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HOMEPAGE BATHROOMS SHOWERS ACCESSORIES BATHROOM DESIGN FLOORS & WALLS

Contertops for Bathroom Furniture

A countertop is the top panel that fits over the base units to provide a continuous surface finish for the bathroom furniture. In the diagram below the rest of the components have been faded-out to highlight the countertop. It is the bathroom equivalent of the kitchen worktop, although they usually not quite as thick.

 

 

The countertop is usually chosen in the same colour and finish as the doors of the bathroom furniture although many manufacturers will also ofer contrasting colours (white units used in conjunction with a black marble effect countertop is a popular combination)

countertop for fitted bathroom furniture

On plain cupboard base units the countertop can be fitted "as is" but if vanity basins or toilet units are part of the run then sometimes the countertop will need to be cut. The standard vanity bowl used with bathroom furniture is the semi-recessed type where half the bowl sits inside the unit and half the bowl projects out from the front. The countertop will need to be cut to enable the basin to be installed - the basin will come with a template to ensure an accurate cut. Once cut, the countertop can be much weaker, especialy in a long run, so it needs to be handled carefully.

Where a toilet is installed with bathroom furniture, access is needed to the cistern. This can take several forms depending on the cistern design and counertop manufacturer's options. There are cisterns available that can be serviced from the front without the need to have access from the top. The panel above the toilet bowl therefore needs to be removeable to gain acess to ths type of cistern. If a standard concealed cistern is installed this will require access from above. Some fitted bathroom furniture manufacturers offer a hinged access panel built into the countertop while others supply a hatch that needs to be cut into the top. If neither of these is available the next option is to fit a countertop, separate to the rest of the run, above the toilet unit.

There are a few manufacturers that make full depth contertops that can be used for vanity units that take a vanity bowl (as opposed a semi-recessed basin).