| Tips and advise when buying your bathroom
| |
| | install. This is called an internal
|
| suite: (part 1)POTTERY:Also known as
| |
| | overflow.BASINS (sinks)Basins are often
|
| sanitary ware, ceramics, porcelain and
| |
| | referred to as sinks. This is incorrect.
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| ware.
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| | Sinks are fitted in kitchens and basins
|
| There are four basic areas that affect
| |
| | are fitted in cloakrooms, bathrooms and
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| the quality of pottery and its expected
| |
| | ensuites.The term basin came from the use
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| lifespan:
| |
| | of a jug and basin in the days when these
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| The depth of the glaze:
| |
| | were used to wash yourself in the
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| The glaze is the glass-like surface
| |
| | bedroom. There are six main type of basin
|
| coating which is fired onto the pottery
| |
| | available in the UK.These are basin and
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| in the kiln when it is made.
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| | full pedestal, basin and semi-pedestal,
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| The glass enables the pot to be
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| | cloakroom, semi-recessed, counter top and
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| waterproof and protects it from
| |
| | under-slung.Basin and full pedestal:This
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| chemicals, such as bleach etc, over its
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| | where the basin sits on full size
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| life.
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| | pedestal and is the most common type in
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| The thicker the glaze generally the
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| | the UK. Normally the waste pipe and hot
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| longer the life. Once this glaze goes,
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| | and cold water pipes run through the
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| wears out, the pot becomes porous,
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| | pedestal and into the floor.Basin and
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| absorbs water and eventually cracks.
| |
| | semi-pedestal:This is where the basin
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| The more you use and clean the pottery
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| | sits on a half height pedestal which does
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| the faster the glaze wears out.
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| | not reach the floor. They are very common
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| To make the glaze thicker you have to
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| | in Europe and becoming increasingly
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| apply it a layer at a time and each time
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| | popular in the UK.When recommending this
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| fire it in the kiln. This process results
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| | type of unit care should be taken to
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| in breakages within the kiln.For example,
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| | ensure that you have the type of pipe
|
| if I fire 100 pieces of pot once I may
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| | work arrangement necessary to install the
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| get 99 back in one piece, so the 99 pays
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| | basin. Please consult your local plumber
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| for the 100.
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| | or bathrooms installer for more
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| If I then fire the 99 again I may get 80
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| | advice.Cloakroom:These are usually fitted
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| back in one piece, so now 80 have to pay
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| | without a pedestal, as they are normally
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| for 100.
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| | very small basins. There are some
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| If I then fire the 80 I may get only 50
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| | available with pedestals but you are best
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| back in one piece, so now 50 have to pay
| |
| | to check first. Wall hung basins are
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| for 100. You get the gist of this by now.
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| | normally fitted with a decorative bottle
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|
| |
| | trap.Semi-recessedThis type of basin has
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| If you assume that each layer of glaze
| |
| | a bow in the front but the underside has
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| lasts approximately 5 to 7 years you can
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| | been cut away to produce a flat area.
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| soon see how the system works.
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| | This is because this type of basin is
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| If you glaze once you get a less
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| | usually fitted into a worktop.Counter
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| expensive cost to manufacture but the
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| | top:
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| product does not last as long in a house.
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| | This type of basin is either round or
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| The thicker the glaze the longer the
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| | oval and fits into a hole cut into a
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| pottery lasts.Quality of the clay:The
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| | worktop.Under slungThe type of basin is
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| quality of the clay that is used to make
| |
| | fitted under the hole in the worktop.
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| the pottery is very important.
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| | This means that the worktop has to be a
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| The reason for this is that the finer
| |
| | solid surface material, such a marble or
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| the clay the smoother the finish will be
| |
| | stone.TAP HOLES: Basins come with one,
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| on the item being made.
