, during the construction of business centers, as well as shopping and entertainment venues, where there is usually a large crowd of people of any age, the architects propose to slightly increase the level of the sinks in the washrooms.

Despite the existence of standards, the height of the location of the washbasin in some institutions differs significantly from the norms. We are talking about kindergartens and child development centers. A child's height is much less than that of an adult, and he will not be able to use the sink on his own, even with the use of a highchair.

And already in kindergartens, where there are 2 educators for a group of children, it is impossible to keep track of how the kids climb onto the stands. Having lost a little balance, the child will simply fall and may injure himself. To avoid such troubles, other standards for the installation of plumbing equipment have been developed for children's institutions.

• In the rooms of nursery groups, where very little ones are engaged, the sinks are installed at a height of 40 cm from the floor level. It is very convenient for children to use such low structures for washing their 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 using plumbing.
• In schools, toilet rooms for primary grades are equipped with 55-60 cm high washbasins.
• For middle and high school students, sinks are installed in latrines at a height of 70-85 cm.

In typical apartments and houses, the square of the bathroom does not allow installing an individual washbasin for the child. For this reason, parents are trying to find some kind of compromise that allows the baby to use plumbing fixtures on an equal basis with adults. The most relevant solution 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 height. Each of them should be comfortable using the plumbing.

In principle, it is possible not to take the initiative and place the sink according to the standards of the Soviet era. But in this case, it will be inconvenient for each family member to carry out water procedures.

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

Knowing these indicators, you can safely start calculating the optimal height of the washbasin. To do this, it is enough to remember the rule for finding the arithmetic mean. As the terms, the average indicators of the above standards for men and women are taken. It turns out the following: 93.5 cm (average height standard for men) + 86 cm (average height standard for women) + 65 cm (washbasin height standard for middle school students) = 244.5 cm.

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

However, the presented calculation option is not the only one. There is a simpler way of calculating. It consists in measuring the height of a person's height from the elbow to the floor. Surely many are aware that the most convenient and comfortable way to wash your hands 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 subtracted from the received data. Then the arithmetic mean is calculated. However, the calculation presented does not make much sense for young children and adolescents, as they grow up over time.

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

It is much more difficult to deal with the required height of the overhead sink when the bowl for hygiene procedures is mounted on the countertop in the bathroom. From the point of view of aesthetics, this looks very attractive. In terms of convenience, this is a moot point. The table top 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.In order to avoid mistakes, you should choose a lower countertop so that, together with the bowl, its height is the standard according to SNiP.

How to properly position the sink in the bathroom, see below.