Bathroom Information

We hope this information may be of some use to you when selecting the items for your new bathroom. This information is intended as a guide and we recomend you take advise from a professional plumber or fitter before deciding on the items for your bathroom.

TOILETS & WC’S
There are five types of toilets currently available in the UK. These are Wall hung, Back-to-wall, Close-coupled, Low level and High level.

This type of toilet has the pan hanging on the wall and the cistern concealed in the wall behind it. More common in mainland Europe, it has become increasingly popular over recent years as more people travel abroad. You do however need to ensure that the pan is supported properly when fitted either by the use of special floor mounting brackets or the use of a framework. These frameworks, which support the pan and provide a place for the cistern, are available from several suppliers.
This type of WC allows ease of cleaning and as the pan is the only visible piece of pot it minimises the impact of the WC on the design of the room.
There has been a concern from customers on occasions that have believed that they will fall off the wall when you sit on them this is obviously not the case, as the manufacturers would very quickly be sued by lots of people. So long as the toilet has been installed correctly as per the fitting guidelines it will be perfectly stable.

This type of toilet is used mainly when having fitted furniture. As with the wall hung toilet the cistern is concealed inside the furniture but the pan is sat on the floor. The cistern can also be concealed within a purpose built boxing which can then be tiled to match the rest of the bathroom. The back to wall toilet can be a neat and tidy option for bathroom.

This is the most common type of toilet in the UK. This type of toilet has the pan and cistern joined together. It is often confused with the low level toilet, the pan and cistern are physically joined together, unlike the low level toilet where the cistern is mounted with space above the pan.

This type of toilet has a freestanding pan and the cistern sits approx 900mm or 36inches up the wall with a short flush pipe in between the two pieces.
Before the advent of the close-coupled toilet this was the most common and is still what most people with older houses have. This is why they confuse them with the close coupled. They are now most commonly sold with traditional bathrooms and have a chrome or gold flush pipe.

This type was popular in the Victorian era and is associated most closely with bathrooms of that period. The pan is free standing and the cistern sits on the wall approx 1800mm or 6 feet up the wall with a chrome or gold flush pipe and a chain pull flush.

There are six main type of basin available in the UK. These are basin and full pedestal, basin and semi-pedestal, cloakroom, semi-recessed, counter top and under-slung.

This where the basin sits on full size pedestal and is the most common type in the UK. Normally the waste pipe and hot and cold water pipes run through the pedestal and into the floor.

This is where the basin sits on a half height pedestal which does not reach the floor. They are very common in Europe and becoming increasingly popular in the UK.

These are usually fitted without a pedestal, as they are normally very small basins, although we now have a small number of basins with semi pedestals or full pedestals. There are also cloakroom basins with vanity units if storage is required.

This type of basin has a bow in the front but the underside has been cut away to produce a flat area. This is because this type of basin is usually fitted into a worktop.

This type of basin is either round or oval and fits into a hole cut into a worktop.

The type of basin is fitted under the hole in the worktop. This means that the worktop has to be a solid surface material, such a marble or stone.

This type of basin uses a mono bloc mixer, which normally incorporates a pop-up waste. The water is controlled either by a lever on the tap or a separate hot and cold handle on either side of the spout.

The most common type of tap configuration has a separate hot and cold tap with a plug and chain waste. The hot tap is normally fitted on the left hand side of the basin.

There are two type of tap arrangement that can be fitted to this type of tap-hole arrangement. Either a three-hole mixer which is a hot and cold valve head and a separate spout, usually fitted with a pop up waste. Or you could fit a pair of basin taps and what is known as a chain stay waste. A chain stay waste uses a plug and chain but the chain is held in place by a disc, which is fitted into the middle of the three holes

Materials: There are four main types of material used to manufacture baths in the UK. These are cast iron, pressed-steel, glass reinforced plastic (GRP) and acrylic.

This is the material from which most baths used to be made and is now most commonly used for free standing baths. There are two commonly held misconceptions concerning cast iron baths. The first is that they are too heavy .The weight of a standard cast iron bath filled with water is in the region of 25 stones. The bath is usually fitted with four legs which means that the weight on each leg on the floor is approximately 6.25 stones. As we walk across the floor foot to foot we actually weight more that this.
The second misconception is that they are cold. This is because years ago when we all used cast iron baths the houses did not have central heating. The bath can only reflect the temperature of the room that it is in. If the room is warm the bath is therefore warm. There is, however, one possible exception. If the bath is fitted in with a panel as apposed to free standing it may be that the air temperature under the bath is cooler due to the holes left by the plumber. If this is the case, insulation under the bath will solve the problem.

