Water lily sink: selection and installation tips when positioned above the washing machine

Choosing compact sanitary ware for your rather modest bathroom to fit everything you need? Agree that the place of the washer is in the bathroom and you do not want to take it out to the corridor or to the kitchen. The water lily sink saved your acquaintances in a similar situation, and you also thought about purchasing it, but don’t know which one to choose?

We will help you in this matter - the article describes the criteria for choosing a sink intended for installation above a washing machine. The main stages of installation are considered, following which you can personally cope with the task without involving plumbing.

In addition, the material of the article is equipped with visual photos demonstrating the differences between different water lily models, useful installation recommendations and video tips for choosing the best option for your living conditions.

Water Lily Selection Criteria

For modest bathrooms, plumbing manufacturers specially developed washbasins of a special design - their height, on average, is 17 cm. This allows you to easily install the product on top low washer.

If you do not know how to choose the best lily sink for your bathroom, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the main criteria that are decisive and significantly affect future operation.

Product shape and dimensions

This type of devices, like others, is presented in a wide assortment in the market of sanitary products. The shape of the shell can be symmetrical, asymmetric and angular.

In addition, the shape of the bowl itself is of great importance in choosing the right model. Their diversity is a matter of pride for many manufacturers.

Which form to choose depends on the interior of the bathroom, your preferences and the space provided for installation.

As for the dimensions, the water lily is presented in three sizes:

• small
• average;
• big.

The width of the products is in the range 53.5-80 cm, and the depth is 50-60.5 cm. The smaller the area for washing, the smaller the dimensions should be on the washer.

Therefore, when choosing plumbing, you should immediately measure the parameters of your machine.

The water lily should not be smaller than the washer. It’s right when the sink, like an umbrella, covers the machine from above, protecting it from possible splashes

If you plan to purchase new equipment, you can pay attention to the ready-made solutions offered by many stores - a low washing machine + a suitable sink for it. The latter is equipped with all the accessories necessary for installation. Yes, and the cost of such a set will cost no more than independently select in different stores to the machine you like the best sink. Most often, the kit consists of a mini-machine Candy or Eurosoba and a sink from the Water Lily series of the Gonets company.

Read more about the criteria that you need to pay attention to when choosing a water lily shell. Further.

Number of holes and their location

When choosing a water lily, it will not be superfluous to pay attention to the location of the holes, their shape and quantity.

Most often, there are three types of holes made in the design of the washbasin:

• socket for mixer installation;
• hole for removing used water - drain;
• overflow hole.

If a drain is provided for all models, then the first and third holes, depending on the manufacturer's idea, may not be.

Many sinks require mounting the mixer on the wall. Sometimes, with a close proximity of the water lily and bath, it is possible to share a mixer. In such a situation, a new washbasin should overlap the side of the bathtub, and the spout of the mixer should be a couple of cm above its upper edge

As for the overflow hole, it is advisable to choose the model where it is available for safety reasons.

The location of the drain directly affects the rate of effluent removal. The fastest option involves locating the hole directly along the path of the water flowing from the tap.

But then the flat-shaped siphon will be located above the washer, which is unsafe in case of leakage. It is more preferable to place the siphon behind the machine, and the hole, respectively, is as close as possible to the back wall.

Material of manufacture and manufacturer

An important nuance refers to the name of this type of washbasins - the Russian company “Gonets” registered the trademark “Kuvshinka”. Under which she began to produce a wide range of plumbing products for installation over washing machines.

With the easy hands of users, all sinks of this type began to be called "water lilies." Therefore, it is important not to forget to clarify the possibility of acquiring a new siphon, if you suddenly need to replace it before buying your favorite model.

Domestic manufacturers have no problems with this part - spare accessories are supplied to the points of sale of the sinks. As for foreign brands, here you should immediately find out if you come across the lack of a new siphon of the necessary modification.

In addition to the products of the same name, you can find quite interesting models of other brands. True, their cost is far from budget

Manufacturers of household appliances did not stand aside - a number of brands produce individual models of household appliances 36-40 cm deep, up to 80 cm high. Among them are Samsung, Bosch, LG, Zanussi, Electrolux, Candy, Eurosoba and others.

The first two manufacturers from this list offer completely cheap solutions. But the last two brands mentioned are distinguished by a quite affordable price tag for their washing machines designed for installation under the sink. So, with Candy, it starts with 16 thousand rubles.

The line of machines designed for installation under the washbasin is represented by interesting models from Electrolux, as well as the Kandy brand. The dimensions of which are quite modest, but the corresponding drum capacity is 3.5-4 kg. Candy has the Aqua and Aquamatic Series

For the manufacture of water lilies, three types of material are used:

• ceramics (faience, porcelain);
• vinyl (plastic);
• cast marble (or polymer concrete).

Which one to choose depends on the preferences of the potential buyer. If ceramics is a familiar material for a washbasin, then vinyl is considered less reliable.

But polymer concrete, which appeared recently and is used as a raw material for the manufacture of water lilies, has proved itself to be excellent. The material is resistant to various damage and scratches. And also - a wonderful appearance.

In addition to specialized products, owners of small bathrooms use other original options for combining washing machines and sinks.

Step-by-step installation instructions

Having chosen the optimal model of a water lily that suits your washing machine, you can think about installing it yourself. This process is not as complicated as it might seem at first glance.

