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Plumbing Design Dilemma Kitchens

How many holes to drill into kitchen granite countertop?

6 years ago

We are having granite countertops installed soon. Right now I have a faucet and a side spray, so we'd have two holes drilled, but the granite people are saying the more recent way to do it is to incorporate the sprayer into the faucet. I'm leaning that way for a cleaner counter. Anyone have an opinion on this? Thanks!

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Patricia Colwell Consulting

6 years ago

I like the 2 in one unit also.

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Comments (16)

PRO
Carolina Kitchen & Bath
6 years ago
Definitely go with a pull-down faucet. I have a Delta Savile that I love (the picture below is not my kitchen). One hole and the pull-down has a magnet in it. Most pull-downs are a friction fit, and when the friction has been worn down, they dangle.

Don't buy anything Moen. Here's a link about pull-downs: https://www.thekitchn.com/all-about-pull-out-or-down-spray-faucets-spotlight-172301
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aj33, I'm sorry for the delay getting back to you. We've been moving in. I don't think I have to bend any more than at my old sink. I think the key is to have the sink the right height for you. When you undermount a sink, it makes the bottom of it lower. I "test drove" many farm house sinks in the show rooms that were so deep that you would end up with an awful back ache at the end of a good wash up. I actually picked up my sink at the scratch and dent section of Ikea. I was considering undermounting their sink and wondered if it was really big enough. This one had the back lip broken off and was $25. I figured it was worth $25 to see if it would fit my cookie sheets, roasting pans and other large items. Then my builder pointed out that if I planned to undermount it, the broken bit on the back wouldn't matter. So, after I determined that it was big enough and deep enough without being too deep, we took a tile saw and sawed off the back.
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I would recommend taking out everything from the top drawer and under the sink. If taking everything out from top drawer is not an option, I would put something in the drawers that would cover everything - especially if there is a seam over that area. All our top drawers had bits of stuff fall in them from the install and I'm glad my drawers were empty.
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These are my pics of my countertops placed Friday June 22, 2018. I cried looking at these seams. It looks so cheap. Fabricator explains that's the way it comes. I explained that I shouldn't be able to see the seams so clearly. It looks so unprofessional. They ended up taking them back to their warehouse. In hopes they say if it is quality control will try and fix it just to make it look better. Otherwise I will have to pay an additional fee for them to come out again to install. I just don't know what to do and if still looks the same. This is the first time I've replaced my counters in 24 years. I don't and can't live with it. looking at this for another 24 years. It looks so cheap and it really was not it's a lot of money to me. I hope fingers crossed that they will fix this problem. They never told me that there would be such seams. I thought the edges were done by a machine and it would be all one piece. I have read up on this and now understand there are seams. But now I do know that they should not look like this. If they are good fabricator you shouldn't be able to see them so clearly. I will find out next week what happens.
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Momali, that is drop dead gorgeous. It reminds me more of cloudswift's in that it's a tealish blue; mine is blue-gray with cobalt veins. Here's the TMI: 1. For synonyms or closely related granites, try looking at azul do mar (cloudswift's) and azul imperial. I'll also attach a link to my granite yard website (equally hard to navigate); go to "quartzite" to find an azul macaubas with strong green, gray, and blue lines. On the same website, check out Caribbean blue, which is very close to cloudswift's and, possibly, yours. You are definitely in the land of exotics, where sometimes yards just slap their own names on stuff.... 2. ...and your slab will be priced accordingly. In Cal., we buy the slabs from a yard and separately hire a fabricator. I paid $40/sqft for mine. By comparison, the least expensive granites might be $10-15/sqft; the least expensive blue I ever found was $25/sqft, and the "you have to ask?" lapis and sodalite stones were $200/sqft. Prices varied wildly by both the yard and within the yard -- the "ugly" azul macaubas was $25/sqft and the "pretty" one, at the same yard, which came from the same quarry, was $115/sqft. It really pays to shop around. Fabrication might be $30-50/sqft more. YMMV. 3. Mine seems nearly indestructible so far -- no staining or etching from olive oil, lemon juice, tomatoes, bread dough. Geologically it's a quartzite. 4. I just posted pix yesterday of my 99% completed kitchen -- if it's not still on the 1st page, search for my name and "lotsa pix." 5. Colors for yours: because it has such a strong wavy pattern, maybe you do want to stay within the no-movement, just-speckles family. Black (absolut black granite is pretty inexpensive, I think; virginia mist and jet mist are soapstone-imitations), beige (yech! not my favorite! but it'll definitely recede), or if you're up for daring and different, copper (high maintenance) or zinc (not sure). HTH. Here is a link that might be useful: Marble Unlimited - exotic granites
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geoffrey_b
6 years ago
One hole. We have a Grohe, pull down faucet - 10 yrs old - works great. We have a soap dispenser - they clog - messy - would not have one again.
PRO
Filipe Custom Woodwork
6 years ago
Most clients are doing one hole unless they have a filter, instant hot or cold.....or soap dispenser.
Jake The Wonderdog
6 years ago
I'm no fan of the side spray, but you may want to consider if you want a filtered water dispenser. Also, the sink top garbage disposal switch is pretty common now as well.
chiflipper
6 years ago
Don't stress too much over this...it's very easy to add "holes" after installation.
Chessie
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
It is ENTIRELY your preference. Some people wind up with setups like this...

Others with very minimalist setups...

Really up to you. I decided on a faucet with a pull-down sprayer, after having nothing but a side sprayer. So far, I like it. Does take some getting used to. I also have a good soap pump, (Kraus - it doesn't clog and is never messy) - I hate having to have dishsoap sitting on the counter. So I had 2 holes drilled. Much much cleaner looking than my old sink.
smileythecat
6 years ago
Well, I had 3 holes drilled b/c I like the side sprayer and soap pump, but if you purchase a pull down you won't need one of those.
Milly Rey
6 years ago
The side spray stinks for filling up pots because it always tastes like plastic to me v
Chessie
6 years ago
I don't think mine made the water taste funny, but I honestly don't know. I never used it to fill a pot - I used the faucet. Why would you use the sprayer for that?
Milly Rey
6 years ago
Because my husband. Lol. That was some foul pasta!!!

But with a pull-down on a galley-type sink, your sink is close to the range, and you can use the pull-down like a pot filler.
User
6 years ago
Love my new pull down faucet. (Pull down is better than pull out faucets.). I also abandoned my soap dispenser which I don’t miss. Air switch disposal is great, too. I wanted as little as possible behind the sink because I wipe it down a zillion times a day and wanted as much “clean swipe”as possible!
PRO
JAN MOYER
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Get a faucet that is pull down. One hole!!! Hole/s for faucet should be drilled at install of tops, so you have TIME on your side, I am anti soap pump, but hat is JMHO. There are many good looking ones that can remain out......even touch free.
V S
6 years ago
Sorry to hijack, but it seems a lot of people like the pull downs. How long has everyone had them? Do they seem reliable?

From the article someone posted it sounds like the only downside could be a drop in pressure if your house has pressure issues.
PRO
Carolina Kitchen & Bath
6 years ago
The only issue I've seen is where the friction fit ends wear out and the end of the faucet dangles. Part of this is solved with the weight that's put on the hose under the sink, but that doesn't always provide a tight fit.

Did I say skip anything made by Moen? Yeah I did, but it bears repeating.
Donna Shepherd
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks, everyone, for the feedback! Very helpful.

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