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Doable...European sink & US bathroom pop-up drain and faucet?

9 years ago

Originally posted in "Plumbing"

I cannot find a small-scale "reasonable" apron sink with an overflow for a bathroom remodel in the USA. The almost "even" exchange rate makes ordering a European sink a possibility. Plumbing issues???

If I purchase a small Belfast sink from England to undermount in a bathroom vanity and ship it to the US, will I be able to use standard American plumbing fixtures (drain, pipes, faucet including a pop up drain)? If not...are the proper plumbing fittings readily available in the U.S.?

Featured Answer

PRO

By Any Design Ltd.

9 years ago

Yes - of course you can.

Most of the high end showers we build use German, Italian, french and English hardware. The fittings you seek something you need to know how to find and ask for.

Here is a secret. Don't walk into the store and say "Hey - I bought the meat and potatos all ready over seas but really need the $20.00 fitting you sell to make it work".

Find out who sells the high end stuff - go ask the questions in store.

here in Vancouver the goto shop is Cantu. They are bomb barded with people shopping at Ikea and not being able to hook stuff up. I have heard from multiple people that Ikea sends them to Cantu. And Cantu asks "Where did you buy it?"

Round and round you go.

Companys actually make Euro to North American adapters. Some companys design their pieces top be cut and once cut the remeainder is NA. So many versions.

The School of Hard Knocks is your friend.

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Comments (7)

User
9 years ago
No. You will need custom adapters.
rantontoo thanked User
rantontoo
Original Author
9 years ago
Sophie:

Thank you...would "custom" adapters be something fairly easy to find?
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User
9 years ago
No, not easy to find. BPT threading isn't really used in the US. We use NPT. A machine shop could probably create an adapter, with the right specs laid out for them. This was already covered in the Kitchen Forum earlier this month from someone wanting to import a prep sink and faucet. Check that thread for mre info.
rantontoo thanked User
homepro01
9 years ago
You technically don't need an overflow sink,. You need to you a drain for a sink without an overflow. These don't allow you to fill the sink. There are quite a few sinks in the US that can be used for your needs. Rohl, Bissonet and other manufacturers may have something that works for you,
rantontoo thanked homepro01
rantontoo
Original Author
9 years ago
I think my old school plumber in rural WI is going to have a fit! It really helps if I come armed with information. Both the plumber and the carpenter were stunned when I wanted a kitchen height vanity in the bathroom...they had NEVER seen such a thing...big sigh...they give my stuck-in-the-80s DH ammunition.
Matthew Nadler
7 years ago
This is a vintage thread, but most belfast sinks from the UK use a 60mm "waste" which doesn't work with our plumbing sizes. I know this because I have one, and had to replace the drain/waste when we lost the strainer. It was no fun. Required parts from the UK, and the distributors there won't ship here. So I had to have it sent to a buddy of mine in London who posted it here.

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