Before I got into 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 rural town and I 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 also known as mini faucets. I never really looked or knew the difference.

Even as a 20-year-old, I owned my home and did a low-budget renovation. I had to buy Kohler 50’s blue. 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″ tap 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’s 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 faucet extension you need. Holes are drilled to accommodate the faucet. Look at the hole drilling. If you run a tape measure up to the holes, there will be a 4″ or 8″ gap between them. Please 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 also known as a common faucet is that it tends to be known as ‘top end’. It means you took the renewal seriously. Maybe these topics are not important to you and that’s okay. So let’s look at the more practical reasons to choose 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 that of a 4″ stopcock. I must say that it is more than normal better. Between function and finish, the 8″ extension should generally win out in the long run. Also, 4″ extension faucets are typically only available in chrome.

3. Due to the first two points, the desire to achieve 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 with having the best stuff. If you can afford it, do it. If not, enjoy the water that runs out. It’s all about water. There is no need to impress anyone; just enjoy. Family and friends are much more important than the faucet you choose.