Brassware is the jewellery of a bathroom, and it is also the part you physically touch most. Two things matter far more than appearance when choosing it: whether your water system can operate it, and whether the finish will survive daily use and cleaning. Get those right and the rest is taste.
Check pressure before anything else
Every tap has a minimum operating pressure, and it is printed in the technical data rather than on the display card. Many contemporary designs, especially waterfall spouts and slim profile mixers, need 1.0 bar or more to perform as intended. On a gravity fed system with a cylinder and loft tank, pressure at a first floor basin may be only 0.1 to 0.3 bar, and a high pressure tap fitted there will trickle.
Low pressure rated taps exist for exactly this reason and there are plenty of attractive ones. We measure pressure and flow at survey so this is settled before you order.
Types of basin tap
- Single lever mono mixer. One hole, one lever, temperature and flow together. The easiest to operate, particularly for anyone with arthritis.
- Two hole or three hole mixer. Separate hot and cold handles with a central spout. Traditional look, requires a basin drilled to match.
- Pillar taps. Separate hot and cold. Period appropriate in an older property, less convenient in daily use.
- Tall mono mixer. For countertop basins that sit above the surface. Check the spout height clears the bowl rim and the reach lands in the bowl, not on the front edge.
- Wall mounted. Beautiful and easy to clean around, but the valve body goes in the wall at first fix and the projection must be calculated against the finished basin position.
Bath and shower brassware
Deck mounted bath fillers are simplest. Wall mounted fillers keep the bath rim clear and look cleaner. Floor standing bath and shower mixers suit freestanding baths but need the supply pipework positioned precisely before the floor is finished, so the bath position must be final at first fix. Bath shower mixers combining a filler and a handset save space in a single bathroom, though they never perform as well as a dedicated shower valve.
For the shower itself, specify thermostatic, always. It is a safety feature as much as a comfort one.
Finishes, honestly assessed
Polished chrome remains the most practical. It is the cheapest, it is available on every product so matching is easy, it resists corrosion well and replacement parts are easy to find. It does show water spots.
Brushed nickel and brushed steel hide fingerprints and water marks better than chrome and feel slightly softer visually. A modest premium.
Brushed and antique brass is currently very popular. The critical distinction is coating type. A PVD coated brass is extremely hard wearing and will look the same in ten years. A lacquered brass will wear through at the handle and spout tip within a couple of years. Ask which one you are buying.
Matt black looks striking against light tiles and is generally PVD or powder coated on quality products. It shows dried water spots more than any other finish, so it suits households prepared to wipe surfaces down.
Gunmetal and bronze are lovely but availability across a whole matching range can be limited, which is worth checking before you commit to a scheme.
Matching a scheme
- Pick one primary finish and use it on taps, shower valve, head, waste, towel rail and shower screen fixings.
- Buy all of it from one range where possible, since finishes vary between manufacturers.
- Do not forget the small items, the bath waste and overflow, the toilet flush plate, the door handle and the light pull.
- If you want two finishes, keep one on the sanitaryware and one on the accessories rather than mixing on the same fitting.
Looking after it
North Staffordshire water is moderately hard, so scale is a factor. Wipe taps dry after use where you can. Use warm soapy water rather than bathroom sprays containing acid or bleach, which strip coatings over time. Clean aerators every six months by unscrewing and soaking them, which restores flow on a tap that has started spitting. Never use an abrasive pad on any finish, including chrome.
Bring your choices to the survey
Show us what you like and we will confirm whether your system can run it and what it adds to the fit. Free survey, fixed written price within 24 hours, all plumbing carried out in house by our own insured Stoke-on-Trent fitters.
Common questions
Will any tap work with my water system?
No. Many taps state a minimum operating pressure, often 0.5 or 1.0 bar. On a low pressure gravity system you need taps specifically rated for low pressure.
Is brushed brass hard to look after?
A quality PVD coated brushed brass is very durable and hides water marks better than polished chrome. Cheap lacquered brass, by contrast, wears through at the touch points.
Does matt black show limescale?
It shows dried water spots more than chrome does, particularly in hard water. It wipes off easily but it needs wiping more often.
Are wall mounted taps a lot more work?
They add a first fix stage, because the valve bodies must be set in the wall at the correct depth before boarding and tiling. Decide before the walls close up.
How do I stop taps scaling up?
Wipe them dry after use, avoid acidic descalers on coated finishes, and clean aerators periodically. In hard water an inline scale reducer helps the whole bathroom.
Should everything match?
One consistent finish across taps, shower, waste, towel rail and handles is the single easiest way to make a bathroom look designed rather than assembled.