Hole Size and Location on Granite Kitchen Counter

Before remodeling your kitchen, you already decided to make the undermount sink the centerpiece item. But several questions come to mind before getting started:

What color cabinets would work with existing fixtures? What kind of faucet and accessories do I want to coordinate with the sink?

However, other questions regarding the sink need to be answered: What size holes should I drill? How many holes do I want? Where should I place them?

Before you get the drill, a few factors need to be sorted out.

Factors to Consider

KITCHEN FAUCET

Kitchen faucets come in many configurations, anywhere from 1 hole to 4 holes.

Although some faucets come with a deck plate to cover the other side holes on a sink, in many cases, that same faucet can be installed without the deck plate. Most faucets will fit into 1-3/8” holes.

What accessories do I need? Here are a few of your choices:

Accessories to Consider

SOAP DISPENSER

A simple way to avoid clutter on your kitchen counter. It allows you easy access to your soap and they generally fill from the top of the counter. The soap dispenser can be installed on a 1-1/4” to 1-3/8” diameter hole.

WATER FILTER SPOUT

Not crazy about the quality of your tap water? An under-counter water filter may be your best option. Of course, you want to make sure that the spout sitting on top of the counter matches the appearance and finish of your kitchen faucet. A 1” to 1-3/8” diameter hole will accommodate most water filter spouts.

INSTANT HOT SPOUT

Who wouldn’t want the convenience of having piping hot water easily accessible on your kitchen sink 24 hours a day? For this spout, you would need a 1-3/8” diameter hole.

AIR GAP

Although this isn’t a nationwide requirement, there are a few states that do require them. The air gap’s main purpose is to prevent overflow of dirty dishwater from flowing back into the potable water supply. If this is your case, a 1-1/4” to 1-3/8” hole should be all you need.

AIR SWITCH

Another modern convenience, it allows you to turn your garbage disposal on and off without the need to put your wet hands on an electrical wall switch. For this device you will need a 1-3/8” hole.

WHERE SHOULD I DRILL THE HOLES?

Ideally, you should have the faucet spout be centered on the sink. This reason is not only based on aesthetics, but on functionality as well.

After that, it’s a matter of situating your remaining countertop accessories.

Glass fillers and instant hot spout are most commonly placed at the very far end of the sink.

This allows one user to have access to these fixtures without interfering with someone else performing another task at the sink.

Air switches, because of their low profile, can be placed close to the kitchen faucet since they will not interfere with the faucet or other fixtures,

Kitchen faucet side sprays are usually installed 4” to 6” away from the faucet–on the side where you feel you will be using it most.

The air gap is not something you need to access, so placing it at any end will be acceptable.

You just need to make sure that if waste water does back up into the system that this overflow goes into any one of the bowls in the sink.

WHAT SHOULD BE THE DISTANCE FROM THE HOLE TO THE EDGE OF THE SINK?

There are a few factors involved in determining the hole-to-sink distance.

Because you are dealing with stone, you should be mindful of not placing the hole too close to the edge as this may increase your chances of your countertop cracking at the thinnest point.

2-1/2” seems to be a good starting point.

However you should take into account the diameter of the faucet’s escutcheons. It is also good to pay attention to the space under the faucet, as you need to allow space for the mounting hardware.

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