With so many different types and styles of toilet to choose from it can sometimes be a difficult decision choosing which one is best for your home.
This article will help you understand some of the choices of toilet you have and which one might be the best fit for your new bathroom or toilet project.
In this article I’ll discuss:
Types of toilet
There are a wide variety of toilets to suit all types of bathroom. Regardless of whether you have a traditional, modern, contemporary or any other style of bathroom, the toilet that you use will fall into one of three categories.
Close coupled toilets
Close coupled are what you might call traditional toilets. They comprise of a floor standing toilet bowl and a cistern which rests directly on the top of the pan.
Close coupled are the most popular type of toilet in UK homes and are available with flush handle or button push flush types.
There are standard and even corner designs on the market but they all work in the same way in terms of toiler repairs and installations. the internal components are similar.
Button push systems, known as dual-flush valves, are becoming more popular in UK toilets. When the valve develops a fault it will usually leak water continually into the toilet bowl/pan.
Sensor system flushes are also available, which you often see in many commercial premises, but are also used in domestic toilet installations.
Back to wall toilets
A back to wall toilet is where the cistern is installed behind a wall, or some kind of unit, so that it’s concealed from view. The plumbing pipework is also concealed giving a nice, clean and uncluttered aesthetic to your bathroom or toilet.
Flushes are usually button flush type, although flush handles can be used when the toilet cistern is concealed behind a unit rather than a solid wall.
Back to wall toilets have become a popular choice in the home but it’s worth bearing in mind that repairs can take longer than a standard close-coupled toilet simply because access to the cistern usually involves extra time due to the fact that it’s harder to reach.
Back to wall toilet installations, because of the pipework needing to be concealed, may require an update to your existing plumbing pipework so this is another factor that will affect the overall cost.
Wall hung toilets
A wall hung toilet is where, similarly to a back to wall toilet, the cistern is concealed and the toilet bowl is wall mounted so it appears to float with no visible anchorage to the floor. The wall must be load-bearing or a steel frame can be designed to accommodate the weight.
The flush type is usually a button flush because the cistern is always located behind a wall.
A wall hung toilet looks fantastic and is a popular trend in smaller bathrooms and toilet spaces, simply because it hides all the plumbing and also the cistern. This can make repairs tricky and extra time will be needed for your plumber to access the cistern.
Wall hung toilet installation is typically more expensive because a lot more work is potentially involved depending on the strength of your supporting wall and your existing pipework.
If you need a new toilet installing, or even a repair, please call the Palace Plumbers office on 020 3880 5666 or use our contact form to send us your enquiry.