5 Tips for Choosing Your New Toilet

Got too many ideas swirling around? These key steps will help you choose the right toilet.

Choosing your new toilet may not be the most glamorous part of your new build or renovation, but it sure is a crucial one. Considering how much time we all spend there - your toilet is a hard-working player in your bathroom. Toilet shoppers need to consider quality, function, style, and most importantly - plumbing! All those elements are possible to balance, if you are able to plan ahead.

So what type of toilet is the right one for your home? There are lots of options out there, and while choice can only be a good thing, it can leave you a little confused. Which will fit with existing plumbing? And which style is going to best complement your decor? Or function best for your family and needs? In this guide to toilet selection, we’ll outline our key 5 tips for choosing your new toilet. From the plumbing and building aspects to function and styling considerations. Following along these steps will keep you on a roll (pun intended) with finding the right toilet without too many headaches.

1. Know your plumbing

Where many people go wrong when selecting their toilet, is getting sold on a particular style or finish, without considering how it all connects in their home. If yours is a new build, then you can ensure you get the correct plumbing rough in to suit the toilet you want. However, if you have an existing home you are renovating, it is worth looking at your existing plumbing. Consider whether you are prepared to outlay time and/or money to achieve something completely new, or whether replacing new for old in the same style is most sensible. This might be key to establishing what will work in your space, from the host of options out there.

Pan type

The pan is the bend in the pipe that connects your toilet to your waste. Your existing toilet pan could have the following configurations:

• S-trap - connected through the floor
• P-trap - connected through the wall
• Skew trap - connected from either side of the bowl through the side wall

The pan type you have will determine the style of toilet available to you unless you want to change it. 

Inlet type

The inlet is the entry point from the water pipe to the cistern.

• Bottom entry - tap on the wall underneath the cistern on either side
• Rear entry - connects inside the cistern

This aspect isn’t as difficult to change as the pan, but is something to consider.

Measure what you’re working with

All successful toilet selections begin with good measurements. Often toilets are placed in trickier areas, or in rooms of their own. You want maximum clearance, and plumbing that fits seamlessly. Whether you are building from scratch or renovating, here’s how to get it right.

• Create a mud map of your toilet, and any walls or other items (vanities, bath etc) that may be near it.
• Measure the existing (or predicted) rough-in size. This is the distance between the wall and the centre of the waste outlet pipe if it’s a floor-mounted toilet. Or the measurement of the finished floor to the center of the waste outlet pipe if it’s a wall hung toilet.
• Measure the S trap ‘set out.’ This measurement is taken from the finished rear wall to the centre of the waste outlet pipe. A common ‘set out’ for a S trap is 140mm.
• Measure the P trap ‘set out’. This measurement is taken from the finished floor to the centre of the waste outlet pipe. A common ‘set out’ for P trap is 180mm.
• Measure the dimensions of your existing toilet. Take a measurement of the height to the bowl, width of the bowl as well as length. While you may deviate slightly in your new choice, this measurement is going to help you decipher between different sizes, and what will work best in your space.

If you’re working with a new build, you can consider the type of toilet you’d like, and ensure the space you’re going to allocate is optimal.

Select the right style

There are several styles of toilets, but which one is right for your space? Well, if you’ve got your plumbing configuration and measurements right, the seemingly endless options can be narrowed down for you.

Link or skew toilets

Depending on the age of your existing bathroom, your existing toilet may be a link or skew toilet. This is the more old-fashioned style of toilet, where the cistern and pan are two separate pieces ‘linked’ by a flush pipe. This style uses an S trap. Most times, people are wanting to change up this style, usually a close coupled toilet will retrofit nicely. However, this may be a suitable choice if you have an irregular set out and don’t want to reconfigure plumbing, due to the flexibility offered in the flush pipe.

Close-coupled toilet suite

The close-coupled suite is where the cistern sits on top of the pan behind the bowl, forming one unit. This gives it a neater appearance than the link toilet as the flush pipe is hidden, although there is a space between the wall and back of the toilet which can make them tricky to clean. The close coupled toilet was previously a popular toilet, with a typical configuration. Depending on your style and placement, a more contemporary or streamlined option is now available to you.

Back to wall toilet suite

A back to wall toilet suite, as the name suggests, sits flush with the wall entirely so there is no space behind the toilet. This makes the toilet much easier to clean behind, and gives a modern, sleek appearance. The cistern is still accessible and this makes for easy maintenance. This toilet can accommodate both S trap and P trap configurations. Most Back To Wall Toilets have an adjustable S Trap ‘set out’ which allow for easier installation.

Wall faced toilet

Wall faced toilets have fast become the most popular choice for both new and existing bathrooms. The wall faced toilet is mounted directly onto the floor. The pan sits flush to the wall as does the back to wall. Just like the wall hung toilet, the cistern is concealed behind the wall. All pipes are either behind the wall (for P trap), or flow straight into the floor (for S trap). This offers a very elegant, minimalist appearance and makes cleaning a breeze. The wall faced toilet is a great option if you love the sleek appearance of the wall hung toilet, but have an S trap to contend with.