Pressed Steel
This is where a layer of steel several millimetres thick is coated with a stove-enamelled surface. They are most commonly used in hotels and commercial premises. As the material of the bath is very thin they tend to cool down very quickly. They also tend to be very plain in shape due to the manufacturing restrictions of the material.

This is the most common material now used to produce baths in the UK and Europe. It has the same characteristics as GRP in that it insulates well and can produce great shapes. However, as it is produced to internationally agreed standards of colour it is now what every pottery supplier uses to obtain their colour match.
Acrylic comes in several thicknesses most commonly 3mm, 5mm, 8mm and 10mm. There is a common misconception that the thicker the acrylic the stronger the bath. This is not so. The acrylic is there only to hold the colour and maintain a waterproof barrier. You will normally find that the thicker the acrylic the plainer the style of the bath. The strength of the bath comes from the glass-reinforced plastic, which is sprayed on the underside of the bath. You should always look for a full encapsulated baseboard. This is where the chipboard base that supports the bottom of the bath is fully enclosed to prevent it from coming away after a few years of use. The sides of the bath should also be reinforced to prevent them from bowing out when the bath is filled with water. If the bath does bow out in the middle the result is often that the top ledge will drop producing a gap between the tiles and the bath.

There are a multitude of bath shapes and sizes available in the UK at present but they break down into several groups.

This is the most common style of bath with the taps at one end and is ideal for one person to bathe in on there own as it usually has a gentle back slope which offers good back support when relaxing.
The most common size is 1700 x 700. They are however produced in sizes ranging from 1200 x 750 to 2000 x 1200. If your bath is measuring approx 1680 x 680 this is usually because the bath is fitted into the plaster work when installed so that a bath that is 1700 x 700 straight out of the box is often smaller when fitted. When measuring for your bath please allow for the depth of the existing tiles.

This type of bath is common with people who prefer to bathe with a partner as the taps are mounted in the middle of the bath. They are becoming a lot more popular in the UK. Double ended baths are now available in a range of sizes and in various designs. Please note it is not advisable to use a double ended bath where you intend to shower at one end. As the bath is designed to bathe at both ends it is often sloped which adds to the risk of slipping if you are standing showering at one end.

There are two mains types of corner bath: equal sided and offset, where one side is longer than the other. Two equal sided corner baths are usually available 1100 x 1100, 1200 x 1200, 1300 x 1300, 1400 x 1400 and 1500 x 1500. The first three sizes are more commonly used as shower baths as the bathing area is too small for most people to use effectively. The 1400 and 1500 are big enough to use by most people for bathing. The offset corner baths are usually available in two sizes 1500 x 900 and 1500 x 1000.

These baths have a larger area at one end to allow for more room for showering. They are usually supplied with a bath screen made especially for the shape of the bath.

These baths are made to a special shape usually thinner at one end to allow for more room to fit furniture or make more room for pottery or even a shower cubicle.

There are four main finishes for taps and shower.
Chrome, the hardest wearing finish, usually last over 20 years.
Antique Gold, used more on traditional style suites, is generally a soft finish which will last approximately 3 years with day to day use but in a rarely used second bathroom could last as long as 10 years.
Nickel (either brushed or polished) is the softest finish and would normally be for decorative house bathrooms that are rarely used.
Powder coated, not as common in taps but still used on showers, is where the product is coated with a layer of coloured plastic.
There are many types of tap configuration for baths, basins and bidets. Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages. This next section outlines the different types of tap arrangements that are generally available.

Bath Taps
There are several types of tap arrangement you can put on a bath. They are as follows: A pair of taps, a bath filler deck mounted, a bath filler pillar mounted, a three-hole bath filler, a deck mounted bath shower mixer, a pillar mounted bath shower mixer, a four-hole bath shower mixer, a five-hole bath shower mixer, wall mounted filler and an overflow filler.
Pair of bath taps
The most common form of taps for baths, one tap for hot water and one for cold. The cold tap is normally on the right and the hot on the left.
Bath filler deck mounted and bath filler pillar mounted.
This type of tap has the hot and cold-water taps combined onto one mixer block.
The deck-mounted type is normally contemporary in style whereas the pillar-mounted type (this is where the mixer is held above the bath rim on two pillars) is normally traditional in style. The advantage of a mixer over a pair of taps is the ability to mix the water to the desired temperature whilst the bath is filling.
Three hole bath filler
This is where the spout is separate to the bath tap valves. In this case you have a hot and cold valve and the spout is mounted either in the centre between the two valves or mounted in the comer.

