Before entering the kitchen and bath industry, I never thought about the difference between a 4″ faucet and an 8″ faucet. I grew up in a small country town and honestly can’t remember the type of faucet in any house I’ve ever seen, including my own. My parents built a new house in the late 70’s so I’m sure all the faucets were 4″ or aka mini faucets. I never really looked or knew the difference.
Even when I was 20 years old, I owned my house and did a low-budget renovation. I had to buy the 50’s blue from Kohler. Interestingly, I don’t really know the official name of the color. I went to Home Depot and bought a new pedestal sink. It had a 4″ faucet hole drilling. I thought it was really ‘upgrading’. It was definitely an upgrade, but if I had known about it ahead of time with a little extra money it would have made a world of difference.
What is the problem if you have a separate 4″ and 8″ faucet? And for many of us… what does that mean anyway! A sink or countertop will determine the length of the faucet you need. Holes are drilled to accommodate the faucet. Look at the hole perforations. If you run a tape measure up to the holes, there will be a 4″ or 8″ gap between them. Note that in all plumbing situations, measure from the center of the hole and not from the right or left of the hole. All plumbing measurements are made from the center of the hole.
The advantage of buying an 8 inch extension or otherwise known as a common faucet is that it tends to be known as ‘higher end’. It means that you took the renewal seriously. Maybe these issues are not important to you and that’s okay. So let’s look at the most practical reasons for choosing between the two types of faucets.
1. An 8″ stopcock is usually more difficult to clean because there are three separate flanges to clean. With a 4″ stopcock there is usually only one bottom plate to clean.
2. The quality of an 8″ stopcock is usually better than a 4″ stopcock. I must say that it is more than normal better. Between function and finish, the 8″ extension should generally win in the long run. Also, 4″ extension faucets are typically only available in chrome.
3. Because of the first two points, the desire for better things is the reason to get an 8″ faucet. Everyone wants to improve their lives and buy better things when they are affordable.
Now is the moment of reality. Buy the faucet you can afford. Have a budget. It doesn’t matter if you have a 4″ or 8″ faucet. You don’t have to impress your friends, family, and enemies by having the best stuff. If you can afford it, do it. If not, enjoy the water that runs out. It’s about water. There is no need to impress anyone; just enjoy. Family and friends are much more important than the faucet you choose.