I recently replaced a traditional tap with separate hot & cold handle with a mixer tap. Since the original tap was fixed 50 years ago, I couldn't remove one of the tap head completely and other one left a hole like pictured below.
Any standard or creative ways to close this hole and make it useful?
The best solution would be to replace the counter top but I assume it is woden and an antique that you want to maintain. If possible remove the left unit, if not enjoy it. On the right you could add a soap dispenser pump with a flange that will cover the hole. You may have to add some trim or a piece of wood to do this because of the existing damage. If you can get the left unit out consider cutting a piece of hardwood, staining it and possibly covering it with epoxy with just two holes but long enough to cover all three holes. Then remount the center faucet. You can add the soap dispenser if you want it. None of the above is a quick fix but it will last.
You could also use a router to trim out a circle that covers the entire damaged area, and fill that circle with a contrasting wood. That would get the effect of a coaster of sorts being there, which can then hold a cup or something similar.
Thank the hot network questions for bringing me here, and adding an answer. So if not appropriate please feel free to edit or delete.
There's some damage/discolouration to the wood around the original tap hole
Depending on your skill/comfort level, and the value placed on this benchtop, you could patch with a similar or contrasting piece of wood. However nice clean end-grain cuts are hard enough, and more challenging in old wood.
To blend a repair section with the original, you could re-finish the entire wooden top (strip, apply wood-filler, sand, sand, sand some more, stain and then seal with clear top coats) If you do this, I'd suggest a whole strip across the back of the sink, wider than the two tap bases and all the way back under the upstand, and to make it even.
Aside: we can see where the planks have been joined to make the top surface in the first place. You might be able to find donor wood from elsewhere on the unit, that can itself be replaced with something less visible.
A slightly easier solution might be to add a square tile under each fitment, or tile the whole strip under 3 fittings. There are tiles intended to butt up against each other - you don't want that, you'd want tiles with rounded edges, and to seal them well.
The cheap solution is to put a backer on the underside, and fill the hole with builder's bog/fill to just below the surface, and then use colour-matched wood putty. And seal really well. Downside of this is that it will never look "right"
...however you could be arty, and carve/route a design into the surface such that it incorporates the two holes. Fill the channel with a contrasting colour like blue or red that matches the room, and seal it well. Kind of like the furniture-equivalent of drawing over a bad tattoo. Additional decorative motifs could be added elsewhere on the top/front to draw the eye away.
Ultimately it depends on the value-to-you of this unit, and your time.
The lazy solution is a couple of well-placed cups, one for toothbrushes, and a can of shaving cream, or whatever you routinely have on your bathroom bench. Small potplants or similar perhaps.
I've seen stainless steel faucet hole covers in industrial sinks and public restroom sinks. Maybe in your case you could use antique copper styled covers like this one - found by searching my favorite engine for "antique copper faucet hole cover".