This is the same as the bath fillers but has a shower hose and handset attached. These types of taps are not designed to be used as showers for standing under and washing your whole body. The reason for this is that there is the real risk that is another person in the house switches on a tap or a washing machine kicks in then the temperature on the shower will change radically. These types of showers are designed for washing hair or rinsing the bath.

These are the same as the three hole mixers but the four-hole mixers have a handset that sits on the bath with the hose under the bath rim. The shower is switched on by means of a diverter button mounted on the bath spout.
The five hole mixer works in the same way but has a separate diverter mounted on the bath, not on the bath spout.

More popular on the continent, this is where the mixer is mounted on the wall above the bath and not on the bath rim.

This is similar to the three-hole bath filler but whereas the three hole has a spout the overflow filler has the hot and cold valves on the rim of the bath and the filler is the overflow fitting which also doubles up as the pop up waste.

As with baths there are several types of tap arrangement that can be fitted to a basin. These are a pair of taps, a mono-bloc mixer and a three tap-hole mixer.

This is where you have a separate hot and cold tap on the basin with the cold tap usually on the right and the hot on the left. This is the most common configuration for taps on a basin. This type of basin normally has a plug and chain waste.

This is where the hot and cold taps are mounted on a single tap bloc in the centre of the basin. This type of tap normally has a pop-up waste supplied as part of the tap.

As with the bath arrangement you have a spout in the middle and a separate hot and cold valve on either side. This type of arrangement has a pop up waste.
On a three tap-hole basin you can also fit a pair of basin taps and in the central hole fit a chain stay basin waste - this is where the plug chain is attached to a disc which fits over the middle hole.

Shower doors and enclosures come in a variety of shapes and sizes. As with pottery the cost and quality of the units depend on the materials used in the construction and the design. Normally the thicker the glass the more expensive the shower cubicle. Less expensive enclosures generally use glass in the thickness range of 3mm to 5mm. This thickness of glass will always have a metal framework surrounding it to support the weight of the glass. The mid to upper market enclosures have glass in the thickness range of 6mm to 8mm. This type of cubicle generally has very little framework surrounding it or even none at all. The build quality of ancillary parts such as hinges and seals is also important, as these are the parts that wear the fastest with day to day use and will result in leaks. With sliding doors the rollers for the doors should be of ball bearing types. The reason for this is that with a ball bearing roller there is little or no wear on the wheels. This means that with constant use they do not become elliptical and the glide of the door is always smooth. The thickness of the frame and the wall profiles is also a contributing factor to the price. As a rule the thicker the frame and the profiles the more the cost. The profiles are the U-shaped channels that attach the cubicle to the wall.

There are seven main types of shower door: Pivot, Hinged, Saloon, Bi-fold, In-fold, Double slider and Triple slider.

The Pivot and Hinged doors
These work in the same way, in that they open outwards as a single piece of glass. With the pivot door the hinges are at the top and bottom of the door. The advantage of this is that it makes the door well balanced and put very little strain on the framework. The hinged door has the hinges on the side of the door. This does mean however that when the door is open, the opening on the hinged door is wider than that of the pivot door. These types of door tend to be less expensive than any other due to the simple design. There can be a difficulty with the water running off the door onto the floor when the door is opened after a shower.

This is less common and has two hinged doors which join in the middle. They tend to open inwards but are not as a rule very popular.

These two doors both open inwards and so overcome the difficulty of water getting onto the floor by dripping water off the door. The bi-fold door is hinged in the centre and as the name suggests folds exactly in the middle. The in-fold door swings in as a single door by means of a canter lever arrangement at the top and bottom of the door. It is worth mentioning that if the shower is intended for an elderly person or someone who is less mobile, this door opens into the shower enclosure, so if the person was to fall the door

Double and Triple sliding doors.
These doors work in the same way in that the doors slide on rollers back and forth to open or close. The difference between the two is the number of doors used to gain access. The double sliding door has less framework and as such has a more minimalist appearance, whereas the triple sliding door creates a wider opening when the doors are pulled back.

