Types of toilets by technical specifications and design

The presence of properly functioning plumbing is one of the main factors for comfortable living in a city apartment and a comfortable cottage. The right choice of plumbing fixtures is the key to the convenience of using this equipment of modern everyday life. Do you agree?

The article presented to your attention describes in detail all the existing types of toilets. They differ in the location of the outlet pipe into the sewer and the installation method closely related to it. In order to make a purchase consciously and without errors, we have given the technical and design features of an important device in everyday life.

Classification of modern toilets

It is difficult to imagine a modern bathroom without a toilet. This is an indispensable item in an apartment or house toilet. Using a night pot today is impractical unless it has lost its relevance for serving young children.

The considered plumbing fixture (toilet) must necessarily be present in an apartment and a private house.

Before going to the plumbing store, you should carefully understand the variety of types of toilet models, which differ not only in design, but also in a considerable number of technical features

By standards, the height of an ordinary toilet bowl is 400–405 mm, and that of a child’s toilet is 335 mm. Most models are designed for a static load of 200 kg, but some manufacturers produce and can withstand up to 600 kg of product weight. The drain tank according to the norms will intervene 6 or 4 liters of water. These are standard specifications for all toilet models.

Types # 1: according to the material of manufacture

In the vast majority of cases, toilet bowls and water tanks in the kit are selected from one material. An exception is separate models with installation. They have a drain tank placed in a niche in the wall and are often made of plastic or metal, and the bowl installed next to it is made, as a rule, of sanitary ware.

Different manufacturers for the production of toilets use:

1. Earthenware - the most popular and cheapest products, classic in domestic apartments.
2. Porcelain is an expensive, but durable and sophisticated option.
3. Metal is more a model for toilets in public buildings.
4. Plastic - for now, exotic made from fiberglass and acrylic.
5. Stone - if you take it, it’s from an artificial version, which is cheaper and stronger than natural.

The seat (chair) and cover are made mainly of plastic. But designer models can be equipped with wooden counterparts coated with waterproof varnish. Other materials are not used here due to reasons of hygiene and comfort.

A creative transparent version made of glass - looks interesting and unusual in appearance, but from the point of view of practicality with aesthetics is something ridiculous and strange

With the exception of metal products, all toilet options from other materials do not tolerate shock loads. When a heavy object falls on them, they simply crack.

The most common types in everyday life are earthenware and porcelain plumbing fixtures. Faience is cheap, but it is porous and has a high level of water absorption of 10-12%. To avoid damage from moisture, I cover it with glaze.

Only she is able to protect the base material of the bowl. If the decorative glazed layer is damaged, then the faience toilet should be changed immediately. It is impossible to operate it further.

Species # 2: in the shape of a bowl

Manufacturers have no restrictions on the shape of the bowl. They are guided solely by design issues and customer preferences. However, there are some common sizes and layouts.

There are three main types of toilet bowl shapes:

1. Peaks.
2. Dish-shaped.
3. Funnel-shaped.

Peak toilets are characterized by a forward-flushed discharge from the tank and an even or slightly concave rear wall inside the bowl. Excrement crawls along it into the water without forming a spray.

On such a bowl often there are traces of feces and the corresponding smell. And even the descent of water does not always allow you to completely get rid of such residues, you will often have to use a brush.

The funnel-shaped types of toilets are considered the most hygienic: excrement in them immediately appears in the water, which reduces amber and eliminates the accumulation of dirty sediment on the walls

The plum variety drain is also offset forward. However, the back wall of this type of toilet is made in the form of a horizontal shelf (plate, protrusion). Waste of life activity first falls on it, and then only is washed off when water is supplied to the drain and further to the sewer. The result is dirty stains and odors.

With the means and methods of dealing with sediment on the surface of the toilet will introduce next articlecompletely devoted to this important issue.

Another drawback of this design is the constant presence on the shelf of small volumes of water. And this inevitably leads to the accumulation of salt deposits on the ledge, which is always problematic to get rid of. If the water from the pipes flows dirty and hard in composition, then a yellowish pattern of salts will quickly appear on the walls of the toilet bowl.

