Although they are not considered long-stay areas in a home, kitchens and bathrooms are spaces where functionality is essential for the daily lives of residents and visitors. Of all the elements in wet areas, the ones that need special attention are the worktops. In this text we will point out some tips for designing functional wet area countertops, easy to maintain and appropriate for their uses.
The workbench in wet areas is where people lean to carry out their activities. In general, countertops are composed of a horizontal surface, which can be divided between dry countertops and wet countertops, as in a kitchen, or just wet, as in a bathroom; the bowl, faucet and mixer set, the cabinet and the objects on the countertop.
The material and size of the workbench depend on the choice of finishes and on the space available for this element. In general, the real estate market follows standard dimensions both for the workbenches and for the vats and cabinets – and designing according to these standards is always advantageous as this expands the possibilities of finding prefabricated elements, in addition of being cheaper and easier to install. Nevertheless, adapting the size of these elements according to the project, making custom-made vats, cabinets and benches, is always a possibility.
For both the options available on the market and for custom-made projects, there are some conventions that are important to consider, regarding ergonomics, that is, the most comfortable and functional way to use these countertops:
In the case of bathrooms, the average length of the countertop ranges from 55 centimeters to 1.20 m and its depth can vary from 40 to 60 centimeters, on average. Ideally, the countertop should be installed approximately 90 centimeters from the floor, considering built-in or plug-in sinks. For support vats, the 90 centimeters are measured from the top of the rim of the vat. The faucet, which can be wall-mounted or countertop, needs to have a distance of close to 15 centimeters from the edge of the bowl or countertop, depending on the type of bowl used, to ensure sufficient space for hand washing. If it is a support basin, the countertop faucet needs to have a long neck to guarantee these 15 centimeters, or you can opt for a wall faucet. In addition, the water jet must be aligned with the drain, or up to 4 centimeters off.
If you choose to install a cabinet under the countertop, it is important to consider the space of the drain outlet siphon. Cabinets have more varied dimensions, however, vary between 50 and 60 centimeters in general. Most are installed suspended on the wall, leaving the floor free, making cleaning easier and making use more comfortable due to the fitting of the feet under the cabinet when using the countertop. On the countertop, you can choose to install a cabinet with a built-in mirror, or just a mirror, with directed lighting. The mirror must be installed considering the users, but on average the height of the eyes must be 1.50m from the floor. It is usual to have focal lighting, which can come from the sides or from the top, depending on the project.
In the case of kitchens, worktops are larger and usually have several uses, sometimes simultaneously: cutting, peeling and preparing food, supporting hot pans and roasters, using a specific appliance, washing and sanitizing materials and food, separating waste, storing food, and many others. Kitchen countertops are therefore more spacious than bathroom countertops. The most usual is to start with 1.20 m in length, reaching up to 1.80 m, or more, depending on the space available. Its most usual depth varies between 50 centimeters to 70 centimeters. Its use is divided between the wet area and the dry area. The wet area is the one next to the tub, where the dishes and food dry, the dry area is where the other work takes place, and is usually larger than the wet area. They can have the same material, or different materials, depending on the project finishes and can even be physically separated or integrated.
When they are integrated, the wet bench should be 1 to 2 centimeters lower than the dry bench, considering that the ideal height is 90 centimeters. The faucet can be benchtop or wall-mounted and must have 30 centimeters between the faucet’s spout and the sink’s drain, to ensure the handling of large objects such as pans and roasters and the water jet, as well as in the bathroom, must be directly above the drain, or at most 4 centimeters offset. Regarding kitchen cabinets, due to their size, it is common to find a set of modular cabinets on the market. Still, it is important to provide the siphon in the cabinets directly below the wet area, and consider that they are suspended or that their support is moved around 15 to 20 centimeters to fit the feet under the cabinet when it is used. On the kitchen bench, it is possible to foresee the use of overhead cabinets, where it is possible to install directed lighting, or also shelves and utility bars for storing objects and groceries.
Despite this general information, the design of kitchens and bathrooms varies according to the use and daily life of each family, with the architecture and space available for these elements, with the budget and materials available in each place, among others, therefore, it is It is important to look at each case to ensure that the specific needs are met as well as more general functional demands, and for that, the architect’s careful work on the project is important.