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| | two or three tap holes.One tap hole:This
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| If you use a poorer grade of clay it
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| | type of basin uses a mono bloc mixer,
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| will have more grit in it and the surface
| |
| | which normally incorporates a pop-up
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| will have a more rippled appearance.
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| | waste. The water is controlled either by
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| You may also find that because of the
| |
| | a lever on the tap or a separate hot and
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| increased grit content the pottery is
| |
| | cold handle on either side of the
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| heavier than an item of the same size
| |
| | spout.Two tap hole:The most common type
|
| made with a finer grade of clay.
| |
| | of tap configuration has a separate hot
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| The finer the clay the more tonnes of
| |
| | and cold tap with a plug and chain waste.
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| rough clay you have to use to refine down
| |
| | The hot tap is normally fitted on the
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| to make it.
| |
| | left hand side of the basin.Three tap
|
| It is therefore less expensive to
| |
| | hole:There are two type of tap
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| produce pottery with a coarse grade of
| |
| | arrangement that can be fitted to this
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| clay.The overspray or colour: The
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| | type of tap-hole arrangement. Either a
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| white colour, or whatever colour it
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| | three-hole mixer which is a hot and cold
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| happens to be, is applied to the pottery
| |
| | valve head and a separate spout, usually
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| before the glaze.
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| | fitted with a pop up waste.
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| Each manufacturer mixes their own colour
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| | Or you could fit a pair of basin taps
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| to try to match it to the colour of the
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| | and what is known as a chain stay waste.
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| acrylic baths.
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| | A chain stay waste uses a plug and chain
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| The white colour of the acrylic bath is
| |
| | but the chain is held in place by a disc,
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| a worldwide standard set by the acrylic
| |
| | which is fitted into the middle of the
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| manufacturers.
| |
| | three holesBIDETS:Bidets are not that
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| You need to be aware of this if you
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| | common in the UK as we are not normally
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| client tries to mix and match pottery
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| | raised to use them. However for those
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| from different manufacturers.
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| | that do have and use them there are a few
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| Its usually acceptable to have a toilet
| |
| | points to consider.For a bidet to work
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| and basin from one supplier made to match
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| | effectively they have to be fitted next
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| the bath but if you put a basin
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| | to a toilet-not at the other side of the
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| from one supplier and a toilet from
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| | room or several feet away.A UK bidet now
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| another and then the bath together it
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| | come with the tap fitted on the top and
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| will stand out like a sore thumb.
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| | is usually a mono bloc mixer. There used
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| The thicker the colour is applied, the
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| | to be bidets in the UK, which came with
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| less fading on the edges takes place and
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| | an up-spray or fountain spray as it was
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| the colour is even over the whole of the
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| | known.
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| item.
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| | This type of bidet is no longer
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| The colour as with the glaze is applied
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| | available.BATHS:There are four main types
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| in layers and then has to be left to set
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| | of material used to manufacture baths in
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| before the next coat can be applied.
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| | the UK. These are cast iron,
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| The fewer coats the quicker the product
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| | pressed-steel, glass reinforced plastic
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| can be made and the less cost is
| |
| | (GRP) and acrylic.Cast Iron:This is the
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| involved.The design of the item:The more
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| | material from which most baths used to be
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| intricate the design the more expensive
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| | made and is now most commonly used for
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| the mould is to make and the more chance
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| | free standing baths. There are two
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| there is that you will not always remove
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| | commonly held misconceptions concerning
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| it from the mould without damage.
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| | cast iron baths.The first is that they
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| Plainer shapes are usually less
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| | are too heavy. The weight of a standard
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| expensive. You should also note that
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| | cast iron bath filled with water is in
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| basins, toilets and bidets are made as
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| | the region of 25 stones. The bath is
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| matched sets.
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| | usually fitted with four legs which means
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| You will often find that the foot of the
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| | that the weight on each leg on the floor
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| pedestal on the basin matches the foot of
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| | is approximately 6.25 stones.As we walk
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| the toilet pan and that the back of the
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| | across the floor foot to foot we actually
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| basin matches the toilet cistern lid.One
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| | weight more that this.