In the funnel-shaped version, the drain hole is located almost in the middle of the bowl. The odors and traces when using such a toilet are the least formed, the waste immediately falls into the water in the funnel. But this plus is greatly leveled by the frequent splashes when visiting the toilet "for the most part."

Types # 3: on the drain tank

According to the layout “tank + bowl”, combined and separate (low and high) structures are distinguished. The first type of toilet is made in the form of monoblocks and bolted elements. The tank in them is part of the design, because molded together in a single body.

Separate options are toilets with a tank on the shelf of a toilet bowl or a container on the wall. The water is drained into them through an opening adjacent to the tank and bowl or through a drain pipe made of metal or plastic.

Due to the high location of the tank, the discharge rate in such structures is higher, which ensures a high-quality flush of sewage. But they also produce more noise when the shutter release lever is pressed than the combined counterparts.

The drain mechanism is launched after:

• jerking a hanging rope or chain;
• pressing the handle;
• pushing a button.

The device for collecting / releasing water in the tank consists of a float valve (shutoff valves), a plastic float and a lever system. As the tank is full, the float shut-off and drain valves rises, which leads to the overlap of the water supply. After the discharge to the bowl, the tank is empty, and the process of filling it starts again.

The lateral connection, in contrast to the lower analogue, is noisier, since the water flow with this method of connecting the pipes drops from a certain height, causing bursts and noise

The system for supplying water to the tank is:

• bottom;
• side.

In the first case, the inlet pipe is connected to the toilet bowl from below, and in the second, to the right or left. At the lower connection, the float is connected directly to the vertical stem in the valve, and at the lateral, by means of a horizontal lever with a valve on the side wall of the tank.

The volume of the toilet tank is designed for 4 or 6 liters of water. It can be any form and design. Models are both standard rectangular and triangular - for installation in the corner.

In addition to the standard button for a complete discharge of water, the tank can be equipped with a dual-mode descent device - the first mode for pouring the entire volume into the bowl, and the second only for half

There are many mechanisms for draining water into the bowl, but the simplest and most common option is the “pear” in the form of a small rubber plunger. In the normal state, the weight of the liquid in the tank presses it against the drain hole. But when you press the button, it rises, and the water rushes by gravity into the bowl. And as the tank is filled, the liquid again presses it to the bottom, blocking the outlet.

Species # 4: flush type

Toilets differ in the type of drainage system inside the bowl.

There are three options for the movement of water in it:

• horizontal (cascading);
• circular swirl;
• circular line.

Horizontal discharge creates a powerful flow in the most contaminated area of ​​the toilet bowl. However, in general, water washes with it a little more than half the area of ​​the walls, because of this, it is often necessary to clean them with a brush.

This type of domestic toilet was mass produced in the Soviet Union. Now manufacturers have switched to the second and third options with the movement of water in a circle that are more suitable from the point of view of hygiene.

Classical models with direct flushing wash the bowl in a continuous stream on only one side, while more modern models with a roundabout descent cover the entire working surface of the toilet bowl

With a circular type of flushing, a groove with holes was made along the edge of the entire bowl. Water when discharged from the tank is distributed evenly and over the entire surface. This type of toilet is more rational use of water resources and quiet operation.

However, if the water in the pipeline is hard with a high salt content, then the holes in the gutter can become clogged. And then the number of jets will decrease, flushing will simply stop working.

Models with a circular type of drain are always more expensive than those with a horizontal one. Negligent manufacturers sometimes mimic an expensive option by installing a plastic insert into the rim in a classic cascade design.

However, such know-how in the work is not particularly different from direct flushing. And money is being asked for him as an advanced modification. With a circular drain, the toilet should be completely made of sanitary ware or stone.