Wall hung toilet

Wall hung toilets, or wall mounted toilets cut an elegant profile in the bathroom. The cistern, pipework and frame are all concealed behind the wall. Naturally, this style is a P trap configuration. Only the pan, mounted to the wall, and sitting above the floor is on show. This offers a spacious and uber-modern feel to your bathroom. Wall hung toilets can be height-adjusted to suit different needs. Much like Wall Faced Toilets they are easy to clean with the bonus of having room to glide the mop beneath.  

Smart toilet

The smart toilet is a combination of regular toilet and bidet, so this suite does not require toilet paper. It has touchless or automatic flushing using sensors. And typically has adjustable controls for water and air - commonly with temperature and pressure variance in both. The smart toilet often boasts heated seats, lighting, self-cleaning nozzles, automatic seat opening, soft-touch close and a night light. It may even have Bluetooth capability! Argent offers the Evo smart toilet in an attractive and sleek design in either wall hung or wall faced styles.

4.Make it a royal flush

Once you have your style figured out, you’ll want to consider from the range of options how you want your toilet to function. Chiefly, its flushing technology. Some of the considerations when it comes to function are the type of flush, the unit’s water rating and hygiene.

Australian water rating guidelines

The Water Efficiency and Labelling Standards Scheme (WELS) is an Australian Government initiative aimed at reducing water consumption in our homes. It is based on a star system rating the amount of water required in each flush. All Australian toilets are required to be 4 star, delivering 4.5 L for a full flush, and 3 L for a half flush.

Innovative flushing technology

TwistFlush® by Villeroy & Boch. Taking rimless design to the next level, with a conical shaped bowl, Villeroy & Boch’s new TwistFlush® toilets use more power and less water in every flush. Using a maximum of 4.5 L of water per flush with a 4 star rating, TwistFlush creates a swirl effect in the bowl with the help of two nozzles. This vortex-like effect flushes the entire surface in one quiet, effective flush with almost no splashing. Steep and smooth walls of the bowl also help to remove dirt and germs at the flush, reducing the reliance on harsh cleaning products. Get this technology in wall hung and wall faced models.

DirectFlush® Technology by Villeroy & Boch. Standard toilets have a hard-to-clean rim around the bowl. When you flush, water disperses from around the underside of the rim and into the bowl. This method of flushing uses on average about 6 litres of water per full flush. In modern rimless designs, the direct flushing mechanism shoots water right around the bowl. The power in the water dispersion reduces the volume of water required to a maximum of 4.5 litres per full flush. And the entire interior of the bowl is completely flushed. The rimless design also keeps your toilet cleaner - as anyone who has ever cleaned a toilet knows, that rim can be a germ haven! Find Villeroy & Boch DirectFlush® toilets in back to wall, wall faced and wall hung styles in a 4 star rating.

CeramicPlus® by Villeroy & Boch. CeramicPlus is a smooth coating which is the ultimate protection against bacteria and dirt. When fluids make contact they immediately form droplets, to help resist staining. This finish is available in both TwistFlush and DirectFlush options.

HygienicFlush by Argent is also a rimless design, which removes the need for harsh chemicals and prolongs the cleanliness of the bowl. The anti-splash lip reduces splash, and even flush distribution covers the entire bowl every time. Find the HygienicFlush in back to wall, wall faced, wall hung and close coupled options, also a 4 star rating.

5. Consider the finish

Gone are the days of the unremarkable toilet. The modern toilet is fast becoming a statement piece, and is as close to the ‘throne’ as we have ever seen. Apart from the beautiful new designs we have talked about, we also have a range of finishes to complement your project or design.

As with the rest of your bathroom, finish can really make a difference. Whether your toilet is part of your bathroom or separate, choosing a finish that complements your bath and or basin is a nice way to tie everything together.

White is the most traditional option, and still has the largest range of styles. White has long been associated with cleanliness. And when a white toilet isn’t clean, we can certainly see it. Alpine White is the classic gloss white from Villeroy & Boch, available in back to wall, wall faced and wall hung styles. Argent also offer a large range of white toilets, in close coupled, back to wall, wall faced, wall hung and their smart toilet range.

Villeroy & Boch also offer Stone White, a beautiful matte white which coordinates with basins and baths in the same finish. This finish speaks of understated elegance, and its smooth finish looks very luxe. Wall hung or wall faced options available.

Keeping with the matte theme, you may also love a black toilet, for a stunning centrepiece in the bathroom. This colour has certainly taken the design world by storm lately. Try Villeroy & Boch’s Ebony. A striking matte black finish that co-ordinates with baths and basins in the Villeroy & Boch range in a wall hung design.

Visit our showroom and get something to go on…

Toilet puns aside, we’d love to help you work through these steps so that you can come up with a new toilet that is both fit for purpose and looks stylish too. Our Brisbane showroom offers the largest range of Villeroy & Boch and Argent toilets on show in a whole range of contemporary styles and finishes. Plus, you can coordinate all your bathroom needs in the one place.

arthaus Bathroom & Kitchens Brisbane

Open times 9am-5pm Monday to Friday and 9am-4pm Saturday - booking not required

Location: Level 1, 22 Arthur Street, Fortitude Valley.

Parking: We have on-site parking, which you can access by intercom at the top of the car park.

Consults available: Book a showroom consultation with Andrea, Richard or Kathy at a time to suit you.

Not in Brisbane?

Contact us to arrange a video call.