Toilet Talk - Understanding Bathroom Renovation Toilet Options

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27. 12. 2021

If you have ever dealt with a tradie, you will know just how much jargon they use. To them, it's the lingo they use daily. Before you get into a bathroom renovation, it's wise to learn a little bit of the common phrases you may hear from your tradies. This is your guide to toilet talk.

Toilet Talk: Cistern 

The toilet features several components, the main one being the cistern. The cistern is the compartment that holds the water you flush your toilet with. Once the toilet has been flushed the water from the system pours into the bowl to flush your waste, then it refills the cistern. There is more than one kind of cistern; here's what you need to know.

  • Close-Coupled
    This type of cistern is a common one and has a top-mounted cistern. It is one complete unit along with the pan or bowl. The flusher is located at the top of the cistern, and you won't see visible pipes connecting the pan and cistern.

  • Hidden
    In a hidden setup, the cistern is in the wall to keep it out of sight. The flusher is a button on the front, which doubles as access for repairs or maintenance. This style of cistern is commonly found in hotels and commercial bathrooms. So, if you are planning a commercial bathroom remodel, get used to hearing all about in-wall or hidden cisterns.

  • Back to Wall
    As the name suggests, this option sits flush with the wall. The benefit of this option is it's easy to clean. You can get a closed-couple back to wall toilet. You can also opt for a hidden back to wall cistern, which provides a sleeker look.

  • Wall-Hung
    Your basic wall-hung option is similar to a back-to-wall. The difference being the wall-hung option is elevated to create the illusion of space. It's the perfect option for a water closet or small bathroom.

Toilet Talk: Traps

When planning bathroom renovations, it's important to understand how existing elements impact the choices you make now. You need to know exactly what you're working with.

  • Traps
    The trap is the part of the toilet that keeps smells out and disposes of the flushed waste.
    • P-Trap
      The P-trap handles waste disposal that is routed through a wall.
    • S-Trap
      The S-trap handles waste disposal routed through a floor.
If you replace a toilet, you need to know which trap you have, as some are designed for one specific configuration.

  • Set-Out
    A toilet set-out is the distance between your floor or wall and the centre of a waste pipe. These vary depending on the toilet. So, when you shop for a new one, you need to ensure your new set-out matches the existing plumbing. This will help keep your bathroom renovations on schedule.

 

Toilet Talk: Inlet

We briefly touched on the inlet's job in our cistern toilet talk. It's the component that delivers the water supply to the cistern. Close-coupled toilet inlets are bottom or back/top. The bottom inlet is beside the pan, and you will see the hose and valve. A back/top inlet is out of sight as it is within the cistern.

When renovating bathrooms, it's important to match the trap and inlet position when shopping for a new toilet. Older toilets often feature a bottom inlet so, if you want a back/top, it might require some plumbing moves, which will increase the cost of your bathroom renovation Sydney.

You may also hear your tradies discuss rimless technology and smart toilets. The former is standard in Australia today. The toilet has a rimless pan to increase hygiene as it makes for an easy clean. It's also more water-efficient because the first flush is more than enough. A smart toilet generally includes washing and drying features to enhance the user experience.

 

Toilet Talk: Crystal Bathrooms

If you are planning bathroom renovations and need some professional advice, Crystal Bathrooms Sydney can help every step of the way.