The center is the distance between the middle of the hot inlet and the middle of the cold inlet. Most commercial hand sinks are drilled for a 4 inch center faucet, and most compartment, prep and mop sinks take an 8 inch center faucet, so the right one is whichever matches the holes you already have.
Shop the equipment in this article: replacement commercial hand sink faucet, wall mount faucet with 8 inch centers and two compartment sink. Freight is included on every order.
How to measure the centers
Measure from the middle of one faucet hole to the middle of the other. If the old faucet is still on, measure between the middle of the hot handle stem and the middle of the cold one. You should land on 4 inches or 8 inches. A faucet with the wrong centers will not go on, and you cannot make up the difference with fittings on a stainless sink.
While you are there, note where the holes are. Holes in the top of the sink deck mean a deck mount faucet. Holes in the backsplash or in the wall mean a wall mount faucet, which is also called splash mount.
Where each size is used
This is common practice across commercial sinks, not a rule.
- 4 inch centers: wall mount and underbar hand sinks, small bar sinks and drop-in hand sinks. The bowl is small, so the faucet is small.
- 8 inch centers: one, two and three compartment sinks, prep sinks, mop sinks and pre-rinse units. The wider body carries more water and a longer swing spout.
The 4 inch center faucets we sell
Our replacement commercial hand sink faucet is a wall mount gooseneck with two handles that fits any hand sink with a 4 inch center. It is stainless steel and lead free. For hand sinks drilled through the backsplash we also sell a wall mount gooseneck faucet with 4 inch centers and wrist-action lever handles.
A leaking or seized hand sink faucet does not mean a new sink. If the bowl is sound, replacing the faucet is a small job once you know the center size.
The 8 inch center faucets we sell
Our wall mount faucet with 8 inch centers has a chrome-plated brass body, ceramic cartridges and a swivel spout, and comes with the flanges, washers and hardware. The spout comes in 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 inch lengths. The product page gives this guide:
- 8 inch spout: tight spaces and compact sinks
- 10 inch: medium compartments
- 12 inch: the most commonly used length
- 14 inch: wider sinks and dish areas
- 16 inch: the longest reach, for deep or three bowl sinks
We also list 8 inch center pre-rinse faucets with a 12 inch add-on spout, and a service sink faucet with 8 inch centers, a pail hook and a built-in vacuum breaker for mop sinks.
Choosing spout length on an 8 inch faucet
Common practice is to pick a spout that reaches the middle of the farthest bowl it has to fill. On a two compartment sink with the faucet between the bowls, a shorter spout is enough. On a three compartment sink with one faucet, the spout has to swing across more than one bowl, which is why many three compartment sinks use two faucets or one long spout. Check that the spout clears the tallest pot you wash.
Mistakes to avoid
- Ordering by the look of the old faucet instead of measuring the centers.
- Buying a deck mount faucet for a sink drilled through the backsplash.
- Choosing a spout so long that it hits the side splash or hangs over the drainboard.
- Forgetting supply lines and shutoff valves. The faucet body does not include them.
Your plumber and local plumbing code decide how the faucet is connected, including backflow protection.
What to buy
All of our faucets, pre-rinse units and drains are under commercial sink faucets. If the sink itself is worn out, see our hand sinks, many of which include a faucet, and our 3 compartment sinks. Express KitchQuip stainless steel sinks are NSF certified, and freight to the 48 contiguous states is included in the price.