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| general point to be made is that pottery
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| | The second misconception is that they
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| is often sold in what is known in the
| |
| | are cold. This is because years ago when
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| trade as a four-piece set.
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| | we all used cast iron baths the houses
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| That is a basin, pedestal, pan and
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| | did not have central heating. The bath
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| cistern. Unfortunately the retail
| |
| | can only reflect the temperature of the
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| customer sees the set as two pieces: the
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| | room that it is in.
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| basin and the toilet.
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| | If the room is warm the bath is
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| If you use the term four-piece set to a
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| | therefore warm. There is, however, one
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| retail customer they may think you mean a
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| | possible exception. If the bath is fitted
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| basin, toilet, bath and bidet.
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| | in with a panel as apposed to free
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| So always explain what you mean by four
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| | standing it may be that the air
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| pieces if you should choose to use the
| |
| | temperature under the bath is cooler due
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| term.PRODUCT TYPES:TOILETS & WC'S:There
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| | to the holes left by the plumber. If
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| are five types of toilets currently
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| | this is the case, insulation under the
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| available in the UK.
| |
| | bath will solve the problem.Pressed
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| These are Wall hung, Back-to-wall,
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| | Steel:This is where a layer of steel
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| Close-coupled, Low level and High
| |
| | several millimetres thick is coated with
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| level.Wall hung:This type of toilet has
| |
| | a stove-enamelled surface. They are most
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| the pan hanging on the wall and the
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| | commonly used in hotels and commercial
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| cistern concealed in the wall behind it.
| |
| | premises.As the material of the bath is
|
|
| |
| | very thin they tend to cool down very
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| More common in mainland Europe, it has
| |
| | quickly. They also tend to be very plain
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| become increasingly popular over recent
| |
| | in shape due to the manufacturing
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| years as more people travel abroad.
| |
| | restrictions of the material.Glass
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| You do however need to ensure that the
| |
| | Reinforced Plastic (GRP) :This was the
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| pan is supported properly when fitted
| |
| | first type of plastic material used to
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| either by the use of special floor
| |
| | produce baths and was used by almost
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| mounting brackets or the use of a
| |
| | everyone until the invention of Acrylic.
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| framework.These frameworks, which support
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| | It has very good insulation properties
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| the pan and provide a place for the
| |
| | and enables baths of many shapes and
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| cistern, are available from several
| |
| | styles to be easily produced.The two main
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| suppliers.
| |
| | difficulties with this material are as
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| This type of WC allows ease of cleaning
| |
| | follows:1. As the colour for the bath is
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| and as the pan is the only visible piece
| |
| | produced in batches there can sometimes
|
| of pot it minimises the impact of the WC
| |
| | be problems with the match to the
|
| on the design of the room.Back to
| |
| | pottery.2. If the bath is fitted in
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| wall:This type of toilet is normally used
| |
| | direct sunlight they are prone to the
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| mainly when having fitted furniture. As
| |
| | plasticiser leaking out of the surface
|
| with the wall hung toilet the cistern is
| |
| | and crazing of the surface texture
|
| concealed inside the furniture but the
| |
| | occurring.Acrylic:This is the most common
|
| pan is sat on the floor.Close
| |
| | material now used to produce baths in the
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| coupled:This is the most common type of
| |
| | UK and Europe. It has the same
|
| toilet in the UK. This type of toilet has
| |
| | characteristics as GRP in that it
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| the pan and cistern joined together.
| |
| | insulates well and can produce great
|
| It is often confused with the low level
| |
| | shapes.However, as it is produced to
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| toilet, so make sure you are clear that
| |
| | internationally agreed standards of
|
| you mean a toilet with the pan and
| |
| | colour it is now what every pottery
|
| cistern physically joined together.The
| |
| | supplier uses to obtain their colour
|
| advantage of this type is that the pan
| |
| | match.
