Equipping a bathroom: how to choose a toilet bowl?

Starting to solve the main plumbing issue, the user first of all needs to stop at one of two options: "toilet" or "toilet-compact". The difference lies in the configuration.

The so-called compact toilet is a complete solution to the plumbing issue in one device: the toilet itself, the drain tank, as well as all the pipes and fasteners necessary for installation. It mainly has a classic floor design, but there are rare exceptions in the form of hanging models. "Compacts" are easy to install and connect, which significantly reduces the cost of installation work. First of all, they should pay attention to people who are looking for the simplest and most high-quality solution.

Another option is to buy a separate toilet and cistern for it. Thus, the user can independently select each element of the system, and in fact there is plenty to choose from. Wall -hung toilets and flush-mounted cisterns are becoming increasingly popular. Such solutions can significantly improve the overall appearance of the toilet room, making it more spacious from a visual point of view. But at the same time, the cost of installation and maintenance increases markedly.

Urinals and bidets

Floor bidet and the same toilet with a special installation, which allowed to hide the drain tank, pipes and valves

Urinals are quite popular, which can serve as an excellent solution for installation in restaurants, cafes or offices. Such devices are notable for their compact size and economical water consumption. Human contact with the device is minimized, which increases the hygiene of use, especially in public places - special attention in this regard deserves special urinals with an automatic drain system. Can serve as a good solution also as a guest toilet.

When starting a conversation about arranging a bathroom, one cannot ignore such a device as a bidet. In short, this is a special bath for intimate hygiene. In terms of design, it consists of a container and a mechanism that supplies a small pressure of water with the ability to adjust its direction, intensity and temperature. Very often, a bidet is bought together with a toilet bowl (of the same series and manufacturer) to maintain a single style, which provides the toilet room with a more attractive appearance. It is important to note that the installation will require additional free space, both for the fixture itself and for connection to the sewer and water supply pipes. Less often on the market you can find a special bidet seat for the toilet, which can partially perform the functions of a classic bidet.

Additional features of modern toilets

Wall hung toilet with concealed cistern and a corner toilet – both solutions allow save space in the room

As we have already mentioned, in the struggle for the consumer, manufacturers of sanitary equipment supply their products with additional features, some of which can be very useful in everyday use.

Toilet bowls with a seat microlift system are very popular, which ensures its smooth lowering, which protects the toilet bowl from damage, and the user from annoying knocking. If you have already purchased a toilet bowl and it completely satisfies you, then in addition to it, you can separately pick up a seat with a microlift system.

When talking about a special antibacterial coating that prevents the growth and reproduction of bacteria, the manufacturer most often also means the seat.

For some models, the seat and lid can automatically rise and fall using a special mechanism. This not only increases the ease of use, but the hygiene of the process, allowing you not to touch the seat with your hands. Others may be equipped with an automatic seat heating system, but this is still rare in the domestic market.

In the vast majority of cases, the toilet bowl provides a drain of up to 6-8 liters of water at a time, but this often turns out to be redundant. It is known that liquid waste gets into the toilet more often, and half the amount of water is enough to flush it. The half flush system allows you to use these facts to save money. It is logical that such a model is more expensive, but they quickly pay for themselves in a house with an installed water meter.

Let's pay attention to the corner toiletsdesigned for installation in the corner of the toilet room. Thanks to their special shape, they can be a stylish and comfortable choice for tight spaces.

How to choose the best toilet?

At the initial stage, when choosing, it is recommended to consider the following aspects:

1. 1. Type of installation: floor or suspended.
2. 2. Bowl shape: dish-shaped, peaked or funnel-shaped.
3. 3. Supply / output of water.

Next, we will dwell on each aspect in more detail and tell you everything,
What you need to know to choose the best toilet for your home on your own.

1. Type of installation: floor and hanging toilets

Installation system for concealed cistern and pipe installations

Contrary to popular belief, there are toilet bowls on the market for both classic floor installation and wall mounting. Floor models are more familiar, and in view of the simplicity, reliability and low cost of installation, they are used in the vast majority of bathrooms.