There are a myriad number or shower enclosure shapes. The most common are the square, rectangle, pentangle (penta- or five-sided) and the quadrant (quad of quarter round). The most common type of shower tray size is 760mm x 760mm. This is not the smallest square tray size but is the smallest that is still usable by most people to shower. You are able to obtain square trays of both 700mm x 700mm and 600mm x 600mm. The 600mm tray size is normally used on caravans and boats. The best square tray size if it can be fitted is the 900mm x 900mm.
Rectangular shower trays come in a variety of sizes from 700mm x 800mm to 1700mm x750mm. The most common size is 1200mm x 760mm, whereas the optimum size is 1200mm x 900mm. Tray sizes larger than this normally incorporate the ability to dry oneself in the cubicle. A pentangle cubicle is the same as a square one but has the comer cut off. This results in the saving of floor space in the bathroom/en-suite. A quadrant cubicle has a rounded front edge designed to save space as with the pentangle.

There are four main types of material used to make shower trays. These are steel, acrylic, stone resin and acrylic capped resin.
Steel is less common in domestic use and is generally used in commercial applications such as retirement homes and hotels.
Acrylic trays used to be very common but received a bad reputation due to the poor build quality of trays in the past. The use of poor frameworks and minimal reinforcement meant that the trays moved when in use and often leaked. Modern acrylic trays are generally built to a very high standard and are fully reinforced. All acrylic trays are on adjustable legs and so are ideal in applications where a solid floor such a concrete is on site. The result of this higher built quality is that acrylic trays are not an inexpensive option.
Stone resin trays are by far the most common trays available. The low cost of producing the moulds for the trays makes then the most versatile in size. They are available in both legged and un-legged format (the most common being without legs). The two most common problems with resin trays relate to the quality of installation. The first is that if the un-legged tray is not bedded in properly it can cause the base of the tray to crack when in use. The second is that the colour of the tray is applied as a thin spray finish. The result of this is that if you scratch the tray when installing it, it is extremely difficult to repair.
Acrylic capped resin trays are becoming more popular. They combine the rigidity of the stone resin tray, but have the added advantage of being capped in acrylic. This produces a surface which is more resistant to impact and can be polished if scratched. They are however more costly to produce and as such are not available in the same number of sizes as the stone resin.

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Showers

We have a large range of shower products to choose from and aim to provide everything you require to complete your bathroom design. We supply shower enclosures, shower trays, shower valves, dream showers as well as a large range of shower accessories. We only use top brands such as Merlyn Shower enclosures and JT Shower Trays.

Choosing from the vast range of showers available can mean considering quite a few criteria. There are all types of showers to choose from including power showers, concealed thermostatic shower mixers, digital showers, to traditional exposed shower valves and modern dream shower panels.

Every bathroom shower mixer should be chosen carefully with the following considerations:

Type of installation: You should consider whether the type of shower you choose will be suitable for your bathroom. For example, a concealed shower valve may need reinforcement in the walls, especially where there is a this stud partition. Extra space may be required for reinforcement.

Water Pressure: Check your water pressure before purchasing your shower as different showers have different recommendations for water pressure and some boiler systems may require a shower pump to aid pressure.

Thermostatic or Manual Shower Valve: Many showers come with an option of either a manual or thermostatic model. A thermostatic one will allow you to set the temperature whilst the water is turned off, and can be kept at this temperature every time you shower. With a manual shower valve you will be required to choose your optimum shower temperature each time you shower.

Shower head design: There are various shower head designs available, from large rain showers which will deliver water like rainfall, to shower roses which have varying delivery of water. Some may settings on them which change the water style. You will also have the choice of a fixed shower head or swivelling shower heads, as well as the more traditional and conventional shower slider rail kit. A fixed shower head can also be used alongside a slider rail kit when using a diverter shower valve.

Basins

We supply all types of bathroom basins and bathroom sinks, from surface mounted basins and bowls, basins on pedestals, to semi recessed basins. They come in a whole range of shapes, sizes and materials from stone resin basins, ceramic basins, and natural stone basins such as Applestone, limestone or travertine. All of our basins are made to the highest standards and by top brands such as TC Bathrooms.

So whether you are designing your dream bathroom or doing a simple renovation of your cloakroom we have the basin for you.

Taps

Our tap range by Hudson Reed, Home of Ultra and TC Bathrooms are of the best in the Uk. With excellent guarantees and built to withstand the test of time you can be confident when installing them into your new bathroom. An excellent choice of styles and specifications including wall mounted basin taps, basin taps, bathroom mixer taps as well as bath shower mixers, bath fillers and a large range of traditional style taps, gold taps and ultra modern style taps. Our tap prices are amazing with over 50% off the RRP on some products and with a fast UK delivery (usually within 2-3 days on stocked items). View our full range of bathroom and basin taps here.