How to run supply to island sink?

For a sink in an island that does not have a toe-kick (I.e. It is more like a dresser with legs and an exposed underside) how best to run the supply lines to avoid damage (from mops, or whatever)?

Was thinking about using drop-ear 90s on a block beneath the floor and running brass nipples but my supplier doesn't stock nipples long enough. What else can be done? We're running pex... copper would look better but is it more or less durable?

If you leave PEX exposed to damage. that is a guaranteed problem.

Copper is much more durable than PEX.

Any better options than copper? Could we run it in conduit? Other ideas? Or is copper pipe alone good 'nuff?

hj said:

Copper is much more durable than PEX.

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Thats debatable. It depends on the application. If I took a piece type l copper and attached it to a garden hose and capped it then started beating it on a tree the copper would break way quicker than pex......I'd prolly get tired before the pex leaked.

Same set up.....if I rubbed the pex on concrete and rubbed the copper on concrete the pex would fail first.

Copper and untreated well water can last as little as a few years. I've personally seen type L soft so thin from acid well water that in 5 years it looked like it had the thickness of aluminum foil.

Pex holds up better to freezing temps way better than copper.

Copper will take UV light without problems......Pex will not.

Mopping the floor isn't going to hurt the pex or copper if done by a person with common sense.

I am trying to think of a plumbing application where the copper would be banged against a tree, or PEX rubbed back and forth on concrete. Both seem well outside the normal usage of either material. Sort of like saying that if I am going to go over the side of a cliff I would rather have an airplane than a car, but the car would be better for going to the store for a bottle of milk.