|
| has a splash back built onto it where it
| |
| | Acrylic comes in several thicknesses
|
| joins the cistern, so that when men and
| |
| | most commonly 3mm, 5mm, 8mm and 10mm.
|
| boys stand at the toilet and miss there
| |
| | There is a common misconception that the
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| is not so much mess.
| |
| | thicker the acrylic the stronger the
|
| Toilets are meant to be sat on not stood
| |
| | bath.This is not so. The acrylic is there
|
| against. If you want to stand up you
| |
| | only to hold the colour and maintain a
|
| should buy a urinal. This toilet is
| |
| | waterproof barrier. You will normally
|
| easily maintained and is therefore ideal
| |
| | find that the thicker the acrylic the
|
| for downstairs cloakrooms and main
| |
| | plainer the style of the bath.The
|
| ensuites where they are likely to get a
| |
| | strength of the bath comes from the
|
| lot of use.Low level:This type of toilet
| |
| | glass-reinforced plastic, which is
|
| has a freestanding pan and the cistern
| |
| | sprayed on the underside of the bath. You
|
| sits approx 900mm or 36inches up the wall
| |
| | should always look for a full
|
| with a short flush pipe in between the
| |
| | encapsulated baseboard.This is where the
|
| two pieces.Before the advent of the
| |
| | chipboard base that supports the bottom
|
| close-coupled toilet this was the most
| |
| | of the bath is fully enclosed to prevent
|
| common and is still what most people with
| |
| | it from coming away after a few years of
|
| older houses have.
| |
| | use.
|
| This is why they confuse them with the
| |
| | The sides of the bath should also be
|
| close coupled. They are now most commonly
| |
| | reinforced to prevent them from bowing
|
| sold with traditional bathrooms and have
| |
| | out when the bath is filled with water.If
|
| a chrome or gold flush pipe.The
| |
| | the bath does bow out in the middle the
|
| difficulty with this type is that if men
| |
| | result is often that the top ledge will
|
| or boys use them they are apt to miss and
| |
| | drop producing a gap between the tiles
|
| the pipe goes green.
| |
| | and the bath.BATH SIZES AND SHAPES:There
|
| Once this happens there is nothing that
| |
| | are a multitude of bath shapes and sizes
|
| can be done to repair it. They are
| |
| | available in the UK at present but they
|
| generally priced at 50% to 60% higher in
| |
| | break down into several
|
| price than a close coupled and are bought
| |
| | groups.Rectangular baths - Single
|
| more for their aesthetic value than
| |
| | Ended:This is the most common style of
|
| practicality.High Level:This type was
| |
| | bath with the taps at one end and is
|
| popular in the Victorian era and is
| |
| | ideal for one person to bathe in on there
|
| associated most closely with bathrooms of
| |
| | own as it usually has a gentle back slope
|
| that period.
| |
| | which offers good back support when
|
| The pan is free standing and the cistern
| |
| | relaxing.The most common size is 1700 x
|
| sits on the wall approx 1800mm or 6 feet
| |
| | 700. They are however produced in sizes
|
| up the wall with a chrome or gold flush
| |
| | ranging from 1200 x 750 to 2000 x 1200.
|
| pipe and a chain pull flush.
| |
| | When a client comes in saying that there
|
| It has the same disadvantages as the Low
| |
| | bath is 1680 x 680 this is usually
|
| level when used by men and boys.
| |
| | because they do not realize that the bath
|
| In terms of price, this type is normally
| |
| | is fitted into the plaster work when
|
| 50% to 60% more than the Low level. Sold
| |
| | installed so that a bath that is 1700 x
|
| mainly for the aesthetic value, all
| |
| | 700 straight out of the box is often
|
| toilets in the UK now have to flush using
| |
| | small when fitted.Rectangular baths -
|
| 3 and 6 litres of water.
