Taps for Butler Sinks: Pillar, Monobloc, Wall-Mounted and Mixer Options

Key takeaways

• Start with the sink: its number, position and diameter of tap holes, or its design for a wall-mounted tap, decide which taps are possible.
• Pillar taps look traditional but do not mix water at the spout; monobloc mixers need one hole; bridge mixers combine a classic look with mixed flow.
• Check spout reach, height and swing against your bowl and your largest pan, and make sure the tap does not block an overflow slot.
• Never enlarge or drill holes in ceramic without specialist advice.
• Taps must be connected by a competent person, and UK water fittings rules apply; choose the tap together with the sink.

A butler sink and its tap are a partnership. A beautiful sink with a poorly matched tap can be awkward to use, splash badly or simply look wrong. Because butler sinks are deep and often wide, the tap needs to reach the bowl comfortably, sit at a sensible height and fit the way the sink was designed. This guide explains the main tap types and the checks that help you avoid a mismatch.

Should you choose the sink or the tap first?

Many butler sinks are supplied with no tap holes at all, or with a particular pattern of holes, and some have a flat rear ledge that is designed to take a tap. The way the sink is made decides which tap styles are possible. Before choosing a tap, find out from the sink's specification how many holes it has, where they are, their diameter and whether the sink is designed for a tap on the worktop or on the wall behind.

What are pillar taps?

Pillar taps are separate hot and cold taps, each with its own handle, set apart on the sink or the worktop. They are strongly associated with traditional styling and suit period kitchens well.

• Look. They give a classic, authentic appearance.
• Practicality. You cannot mix water to a single temperature at the spout, so you may fill the basin with warm water rather than adjust it as it runs. For some people this is a disadvantage, for others it is part of the charm.
• Hole requirement. Two holes are needed, one for each tap, and their spacing matters.

What are monobloc mixer taps?

A monobloc tap combines hot and cold supply into a single body with one spout, usually with a lever or a pair of handles. It needs only one hole, which makes it simple and tidy.

• Look. Styles range from traditional to modern, so one can often be found to suit the room.
• Practicality. You can adjust water temperature at the spout, which is convenient for rinsing and washing.
• Fit. Check the hole diameter, the thickness of the surface and the height of the spout.

What are bridge mixers?

A bridge mixer pairs two separate taps with a pipe that bridges between them, ending in a single spout. This combines the traditional look of pillar taps with the practical mixed flow. It needs two holes at a spacing that matches the tap, so check this carefully.

Deck-mounted, sink-mounted and wall-mounted taps

Where the tap is fixed makes a big difference to how the sink looks and works.

Deck-mounted

These fix to the worktop or the sink rim behind the bowl. They are the most common choice and the simplest to understand. Make sure the spout reaches the centre of the bowl and that there is enough height beneath it for large pans.

Sink-mounted

Some butler sinks have a raised back or a ledge to which a tap is fixed directly. The tap hole position is part of the sink design, and only taps compatible with it will work. Check the specification, including the hole diameter and any limits on tap height or weight.

Wall-mounted

A wall-mounted tap sprouts from the wall above the sink. It keeps the worktop or sink rim clear, which makes cleaning easier and suits many butler sinks that have no tap holes. It does, however, require the water supply to come through the wall, so the pipework must be planned before the wall is finished and tiled. Wall positioning also fixes the tap's height and reach, so measure carefully and discuss the plan with a qualified plumber before work begins.

Tap types at a glance

Type	Holes needed	Water at the spout	Worth checking
Pillar taps	Two, one per tap	Not mixed; separate hot and cold	Hole spacing; traditional look
Monobloc mixer	Usually one	Mixed, adjustable at the spout	Hole diameter, surface thickness, spout height
Bridge mixer	Two, at a matching spacing	Mixed through a single spout	Centre-to-centre spacing of the holes
Wall-mounted tap	None in the sink	Depends on the tap	Pipework planned before the wall is finished; fixed height and reach

What should you check about tap holes?

If the sink has tap holes, you must match the tap to them. Check these points in the specification.

• The number of holes.
• The diameter of each hole.
• The distance between the centres of two holes, if there are two.
• The thickness of the material around the hole, which affects how the tap is secured.

Never enlarge or drill holes in ceramic or other materials without specialist advice. It is easy to crack a sink that has taken weeks to arrive.

How much spout reach and height do you need?

A tap that is too short will deliver water to the back of the bowl, leaving the front of the basin dry. A tap that is too tall may splash. Look at the spout's length, its height from the base, and whether it swivels. A swivel spout is useful for double-bowl sinks, where the water must reach either side.

Consider the largest pan you wash and how you fill it. If you often fill a tall pot from the tap, make sure there is room beneath the spout. A pull-out or pull-down spray is another option some people like for rinsing large items, if the tap and sink are suited to it.

Can the tap interfere with the overflow?

Some butler sinks have an overflow slot in the bowl, usually at the back. Where a tap sits in front of or close to the overflow, check that the water jet, the tap base and the overflow do not interfere with each other. If you plan a deck-mounted tap very close to the rear wall, confirm that its body does not block the overflow or sit on a part of the sink where it cannot be fixed securely.

Do water regulations apply to fitting a tap?

Taps must be connected to the water supply by a competent person, and in many places the work must comply with local rules. In the UK the work must comply with the water fittings regulations. The official explanatory note to the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999, which apply in England and Wales, says that a person who proposes to install certain water fittings must notify the water undertaker and may not start until it consents, unless the work is done by an approved contractor, who must issue a certificate. Northern Ireland has its own regulations: NI Water says owners, occupiers and installers have a legal duty to meet them, that advance notification is needed for certain work, and that for many jobs done by an approved plumber it is not. Scotland has its own rules too. Ask your water supplier which work needs notice where you live. A qualified plumber can also tell you whether your water pressure, hot-water system and existing pipework suit the tap you want, because some taps are designed for particular pressure types.

Finish and care

Chrome, brushed finishes, brass-look finishes and painted finishes all have their own cleaning needs. Follow the manufacturer's care guide, avoid abrasive cleaners, and wipe the tap dry to reduce limescale marks.

A quick checklist

• Check how many holes the sink has, and where.
• Choose a tap type that suits the hole arrangement or the wall.
• Confirm spout reach, height and swivel.
• Check overflow and tap interference.
• Plan the pipework with a qualified plumber.

Choosing the tap at the same time as the sink, rather than afterwards, avoids most compatibility problems.

Sources and further reading

• The Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999: explanatory note (legislation.gov.uk): that regulation 5 requires a person who proposes to install certain water fittings to notify the water undertaker and wait for consent, that this does not apply to some fittings installed by an approved contractor, and that an approved contractor must issue a certificate.
• NI Water: Water Fittings Regulations: that in Northern Ireland owners, occupiers and installers have a legal duty to meet the regulations, that advance notification is needed for certain work unless an approved plumber does it, and that breaching them is a criminal offence.