Whether you are shopping for baths, toilets, basins or other bathroom accessories, a little planning will help you to avoid making, cost and finishing mistakes. At Bella Bathrooms and Tiles, we know how important a coherent look and feel is and as such, stock an extensive range of baths, toilets, basins and other bathroom accessories, to ensure that whatever style you choose, you will be able to do the entire bathroom outfit from just one supplier. But, before you start shopping, let’s talk about tips for choosing a toilet for your bathroom.

The toilet most probably won’t become the centrepiece of your bathroom and you may think of it as just a seat and bowl of water performing a necessary job. However, people spend a considerable part of their lives in the bathroom and, apart from having a bit of comfort, aesthetic appeal and various other factors make the humble toilet a worthwhile investment.

Styles

Before you rush off to purchase an elongated toilet simply because it is so stylish, first consider the available space. If the bathroom is small, then you will be better off installing a round or square seat toilet. What it boils down to is that you need to create a balance between aesthetic appeal, comfort, function and space. And that’s why it is such a good idea to view our range of baths, toilets, basins and other bathroom accessories, in order to understand which styles are available.

Rounded or Square Front

Often called the snub-nose toilet, this design is perfect if you have to fit the toilet into a small space and is thus suitable for small chalets, townhouses and guest flats.

Extended Toilet

The toilet bowl has a pear shape, providing extra seating and usage room. The style is rather popular today and is expected to stay in vogue for the next couple of years.

One-piece

There is no seam between the bowl and the tank, which provides you with a seamless or rather sleek look and feel. Although more expensive than the conventional two-piece toilets, these toilets are less likely to cause leakage problems over time and fit the modern home quite well.

Two-piece

These types usually have bowls with accompanying tanks and are easy to install in small spaces. The seals are strong and will last for a couple of years, but you will have to replace them eventually to prevent leaks. Unfortunately, the replacement job can be difficult because the nuts eventually become stuck.

Height of the Toilet Bowl

The conventional bowl height is about 380cm from the floor, but bowls of 480cm in height are also available.  If you have tall people, seniors or disabled persons in your household, then the taller bowl is recommended.

Footing

The footing is the section in direct contact with the floor. The solid footing type extends to the wall and is called “toilet-to-wall”, while the partial footing is where there is space between the bowl pipe and the wall in the back. With the latter type, you often have the problem of dust and dirt collecting on the pipe and behind the bowl. With the solid footing, you eliminate the problem and have a rather aesthetically appealing toilet.

Wall-hung and Concealed Cisterns

You also now have the choice of the toilet bowl being connected to the wall with no footing that touches the floor. With this type, the cistern is inside the wall, giving you extra floor space and making it easier to clean beneath the toilet. This style is frequently used in shopping centre toilets, but because of the space saving and neatness, is now also popular in residential bathrooms.

No Tank

Thanks to modern technology, toilets without tanks are available. With this style, the water comes directly from the supply line into the bowl. You will therefore need enough water pressure to ensure proper flushing and may need to install an additional pump. The toilet takes up very little space, but keep in mind that in many instances, electricity is required for the pump to flush the bowl. With power outages becoming the norm in South Africa, you might want to rethink the option, unless you have backup generator power.

The above are some of the considerations when selecting a toilet. Browse our full range of baths, toilets, basins and other bathroom accessories for an overview of our extensive range of toilet bowls, seats and cisterns.