In order for the installation of a hinged lily-type sink to be successful, you will have to carefully study the recommendations made by the manufacturer. As a visual aid below, we consider a step-by-step installation, generously stocked with a photo.

Step # 1 - Install Brackets

First you need to determine the location of the household washer and sink. At this stage, it is important to carefully measure, installing the machine, but not connecting it.

The manufacturer recommends that during installation, maintain a distance of 2-3 cm between the upper part of the washing machine housing and the lower part of the bowl

You need to place a sink on top - here you need an assistant to hold the product, while you will measure everything and put marks on the wall for installing brackets.

First, make holes in the wall for the brackets, which are mounted in accordance with the marking on the bolts supplied. It is important not to overtighten the connection, leaving a small gap of up to 7 mm.

A typical sink configuration includes: 1 - brackets with bolts; 2 - hook; 3 - siphon; 4 - the sink itself. But there is no self-tapping screw and dowel for fixing the hook, they will have to be purchased on their own

If the installation is carried out in a Soviet-built apartment, where the brackets, which were installed during the construction of the house, still stand in the bathroom wall, then the “Water Lily” brand sink can be safely mounted on them.

These holders are strong and reliable, and their size is quite suitable. But this rule does not apply to products of other manufacturers.

Step # 2 - installing the siphon

Next stage - siphon installation. Its design and components may differ from typical ones. Therefore, you must first carefully study the instructions, and then assemble according to the scheme that comes with the kit. It is important not to forget to put a conical gasket under each threaded connection.

Vertical discharge is more convenient in terms of water removal rate, but the location of the siphon directly above the machine body is extremely undesirable and even dangerous. After all, any leakage can result in a breakdown of the programmer

The siphon is assembled, it remains to install it on the sink. Why do the following:

• place the assembled structure under the drain hole at the bottom of the bowl;
• place a thick rubber gasket over the siphon;
• put a rubber seal on the inside of the sink;
• place a decorative grille on top of the seal that will cover the drain hole;
• fix the assembled connection with the bolt supplied.

Most often, a siphon has a pipe for this type of sink for connecting to a washer. This connection is also carried out using a rubber seal - gasket-valve.

In the design of the siphon can be an S-shaped or bulb shape of the shutter. Immediately after it, the corrugated pipe section joins, which is to be connected to the sewer, then check the tightness of this connection

Step # 3 - final fixation of the sink

After attaching the siphon, you can proceed to fix the washbasin. Why first you need to insert the hook into any hole on the back wall of the sink (right or left). It is attached to the wall with a self-tapping screw and dowel.

Then you have to tighten the bolts of the brackets.

For reliability, experts and the manufacturer recommend applying silicone-based sealant to the contact points of the sink with the wall and brackets

At this stage, it is advisable to install the mixer, if it is common for bathtubs and sinks or is mounted on a wall above the washbasin.Assemble the structure and carry out the installation in accordance with the instructions that go to it.

If your model has a hole for the mixer, then it is advisable to install it strictly according to the instructions, not forgetting to put the seal at the joints.

It remains to verify the quality of the installation by turning on the water. If everything is tight, you can put a washer under the sink and connect it to the communications.

Current care recommendations

In order for your new sink to please you with its impeccable appearance for more than one year, you should use it correctly and ensure timely care. Which consists in the regular washing of the bowl with a detergent intended for cleaning plumbing.

Moreover, depending on the shape of the product and the location of the drain hole, daily maintenance may be required. It consists in getting wet the remaining moisture in the farthest corner, from where the water did not go completely.

It is not recommended to put a metal bucket inside the bowl, drop heavy objects, or hang oneself, which children often like to do. Often the maximum allowable weight, which, according to the manufacturer's instructions, the sink can withstand, is 12 kg

When using this type of washbasin, you need to understand that its shallow bowl is unable to cope with a high jet and high water pressure. Therefore, installing a tap with a high spout so that you can pick up a bucket of water in the sink is extremely undesirable.

High jet and high pressure will be the culprits of the constant spray flying around the bathroom. And in such a situation, you must admit, not much is pleasant.

In addition, do not forget that siphons of water lilies are more demanding for care. Therefore, it is advisable to clean at the very first symptoms of clogging. If you notice that you have to clean the siphon almost every day, then the probability of improper installation and connection of plumbing is high.

If you had to disassemble the siphon or change the corrugated pipe, which ensures that the used liquid is drained into the sewer, then do not forget to check the tightness of all joints when reassembling - water entering the washing machine is fraught with equipment breakdown

If the siphon fails, buying a new one can be problematic. In the first plumbing store, you may not find the right model, so it’s better to immediately contact the brand service center or a company store.

Knowing this feature, manufacturers usually supply siphons complete with their water lilies.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Recommendations of the seller-consultant of the plumbing store on the choice of a sink for mounting above a washing machine:

The owner of the water lily shares his impressions of using this type of sink for washing in the bathroom:

High-quality connection and installation of the sink will ensure trouble-free operation. And proper operation and timely maintenance will extend the life of your water lily for a good ten years - right up to the next repair.

If you are not confident in your own abilities, then it is better to entrust plumbers to install a new sink along with connecting a washer. Indeed, in the event of a leakage of water to the machine body and its damage, the warranty from the manufacturer will be voided.

If you had to deal with the installation and connection of the water lily sink, please share your experience with our readers. Perhaps you know some nuances that we did not mention in our material? Leave your comments, ask questions in the block below.