How to Choose a Bathroom Faucet

Check your hole spacing first

Count the holes in your sink deck or countertop and measure center-to-center between the outer two. That number, not the faucet’s style, determines which faucets will actually bolt down and cover your holes.

Single-hole

One hole, one fixture — the spout and handle (or handles) are built into a single base. Simplest install, easiest to keep clean around, and the most common choice for a vessel sink or a faucet mounted through the countertop rather than the sink itself.

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Centerset (4″)

Three holes on 4″ centers, with the spout and both handles joined on one base plate. This is the standard spacing on most builder-grade bathroom sinks — if you’re replacing a faucet without changing the sink, this is very often the one you need.

Widespread (8″+)

Three separate pieces — spout and two handles — installed independently, typically 8″ apart or wider. More installation flexibility and a cleaner, more custom look, but it needs a sink or countertop already drilled for that spread, and more under-sink access to connect the pieces.

Wall-mount

The spout (and sometimes handles) come off the wall above the sink instead of the deck. Keeps the counter clear and works well with vessel sinks or a floating vanity, but it has to be roughed in during framing or a full remodel — it’s not a drop-in swap for an existing deck-mounted faucet.

Valve type: ceramic disc vs. compression

Ceramic disc cartridges are the modern standard — they shut off with a quarter turn, don’t rely on a rubber washer that wears out, and are what most drip-free, lifetime-warrantied faucets use today. Older compression valves (the kind that need more turns and use a washer) are largely a repair-parts category at this point, not something to buy new unless you’re matching a specific vintage fixture.