Wall-hung WC: the practical and ergonomic model
When you choose a new toilet for your bathroom, you have the choice between several types of toilet (free-standing toilet, wall-hung toilet, Japanese toilet, etc.). Each model has different characteristics in terms of size, practicality, maintenance, comfort, etc. This article aims to present the main characteristics of a wall-hung toilet, and to help you know if this type of toilet is the one you need, or not.
The essential things to know about wall-hung toilets
Generally speaking, a wall-hung toilet is composed of:
- a bowl;
- a telescope;
- a flap;
- hinges;
- a tank (located behind the wall, sometimes in a formwork);
- a support frame (located behind the wall, sometimes in a formwork);
- a control plate (located on the wall or on a formwork);
- and a fixing kit
Historically, most standard toilets (free-standing toilets) are installed on the floor. Although often cheaper to buy, wall-hung toilets have certain advantages that free-standing toilets do not have. For example, wall-hung toilets are easier to clean and more elegant than traditional toilets.
As its name suggests, on a wall-hung toilet, the bowl is fixed to the wall, and not to the floor. Not being in contact with the ground, wall-hung toilets facilitate maintenance. Concretely, the toilets will not be an obstacle to your broom, and no corner will be forgotten. Also, being suspended gives the illusion of a toilet cubicle being larger than it is! A significant advantage when the space available is very small…
These toilets must be fixed to a support frame (which is located behind the wall or in a formwork) to keep them secure. If installed correctly, they will be incredibly sturdy, so you won't have to worry about them falling apart - they are made to withstand around 400kg!
On the other hand, it is important to take into account the size of this support frame. Although it is no longer visible once installed and once the partition has been installed to hide it, you must keep in mind that you have lost around fifteen centimeters in the depth of your toilet. Because a support frame and a new partition take up space…
What are the advantages of a wall-hung toilet?
Accessibility of cleaning
This is perhaps the biggest advantage of a wall hung toilet if you are one of those people (like me) who hates cleaning their toilet. The toilet bowl is raised off the floor, allowing you to easily clean around and under the toilet. Compared to a traditional toilet (freestanding toilet), there are no narrow spaces where dust and dirt can accumulate. This means you won't need to bend down and can use a simple mop to clean them. A wall-hung toilet can therefore stand the test of time with minimal effort.
Elegance
Wall-hung toilets are often considered futuristic and stylish. Although taste is a very subjective thing, most people are at least intrigued, if not impressed, by a toilet that floats on the wall. Even today, and despite the fact that wall-hung toilets are starting to be a few years old... They are not as widespread as we sometimes think, but an elegant wall-hung toilet combined with a beautiful bathroom design always makes a great impression . And if you are a perfectionist, and you want to have a wall-hung toilet at the cutting edge of elegance, opt for rimless!
A toilet bowl suspended from the wall can be adjusted in height to meet the PMR standards imposed. Wall-hung toilets do not pose any particular problems when designing a bathroom for someone with reduced mobility or someone who may not be able to bend very low.
What are the disadvantages of a wall-hung toilet?
An expensive alternative
Wall-hung toilets have a higher price than traditional models, not only for design reasons, but above all because of the need for special supports (support frame) and more work during installation. Expect to pay several hundred euros more for this type of toilet, not including the cost of installation (installation of the support frame, the partition, painting of it, etc.). Yes, this is not a DIY project!
Difficult to install
The real difficulty lies in the installation for which it is good to call on a serious professional. Indeed, installing the support frame for a wall-hung toilet can involve a lot of work. The installation of this model may require opening a wall (to install the support frame, the tank, as well as various pipes), diverting the evacuation pipe if necessary and, if you plan to keep the same floor covering, patching the tiles under your old toilet.
More difficult to repair
It can be difficult to repair wall-hung toilets, because their main parts are hidden in the wall... Most of it is accessible by removing the control plate, but if you are reluctant to maintain, take this into account!
How does a wall-hung toilet work?
As stated above, wall-hung toilets are supported by a support frame which is located in your wall, or inside a formwork in front of your wall. The bowl is then mounted on this support, which allows it to be "hung" on the wall without anything supporting the base.
There are 3 types of media:
- The support fixed to the wall (to be avoided if the walls are not strong enough)
- The self-supporting support fixed to the ground (recommended because no weight on the wall)
- The universal support fixed to the wall and the floor (to be avoided if the walls are not sufficiently solid)
As wall-hung toilets require the tank to be held in the wall or formwork (with the support frame), they are generally equipped with a control plate flushing mechanism. In general, this control plate is placed on the wall/formwork, above the bowl. Most flush plates today offer a dual flush function which saves water by giving you a lower consumption flush mode (usually 3L) and a higher consumption flush mode ( usually 6L). From the moment pressure is exerted on one of the two push buttons located on the control plate, a quantity of water escapes from the tank to go into the bowl, thus creating an overflow in the siphon at such a pace that all the waste is sucked into the drain pipe.
How much does a wall-hung toilet cost?
If we only go back 7 or 8 years, wall-hung toilets were very expensive. Greater popularity and the positioning of numerous players on the market have enabled a drop in prices and a wider range of references.
Today, the price of wall-hung toilets can range from €170 to more than €1700 for the most designer and sophisticated models (bowl only), excluding Japanese toilets. The tank and support frame needed to support the toilet add between €100 and €400, depending on whether you opt for a lower quality brand at a lower price or for a more high-end model. Added to this is the price of installation by a professional (excluding partition installation and painting). On average, a plumber charges around €170 to install a wall-hung toilet in a new house. The installation cost during a renovation is higher, ranging from €170 to €400.
The overall cost of a wall-hung toilet (installation included) is therefore between €350 and almost €1700, which is therefore higher than that of a free-standing toilet. But it's certainly not out of reach for those looking to invest in a stylish bathroom that they can be proud of for years to come.
Some tips for choosing your wall-hung toilet
Before you rush into buying a wall-hung toilet, here are some tips that could help you.
Call a professional!
You should keep in mind that wall-hung toilets are not as simple as standard toilets (freestanding toilets). We therefore strongly advise you to call a professional for their installation. A poorly made connection or a poorly secured float could cause regular water leaks.
Find out the location and direction of the drain pipe
Firstly, if you want to install a new toilet in a place where there was not one before, check that there is a nearby drainage outlet to which you can easily connect in order to limit the possible work. Secondly, if it is a toilet replacement, find out the direction of the drain pipe. A wall-hung toilet can only be connected to the drain pipe horizontally or vertically.
Choose the correct type of support frame
There are different types of support frames depending on whether you want to mount it on the floor only, on the wall or on both. It is important to choose the most appropriate type of fixing for your bathroom. A support frame cannot be fixed to a plaster wall for example. Here are the 3 most common types of support frame:
- The wall-mounted support frame: to be installed only on a wall capable of supporting heavy loads (concrete walls, solid brick wall, etc.)
- The floor-mounted support frame (self-supporting): ideal if your walls cannot support heavy loads. This type of support frame generally has 4 feet, which makes it more stable.
- The support frame fixed to the wall and to the ground (universal): ideal if you have a wall capable of supporting heavy loads and a softer floor made of parquet or parquet.
Don't skimp on the budget
Whether for the bowl, the support frame or the installation, it is always wise to invest in quality for a product that could last as long. A cheaper entry-level model rarely has the best value for money. And you probably won't change your toilet for 10 years!