Wall- hung toilets boast an attractive appearance, save space in the bathroom, and are also easy to clean, because the floor under them remains free - just a few times with a mop to keep them clean. As for the significant disadvantages of this design, in addition to the high cost, it is worth noting the need to take into account during installation the total weight of the toilet bowl and the one who will use it, which is not always easy to implement.

Often, hanging toilets are equipped with a flush tank, which is mounted on the wall and completely hidden behind a special installation. Naturally, such solutions are more difficult to install, but at the same time, valves and pipes do not spoil the design of the room, since the installation system reliably hides all plumbing details.

2. The shape of the toilet bowl and the anti-splash system

The photo shows toilet bowls with a funnel-shaped, dish -shaped and visor bowl

A few years ago, the most common option was a plate bowl, but today manufacturers are increasingly abandoning it due to the large number of shortcomings and non-compliance with hygiene standards.

A more popular option is visor. The angle of inclination of the walls in it is changed in such a way as to ensure a minimum amount of splashes, effective flushing and the absence of unpleasant odors. The offset of the drain hole to a particular wall varies from model to model, which should be given special attention before buying.

In turn, the funnel-shaped bowl provides the most efficient flush - such models allow you to achieve the desired purity with a minimum amount of water used. A funnel bowl toilet with a half flush system (for example, these models) can be a very economical solution to stop wasting water.

As for the notorious “anti-splash” system, which many manufacturers declare in their advertising brochures, it should be noted that it is best implemented just in toilet bowls with a plate bowl, in view of the obvious design features. In other models, it all depends on a combination of two factors: the displacement of the drain hole to one of the walls of the toilet bowl and the peculiarities of how the user sits. If the drain hole is exactly where it fell, there will be splashes. The least of them will be if the fall resorts to the edge of the hole with water. But there are no universal models.

3. How to install the toilet: water inlet / outlet

As a rule, the toilet bowl is installed in the toilet rooms, where sewer pipes and pipes of the water supply system have already been laid, as well as places for connecting plumbing fixtures. All this is very important to consider before buying, otherwise installation can be a daunting task. There are many special adapters on the market that will allow you to “fit” any model to existing conditions, but such designs can let in odors.

It is important to pay attention to the following parameters:

• Water supply - the location of the pipe for supplying water to the toilet flush tank;
• Outlet - the location of the pipe through which water is drained into the sewer.

The water supply to the flush system can be from the bottom, side and rear of the cistern. The lower one is considered the most advanced option, since it minimizes the level of noise generated during the filling of the tank, and the pipe itself is almost invisible. Lateral - the simplest, noisiest and most common option, providing the ability to conveniently control the tightness of the connection, but the connection itself is difficult to hide. The rear supply, compared to the side supply, allows you to hide the pipe, otherwise they are similar - ease of installation, noise and low cost.

As for the options for the release of water, there are four of them: vertical, horizontal, oblique and universal. If the drain pipe is located vertically, then it is possible to install the toilet directly above the sewer pipe - this will save a little more space in the toilet room. In all other cases, it makes sense to consider toilet bowls with a horizontal or oblique outlet. For direct connection of the device to the sewer pipe, it is convenient to use a flexible corrugated fan pipe.

The appearance of the toilet bowl, the material of manufacture and other details

Toilet lid and seat with decorative pattern

As we wrote above, many manufacturers supply compact toilets with their own seat - this is convenient, since each model has its own shape and size. But no one bothers to buy another seat for an already installed model, with a microlift system or an antibacterial coating (a catalog of additional accessories for toilet bowls is here). At the same time, it is important to follow the conformity of the shape and size of the seat and the toilet bowl - otherwise, all the advantages can be reduced to zero.

In most cases, toilet bowls are made from special varieties of ceramics - sanitary faience or sanitary china. From the point of view of hygiene and appearance, porcelain appliances are preferable: it almost does not absorb unpleasant odors, is less susceptible to pollution, is easy to clean, etc. In general, faience has similar qualities, but its degree of porosity is an order of magnitude higher than that of porcelain. For decorative purposes, a pattern can be applied to the surface of the toilet, and the device itself may have a color other than white, but this is already a matter of taste, which, as you know, does not tolerate outside advice.