Expert Guide: Different Types of Bathroom Tap

Choosing the right taps for your bathroom is almost as important as choosing the right bath. You may think that all they provide is a nice finishing touch but as far as taps go they are one of the most important elements in the bathroom. I mean, what is a bathroom without a source of water? Exactly. But, this again isn’t one of its only benefits as they also deliver a variety of styles, types and functions. They can range from the cool and contemporary to the timelessly traditional.

Thanks to recent developments in new styles and trends there has been huge demand for bathroom tap manufacturers to create new and exciting ways to add a unique aspect to the bathroom. This massive variety of options may leave you wondering what are the real advantages and disadvantages of the different tap types available.

So, the first thing you must do is to establish what will complement your bathroom, both in style and practicality. Weighing up all of your options is vital to completing a bathroom that has a great look and offers a fun and easy experience each time. Like every other item in the bathroom there is an abundance of varieties and styles, so which one is right for you? Let's look at each option in a little more detail.

Deck Mounted Taps:

Deck mounted taps are attached to the bath or basin using tap holes that have been drilled into the rim. They are the most common type of taps as they offer the easiest access for plumbing and pipes to lead the water into the tub or basin.

Wall Mounted Taps:

Wall mounted taps are, as they say on the tin, mounted to the wall and reach out to fill the bath tub or basin. This is a more contemporary style and makes it easy to clean but harder to repair as all the plumbing is hidden in the wall.

Floor Mounted Taps:

Floor mounted taps are the most recent development for bath taps and instead of hiding any pipes or plumbing like a wall or deck mounted tap would, they are actually exposed from the floor up to the tub. They also mean that the bath tub can be placed anywhere in the bathroom as long as the plumbing can be redirected to that area.

Mixer Taps:

Mixer taps are being used more and more in recent years, they are sometimes referred to as monobloc taps when they only use one tap hole. They mix the hot and cold water together just as it leaves the faucet, giving you an even temperature before it reaches the tub or basin. This means that the risk of running scolding or freezing water is greatly reduced.

Pillar Taps:

Pillar taps are possibly the most common style of tap (particularly in the UK). They are individual taps that have their own valves to control the flow of water and fit into bath and basins that have two tap holes, one for the hot tap and one for the cold tap.

Bath/Shower Mixer Taps:

Bath/Shower taps are a mixture a bath fillers and a hand held shower head that stretches from the tap, allowing you to wet your entire body. They are useful for having an all in one tap that can both fill your bath and wash your body all over as a shower. Not ideal for basins.

Bath Filler Taps:

Filler taps a very similar to mixer taps as they also mix both hot and cold water before leaving the faucet. They generally incorporate two handles or levers to control flow and temperature, which is ideal for finding the perfect temperature of water when filling the tub or basin. They also do not need a high water pressure to be used.

Integrated Overflow Taps

This is where the overflow (the bit where excess water goes if you leave the taps on unattended) also doubles up as a tap, normally a circular shape which is twisted to mix hot and cold. These can also be tied in with wall mounted taps, so you can control the overflow filler from across the room!

If you’re looking for a touch of the traditional in your bathroom we have recently introduced a range of taps from the well-established manufacturers Burlington. Their design takes influences from Victorian, Edwardian and Georgian eras yet have all been built to the same high standards as is applied to today's modern products. They include mixers, pillars and bath/shower taps to suit.

Burlington Kensington Bath/Shower Mixer - £203.15

The Kensington range is the latest addition to the ever-popular Burlington range. They've only been live on Victorian Plumbing for a week or so, and we're getting an amazing response to them. No wonder, it's hard not be be taken in by their vintage charm!