| |
| | Double Ended:This type of bath is common
|
| It makes no difference which type you
| |
| | with people who prefer to bathe with a
|
| buy, they all use this amount and as a
| |
| | partner as the taps are mounted in the
|
| consequence the high level and low level
| |
| | middle of the bath. They are becoming a
|
| flush no better than the close
| |
| | lot more popular in the UK.
|
| coupled.TYPES OF FLUSHING MECHANISMThere
| |
| | However to make extra room for the two
|
| are two main types of flushing
| |
| | people the two back slopes on the bath
|
| mechanisms: the syphon and the dump
| |
| | can often be at quite a severe angle and
|
| valve.Syphons:Syphons have been used for
| |
| | therefore make the bath less comfortable
|
| many years in the UK as the means of
| |
| | for one person to lie out.
|
| flushing the toilet. They work with the
| |
| | Once again they come in a multitude of
|
| use of a lever or pull chain.
| |
| | sizes, from 1700 x 750 to 2000 x
|
| When this is pushed a small amount of
| |
| | 1200.Corner baths:There are two mains
|
| water is forced over the syphon in the
| |
| | types of corner bath: equal sided and
|
| cistern, which creates inertia that draws
| |
| | offset, where one side is longer than the
|
| the rest of the water along with it and
| |
| | other. Two equal sided corner baths are
|
| flushes the toilet.They are very
| |
| | usually available 1100 x 1100, 1200 x
|
| effective with high levels of water in
| |
| | 1200, 1300 x 1300, 1400 x 1400 and 1500 x
|
| the cistern but become less efficient as
| |
| | 1500.The first three sizes are more
|
| the water level falls.
| |
| | commonly used as shower baths as the
|
| In the past toilet cisterns originally
| |
| | bathing area is too small for most people
|
| contained 12 litres of water, then 9
| |
| | to use effectively. The 1400 and 1500 are
|
| litres and now 6 litres for a full flush
| |
| | big enough to use by most people for
|
| and 3 litres for a half flush .People who
| |
| | bathing.
|
| now have a 6 litre flushing syphon type
| |
| | The offset corner baths are usually
|
| toilet often complain that they have to
| |
| | available in two sizes 1500 x 900 and
|
| flush the toilet twice to get it to
| |
| | 1500 x 1000. They are not very effective
|
| work.Dump valves:In recent years dump
| |
| | as a bath for most people less than 5
|
| valves were not allowed in the UK, but
| |
| | feet 4 inches tall due to the internal
|
| with the advent of new legislation they
| |
| | length.
|
| are now fitted in most new toilets.
| |
| | They are available with or without a
|
| The dump valve works by means of a push
| |
| | seat in the corner.Shower Baths (Ophelia,
|
| button, either a single or a double one.
| |
| | Ianthe):These baths have a larger area at
|
| As you press the button it lifts a valve
| |
| | one end to allow for more room for
|
| that instantly releases all the water
| |
| | showering. They are usually supplied with
|
| down through the toilet.
| |
| | a bath screen made especially for the
|
| This makes this type of flushing
| |
| | shape of the bath.Space Saver baths:These
|
| mechanism very effective with low levels
| |
| | baths are made to a special shape usually
|
| of water.Overflows:Most old types of
| |
| | thinner at one end to allow for more room
|
| toilet have an overflow which let the
| |
| | to fit furniture or make more room for
|
| water flow outside the property if the
| |
| | pottery or even a shower cubicle.Written
|
| ball valve mechanism fails. This is
| |
| | by Neal Baker on behalf of and
|
| called a visible overflow.Most new types
| |
| |
|
| of toilet have an overflow which flows
| |
| | online retailers of bathroom furniture,
|
| back into the toilet bowl if the ball
| |
| | bathroom suites and bathroom accessories
|
| valve fails. This makes them easier to
| |
| | in the UK.
|
