Toilets

The humble toilet is arguably the most essential part of any bathroom.  Given its function, it absolutely needs to be practical, but with the range of toilets available at Posh, it can be stylish as well.

Closed coupled toilets

These days, closed coupled toilets of one sort or another are pretty much the de facto standard for most bathrooms, private and public. 

A closed coupled toilet is one in which the pan and cistern form part of the same unit.  In the more modern style, the plumbing is concealed for a smooth, sleek look. 

Installation

Assuming the plumbing is already in place, installing a closed coupled toilet is very simple.  Unlike some other bathroom fixtures, all the weight of a closed coupled toilet is born by the floor, which means it can be set against a partition wall if desired. 

The key point is to ensure that the closed coupled toilet is well secured to the floor, because, let’s face it, when you’re sitting on the toilet, the last thing you want to do is to have to worry about wobbles or even the toilet tipping over! 

If you’re installing your closed coupled toilet on top of floorboards, then you’ll need to drill guide holes and use protective plastic inserts before screwing in the fixings.  If you’re installing your closed coupled toilet on top of a solid floor, then you’ll need to use plugs as well. 

In either case, make sure you check for pipes and cables under the floor before you start drilling, since hitting electric cables is, of course, extremely dangerous.

Traditional toilets

In the more traditional form of closed coupled toilets, the plumbing may be left deliberately exposed as it was in the early days of closed coupled toilets. 

Of course, this creates a less streamlined look, but that is in keeping with traditional bathrooms that suit a traditional toilet.

Installation

Installation is essentially as for standard closed coupled toilets as described above.

High and low-level toilets

Those of a certain age may remember high and low level toilets being the de facto standard in bathrooms until closed-coupled toilets came along.

  Set aside any unpleasant memories you may have of these bathrooms, which could be cold and uncomfortable, and be reassured that while the toilets we sell here at Posh will certainly give you the elegant look of the upper-class Edwardian and Victorian bathrooms for which they were originally designed, they are very definitely the products of the 21st century, with all the practical benefits that offers. 

In other words, they are comfortable to use and flush reliably. 

The big difference between high and low level toilets and their closed coupled counterparts is that the pan and the cistern are separated. 

While high level toilets do look very elegant, they may be a rather impractical choice in bathrooms used by small children, since they may find it difficult to use the handle. 

Low-level toilets, by contrast, are more likely to be easier for low-level people to use.

Installation

While it’s important to check the dimensions of any appliance before you buy it, including toilets, it’s particularly important in the case of high and low-level toilets (especially the former) due to the gap between the pan and the cistern, which means they need more vertical space. 

Installation of the pan is essential as for closed coupled toilets, but you will also need to think about fixing the cistern to the wall, which brings up the question of how the load will be supported. 

Basically, your options are either to conceal the fitting as much as possible or to make it a feature, for example by using supports which are elegant as well as strong. 

If you want to go down the former route, you may find that the wall has to take at least some of the load, hence you may want to take advice before installing one of these toilets against a partition wall.

Back to wall toilets

Back to wall toilets are essentially a variation on closed coupled toilets. 

The difference between back to wall toilets and standard closed coupled toilets is that with back to wall toilets, the cistern is concealed in some way, either in a cabinet or set into the wall and concealed with a panel, false wall or similar. 

The piping is also usually concealed here, with the result that only the pan itself is visible. 

This gives a very clean, streamlined look, hence back to wall toilets are popular toilets for modern bathrooms.

Installation

Installing the actually back to wall toilet proceeds in much the same way as for a standard closed coupled toilet. 

Any potential challenges are likely to be with regard to how the cistern and piping will be concealed, since there will need to be some kind of cabinet, panel, false wall or similar to hide them.  This may be an area in which to take professional advice.

Wall hung toilets

Wall hung toilets are basically a very specific form of back to wall toilets, the difference between back to wall toilets and wall hung toilets is, as the name suggests, that wall hung toilets are actually hung on the wall. 

The main benefit of this is that it creates the illusion of space, thereby making the bathroom seem larger. 

This is purely a visual trick, but it is a very effective one, which is why wall hung toilets are often chosen for the smallest spaces such as en suites or “powder rooms”.

Installation

Wall hung toilets are more complicated to install than other toilets, for the simple reason that their entire weight has to be supported by the wall against which they are hung and that needs to include the weight of the person sitting on the toilet, however large they may be. 

very much preferable to site a wall hung toilet on a load-bearing wall.  If you would like to use a partition wall, then it is strongly recommended to consult a professional early on in your planning to see if this approach will be feasible.

Bidets

Bidets have long been popular in both mainland Europe and Asia because they add an extra level of cleanliness to using a bathroom. 

As bathrooms in the UK continue their progress from being purely functional spaces to being health and wellness centres, they are becoming more popular in the UK too.

Installation

Assuming the plumbing is in place, the installation of a bidet is fairly similar to the installation of a standard closed coupled toilet. 

It does, however, have to be said that as bidets have never been standard fixtures in UK bathrooms, there is a distinct possibility that you will need to have your existing plumbing adapted to accommodate them, hence you may want to look at help from a professional.

Toilets seats

Toilet seats are rather like cushions on sofas and chairs and pillows on beds in that a well-chosen toilet seat should be both practical and attractive. 

Here at Posh, we have a range of toilet seats in a variety of materials and in both quick- and slow-closing versions.

Installation

Installing a toilet seat is one of the easiest jobs in DIY - provided that you buy a seat in the right size.  Even though all toilet pans may look fairly similar, there is actually quite a wide range of sizes commonly available as you will see if you browse our site. 

With this in mind, before you start your shop, we recommend that you measure the distance between the two fixing holes on your toilet, divide this by two and you will get what is known as the fixing centre distance. 

Also measure your pan at its widest point and its depth taken from the point where the pan joins the cistern. 

We also suggest you check what type of hinges are on your current toilet seat as different pans can have different types of hinges. 

Most toilets these days use bottom-fixing hinges, in which the bolts are fed downwards and tightened from underneath. 

Where it is impractical to access the bottom of the pan, such as with some back to wall toilets, then top-fixing hinges are usually used instead, in which the bolts are fed into the actual pan itself. 

There are some other hinge types, such as quick-release hinges and soft-close hinges, these are very unusual, but it’s unlikely to hurt to double check. 

In short, get the right size and type of toilet seat and installation will be about as straightforward as any job can be.

Toilet cistern

If you’re interested in a back to wall toilet or a wall hung toilet, you’ll probably need to buy the cistern separately. 

We offer a range of concealed cisterns, with and without frames, which are both affordable and efficient.

Installation

Assuming the plumbing is already in place, replacing a cistern is, in and of itself, a fairly straightforward job, however installing a concealed cistern can be rather more of a challenge and may be better left to professionals.