Types # 5: for release into the sewer

Three types of toilet releases are distinguished:

1. Horizontal.
2. Squint.
3. Vertical.

One of them has no particular advantages over the others. Here is more a question of the arrangement of the sewer system to which it is planned to connect the toilet. To use additional adapters to connect to sewer pipes is not too reasonable. The more joints, the greater the chance of leaks.

Choosing the type of toilet bowl for the release should be based on the location and direction of the sewer pipe in the toilet, for most domestic bathrooms the most suitable is the oblique option

The oblique angle of the oblique outlet varies from 30 to 75 degrees. You can always choose a model that is optimally suited to the existing sewer system. If the release of the plumbing fixture and the outlet to the sewer do not match, use corrugation for the toilet, the specificity of which is set out in our recommended article.

If the pipelines in the toilet have not yet been laid, then the toilet must be selected for the planned wiring, so that it docked with the pipes then without any problems.

Ways to fix the toilets on the floor and walls

Choosing a toilet, one has to think not only about its technical parameters, but also about the design of the model. According to the method of attachment and installation location, all considered plumbing fixtures are either mounted or floor mounted. The appearance of the plumbing greatly depends on the type of installation.

It looks more aesthetically pleasing wall hung toilet. It is raised above the floor, which simplifies cleaning under it and in the toilet as a whole. True to install it is required installation - a support frame fixed on the wall of the toilet or on the floor.

Floor toilets are a classic for domestic houses. They are cheaper and easier to install. For them, there is no need to fix the installation on the wall. Fastening is carried out directly to the floor using dowels-screws.

In both types of structures, the tank can be located behind the false wall in the installation. This option looks better, but significantly complicates the repair. Moreover, even for the banal adjustment of the reinforcement, it is necessary to disassemble the masking structure, therefore it is better to build plumbing hatch.

Suspended models are practical and more beautiful in design, they are mounted on the wall through installation. This metal frame with a tank inside has a thickness of 30–40 cm, takes up a lot of space and requires the installation of a false wall with lining

Additional functionality of sanitary equipment

Technologies are developing by leaps and bounds, innovations have reached such an ordinary plumbing fixture as a toilet. On sale can be found smart models with non-contact start-up of water, as well as with backlight and heated toilet seat. How much such innovations are needed is up to the owner of the house to decide.

One of the most popular additions to the toilet, allowing you to refuse to buy an expensive electronic device, is a pad or bidet cover in the form of a structurally changed cap or nozzle with nozzles. It is installed on a conventional toilet bowl as a companion device.

Such bidets allow for hygienic washing and exclude the use of toilet paper. They are easy to install and easy to manage.

After pressing the button, the nozzle with nozzles extends into the bowl and begins to spray the jets.And after the end of the procedures, this tip is removed back, previously cleaned of dirt in automatic mode.

In addition to the above optional accessories, the toilet can also be equipped with:

• a hygienic shower in the form of a watering can on the hose;
• self-cleaning system;
• a unit for smooth lowering of the cover;
• serving detergents and perfumes in a bowl;
• air drying;
• musical equipment;
• air fresheners and aerators.

All these additions increase the price of the toilet, but make visiting the toilet more comfortable.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

The videos offered for acquaintance will simplify the study of the existing model range of toilets in order to understand exactly how one of their types differs from another.

Video # 1. Visual demonstration of varieties of an important plumbing fixture:

Video # 2. All about the flushing system in the toilet bowl:

Video # 3. Recommendations of a professional plumber for choosing a toilet:

Choosing a toilet, you have to start from the dimensions of the bathroom. Installing a large bowl in a small toilet does not work out by definition; you cannot forget about convenience. A circular drainage system is more practical, but you can buy a model with it only if the water in the pipes is soft and without salts - otherwise the holes in the gutter will quickly clog.

The visor bowl eliminates the formation of splashes, but forces the brush to be used more often. The dish-shaped option is the most losing. However, much in this choice depends on the purely personal preferences of the owner of the toilet.

Please write comments in the block below. Tell us which toilet option you prefer and why. Ask questions, share information that may be useful to site visitors, publish photos on the topic of the article.