The FDA Food Code does not give a mounting height for a hand sink. Common practice is to set the rim near counter height, and where the ADA Standards apply the rim can be no higher than 34 inches above the floor. The local health department and the building official have the final say.
If an older hand sink needs a new faucet, see this commercial hand sink faucet for 4 in. centers.
Where there is no wall to mount on, a free standing hand sink with a foot pedal faucet keeps hands off the handles.
What the Food Code covers, and what it leaves out
The Food Code sections on handwashing sinks deal with how many there are, where they go, the water temperature and what the sink may be used for. On location, the sink has to allow convenient use by employees in food preparation, food dispensing and warewashing areas, and there has to be one in or immediately next to the toilet rooms. We read these sections today in Virginia’s food regulations, which reproduce the Food Code text, and none of them states a height or a size.
So the height comes from three other places: your plumbing code, accessibility rules, and what works for the people using the sink.
The ADA figure
The 2010 ADA Standards, section 606.3, say that the front of the higher of the rim or the counter surface of a lavatory or sink must be 34 inches maximum above the finish floor. Section 606.2 adds clear floor space and knee and toe clearance under the sink for a forward approach. We read both on the U.S. Access Board’s website today.
Whether a hand sink in a kitchen that only employees use has to meet those sections is not something we can answer for your building. It depends on how the space is classified, and that is a question for your architect or the local building official. A hand sink that customers can use, such as one in a public toilet room, is a different case from one on the cook line. If you are told the ADA applies, keep the rim at 34 inches or lower and leave the space under the sink open.
Common practice for staff hand sinks
These are habits from the trade, not code.
- Rim at about counter height, in the range of 34 to 36 inches, when no accessibility rule applies. Set it at 34 or lower where one does.
- High enough that a tall cook is not bending over, low enough that water does not run down the forearms to the elbows.
- The faucet outlet well above the rim, which is why gooseneck faucets are standard on hand sinks.
- Soap and towel dispensers within reach of the bowl, so wet hands do not drip across the floor.
Measure to the rim, not to the top of the backsplash. Wall mount sinks hang from a bracket or clip, so the installer marks the clip height on the wall by working back from the rim height you want.
Heights of sinks that stand on the floor
A pedestal or underbar sink has its height built in, so check it before you order. These figures are from our own product pages.
- Hands-free pedestal hand sink with foot pedal: the pedestal is 34 inches tall and the backsplash adds 8 inches, for 42 inches overall.
- One compartment under bar sink: 32.75 inches high, on adjustable bullet feet.
- Underbar drainboards, which sit in the same run: 30 inch working height.
Underbar hand sinks are lower than kitchen sinks on purpose. They have to fit under the bar top, so check the clearance from the floor to the underside of your bar top against the height on the product page.
What decides the height on a wall mount sink
Our wall mount models come with a wall clip or bracket, so you choose the height at installation. The 12 by 12 inch model has a bowl 5 inches deep, and the 15 by 17 inch model with knee pedals has side splashes. Three things usually settle the number.
- Any accessibility requirement from the building official.
- What sits below. Knee pedals need room to swing, and a trash can for paper towels usually goes under or beside the sink.
- The drain rough-in. If the plumber has already set the drain and supply stubs in the wall, the sink height has to work with them.
Fasten the clip into studs or solid blocking. Have a licensed plumber make the water and drain connections and confirm the height against your local plumbing code.
Mistakes to avoid
- Measuring to the backsplash and ending up with a rim several inches lower than planned.
- Hanging the sink before asking whether an accessibility rule applies.
- Mounting on drywall alone.
What to buy
Wall mount, corner, pedestal and underbar models are all in hand sinks. Gooseneck faucets and pedal valves are in commercial sink faucets, and bar models are with the bar sinks. Express KitchQuip stainless steel hand sinks are NSF certified, and freight to the 48 contiguous states is included in the price.