Inset Wash Basin

An inset basin drops into a cut-out in a vanity worktop, so the rim sits on the surface and the bowl hangs below. It is the neatest way to combine a basin with a run of storage.

Measuring the cut-out

This is the part to get right. Every inset basin has a specified cut-out size, which is smaller than the basin's overall dimensions — the rim needs to land on solid worktop all the way round. Work from the manufacturer's template, not from measuring the basin yourself.

Also check the worktop is deep enough front to back for the bowl plus the tap behind it.

Tap holes

Inset basins come with no tap hole (tap drilled through the worktop or mounted on the wall), one, or two. Decide before ordering the worktop, since drilling a solid surface after fitting is unforgiving.

Sealing

The joint between rim and worktop must be silicone sealed properly. Water finding its way into a chipboard-cored worktop edge will swell it, and that damage is not repairable.

Alternatives

A countertop basin sits entirely on the surface with no cut-out, which is simpler to fit but raises the working height. A semi-recessed basin projects forward from a shallow unit, useful where worktop depth is limited.