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The Big Drawbacks to Wall-Mounted Faucets

Shifrah Combiths
Shifrah Combiths
With five children, Shifrah is learning a thing or two about how to keep a fairly organized and pretty clean house with a grateful heart in a way that leaves plenty of time for the people who matter most. Shifrah grew up in San Francisco, but has come to appreciate smaller town life in Tallahassee, Florida, which she now calls home. She's been writing professionally for twenty years and she loves lifestyle photography, memory keeping, gardening, reading, and going to the beach with her husband and children.
published Jun 8, 2018
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No doubt wall-mounted faucets add a nice splash of form to utilitarian function. They’re beautiful, they’re interesting, and they achieve that enviable clutter-free-counter look. But before you take the plunge and buy one for your kitchen or bathroom, consider this significant drawback.

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First, wall-mounted faucets aren’t quick weekend jobs. A standard deck-mounted faucet gets installed directly into pre-determined holes in the sink or counter, and can be done as final step in a renovation, or as an easy upgrade after the fact. Wall mount faucets, on the other hand, require plumbing that’s run up through the walls behind the sink, and need to be spaced properly between two studs. In new construction, they are installed early, while the wall is still opened up and everything is still easily accessible.

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(Image credit: Lana Kenney)

Because of the added work, many of your typical DIY-minded homeowners aren’t comfortable installing this type of faucet. In addition to plumbing the sink properly, experienced plumbers can also help position the faucet at the right height and depth, and angle it so the water hits the bowl in the optimal place to limit splashing (which is a common complaint with these types of faucets).

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Finally, if any leaks spring up after installation, you might need to access the plumbing directly behind the faucet, which means opening up the wall in a pretty prominent spot. Repairing the wall (and potential wall tile) afterwards will cost more. If you do buy a wall-mount faucet, this is a good time to not go cheap. You want a quality product with parts that won’t break down on you a couple of years down the road.

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(Image credit: Photographed by Susie Lowe, Designed by The Pink House)

As with so many things, do your research before making design decisions. There’s lots to love about wall mount faucets, but they are a lot more involved, and potentially expensive, investment. Even if you ultimately still choose wall-mounted faucets, it will lessen the frustration of unexpected surprises down the road.

Any other drawbacks that you know of? Share your experience in the comments.

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