Toilets are the practical centerpiece for every bathroom or washroom. The design and details are important when planning a new bathroom or renovating an existing space - as well as the technical considerations.
At Reece, we are passionate about both the design and the quality of our products so we’ve put together some general guidelines and considerations to follow when it’s time to update or install your new toilet suite.
Consideration 1. Does the waste go through the floor (S trap) or wall (P trap)?
If you’re replacing an existing toilet suite and the plumbing is already installed, the first thing you should be considering is whether the wastewater is currently designed to exit through the floor (via an S trap) or via pipes within the wall (via a P trap). S traps are the most common for older Australian homes and are characterised by the S bend ceramic piping leading from the base of the toilet pan to below the floor line. P trap designs are characterised by the P shaped pipe bend leading from the toilet and into the wall behind.
Consideration 2. What is the distance between the center of the waste pipe and the finished wall (S trap) or floor (P trap)?
When replacing your existing toilet suite, ensure you take your measurements while your current toilet still in place. You can use these measurements to confidently choose your replacement suite and avoid remodeling or replacing later.
Consideration 3. Where is the water inlet for the cistern?
The inlet pipe for your cistern will either be on the wall (commonly hidden behind the cistern) or low down to the right or left of the toilet pan (commonly identified by a flexible hose or a stop tap).
Consideration 4. What is the distance along the wall between the center of the toilet and the center of the tap?
Set outs vary between S trap and P trap toilet suites to ensure that you accurately measure the distance from the wall to the center of the waste outlet if you are choosing an S trap toilet, or measure the distance from the floor to the wall outlet for a P toilet.