Before entering the kitchen and bathroom industry, I never thought about the difference between a 4 “extension faucet and an 8” extension faucet. I grew up in a small, rural town and honestly, I can’t remember the type of tap in any house I’ve ever seen, including my own. My parents built a new house in the late 70’s so I’m sure all the faucets were 4 “or also known as mini faucets. I never really looked or noticed the difference.

Even in my 20s, I owned my house and did a low-budget renovation. I had to get away from Kohler’s 50s blue. Interestingly, I don’t really know the official name of the color. I went to Home Depot and bought a new pedestal sink. It had a 4 “hole for the faucet. I thought it was really ‘getting better’. It was definitely an upgrade, but if I had known ahead of time with a little extra money it would have made a bigger difference.

What is the problem if you have a 4 “and 8” expansion tap? And for many of us … what does that mean anyway? A sink or countertop will determine the extent of the faucet you need. Holes are drilled to accommodate the faucet. Look at the perforations. If you put a tape measure in the holes, there will be a 4 “or 8” gap between them. Note that in all plumbing situations, measure from the center of the hole and not from the right or left of the hole. All plumbing measurements are made from the center of the hole.

The advantage of buying an 8 inch extension or also known as a generalized wrench is that it tends to be known as “high end”. It means that the renovation was taken seriously. These topics may not be important to you, and that’s okay. So let’s look at the more practical reasons to choose between the two types of faucets.

1. An 8 “extended faucet is generally more difficult to clean because there are three separate flanges to clean. With a 4” extended faucet, there is usually only one bottom plate to clean.

2. The quality of an 8 “extension faucet is usually better than a 4” faucet. I must say it is more than usual better. Between function and finish, the 8 “extension should generally win out in the long run. Also, the 4” extension taps are normally available in chrome only.

3. Because of the first two points, the desire to achieve better things is the reason for getting an 8 “faucet. Everyone wants to improve their lives and buy more beautiful things when they are affordable.

Now is the moment of reality. Buy whatever faucet you can afford. Have a budget. It doesn’t matter if you have a 4 “or 8” tap. You don’t have to impress your friends, family and enemies with the best things. If you can afford it, please do so. If not, enjoy running out of water. It is about water. You don’t need to impress anyone; just enjoy. Family and friends are much more important than the tap you choose.