Commercial Restroom Reflections: Sinks Seaming and Start Up Service

Sink installations can come with a variety of challenges—seaming for sinks with custom shapes and sizes, matching up with water connections and electrical outlets, and more. These problems can often leave new commercial restroom projects in need of support right from the outset.

That’s why Sloan has introduced its new Seaming and Start Up services for hassle-free sink installation and support to help with even the most complex sink installations. 

Sloan’s Seaming service will minimize the appearance of any seams by blending them into the look of the sink to save you time and effort on your next restroom build to keep your project on track.

Sloan’s Start Up service is a hands-on three-step process where Sloan technicians guide you through the installation process to ensure it is free of any installation errors or unforeseen product malfunction.

We sat down with Steve Stone, Sloan Vice President of Global Quality, to outline the importance of these services in streamlining sink installations.

Do other commercial restroom manufacturers offer a seaming service? If not, what was the origin of Sloan’s service?
I’m not aware of any other manufacturers that are offering this service today. From a Sloan perspective, it stemmed from our dedication to being customer-centric and a one-stop shop for the customer. This service is designed to make things easier for contractors and project managers. 

In the past, we’ve seen projects where an inexperienced contractor may have done a poor job on the seam—whether it’s using the wrong material, subpar workmanship, etc.—and it’s primarily because they’re not accustomed to installing these types of sinks, and as a result, repairs are needed. That’s why Sloan is here to provide installation support right from the beginning to avoid any potential mistakes, incomplete work, etc.

What makes sink installations particularly difficult compared to other restroom fixtures?
Many commercial restroom sinks are custom and made to order, so they’re all unique with different shapes and sizes. One other challenge is that there are electrical outlets, plumbing drains, and water connections that all require a specific location. If any of those elements are even slightly off, there’s the potential to create some interference which won’t allow the sink enclosure to mount to the wall or allow the component to be placed where it needs to go.

For example, deck-mounted hand dryer motors mount to the wall underneath the sink, but there are also soap dispensers that mount to the wall. I’ve seen instances where the electrical box is in the wrong location, so the dryer motor won’t mount, and we have to create a custom bracket to try and enable everything to fit perfectly. Additionally, unique features such as trash bin holes baby changing stations, and unique shapes and sizes often require a seam, which must be done professionally. 

How does material choice impact seaming?
Any Corian® or solid surface sink over 120 inches or a quartz sink over 119 inches will require a seam.

However, a quartz seam is visible and more challenging to work with due to nature of the material, and even the most experienced professional will not be able to make it entirely invisible. Also, the material is a lot heavier, so if you need to make leveling adjustments or try to pull the two pieces together, it will require specialized equipment.

What are some of the most common errors you’ve seen in sink installations?
One of the most common errors we see is incorrect rough-in dimensions, which means the electrical boxes or the plumbing supply lines could be in the wrong location, resulting in interference of some sort. Incorrect wall dimensions themselves can also cause interference, especially when sinks are placed in an alcove. If you have a wall on either side and the dimensions are off by just a quarter of an inch, the sink’s not going to fit. Another common error is inadequate wall backing to support the weight of the sink.

How is Sloan’s Start Up service helping to make the installation process easier?
Sloan’s Start Up service is designed to guide customers through a hassle-free sink installation process. The service consists of multiple visits throughout the construction cycle. During the first visit, Sloan’s technician does an initial walkthrough of the job site to ensure everything is in place. This includes opening crates, inspecting for damage, ensuring all the materials are provided, reviewing the wall reinforcement, inspecting to see if drain lines, water lines, and electrical connections are in the right place, and more. This is also when we’ll establish relationships with project managers and installers. 

For visit two, our technicians oversee the process for installation and seaming services and provide guidance on best practices. The third and final visit of Sloan’s Start Up service is a final walkthrough and project sign-off to ensure everything is installed correctly and all components are functioning properly. We review maintenance protocols, and if there are any seams as part of the job, we’ll ensure that they’re completed to our standards. We like to think of this as our “white glove service,” an assurance that when this visit is completed, everything will be up to the customer’s expectations.