Top Things to Consider When Buying a Toilet

There are many types of toilets to choose from in today's market. Buying the wrong toilet for your bathroom can be costly, since you can end up with high plumber bills, re-stocking fees and high water bills. The most important factors to consider when selecting the appropriate toilet for your bathroom include: Rough-in Dimension, Bowl Size, Configuration, Flushing System, Height, Color and Design.

Rough-in Dimension:

The first thing to consider is the toilet's rough-in dimension, which measures the distance from the finished wall to the center of the sewer drain for the toilet. Determine whether your toilet is 10", 12", or 14" rough-in. 12" rough-in is the most popular size in United Estates.

Bowl Size:

Next big thing is bowl size. Most people find elongated toilet bowls to be more comfortable, but in a small bathroom, a round bowl can save space. Elongated toilet bowls measure up to 31" from the wall, while round fixtures max out at 28". Comfort also comes into play with toilet seat rim heights. Many manufacturers now offer toilets that measure a few inches taller than standard 15" fixtures.

Configuration -- One Piece, Two Piece or Wall Mounted:

There are several toilet types available. A two-piece toilet, in which the tank bolts on top of the bowl, is typically the least expensive option. A one-piece toilet,with an integral tank and bowl, can cost more, but these units are easier to clean because they have no seam. Wall-mounted toilets add drama to a bathroom, and cleaning under them is a breeze. However, this higher-end fixture can be more expensive to install because it requires a thicker wall to mount the toilet and house the tank, and future maintenance could require reopening the wall.

Flushing System -- Flush Valve Size, Trap-way Size & Water Consumption:

The flush valve is the opening at the bottom of the toilet tank and controls the flow of water to the toilet bowl when the toilet is flushed. Overall, the larger the flush valve the better the flush performance will be (a 3 inch flush valve is considered very efficient). The diameter of the trap-way is another important factor. The trap-way allows waste to easily pass out of the toilet bowl. In general, the larger the trap the better (a good trap-way size is around 2-1/8 inches). Water consumption is also very important. 1.6 gallon-per-flush is the universal rule of thumb when it comes to water usage. However, most companies like TOTO have decreased the water amount to 1.28 GPF. The vast majority of TOTO toilets are environmental friendly and do not compromise flushing abilities. In fact they are ranked at the very top in flushing efficiency with their new technology called Double Cyclone.

Height:

The average height on most toilets is between 14 to 15 inches to the top of the bowl. However, most new toilet models are coming in "comfort" or "ADA" height (16.5 inches and above). The higher seat makes it more comfortable to seat on the toilet and is a must for people that have difficulty standing up or suffer from knee injuries.

Color & Design:

Make sure you get a toilet that matches with the other porcelain fixtures in the bathroom (tub, sink, vanity counter top, tile, etc). this is especially important if the toilet is next to one of these fixtures. Also, check that your new toilet design will pair up well with the overall feel of the finished bathroom (modern, contemporary, transitional or traditional).

For more information, visit: Bathroom Place

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Bathroom Cabinets To Improve Your Home

Most modern bathrooms today often showcase a variety of bathroom furniture like cabinets and vanity pieces. Having furniture in the bathroom greatly helps in eliminating clutter and covering up fixings to provide a neat and organized atmosphere. Regardless of the style or size of your bathroom, you are sure to discover a perfect piece of bathroom furniture that will enhance the appearance of your bathroom.

When purchasing furniture for your bathroom, consider useful pieces like bathroom cabinets. Bathroom cabinets can be found in different designs that include mirrors, hidden shelves and shaver sockets. By selecting one of these inclusions you are definitely getting your money's worth. In addition to the different add-ons to pick from, bathroom cabinets are also sold in various styles and finishes like wood and chrome. They also come with a number of doors, either one, two, or three doors depending on what you prefer. It is all up to you to pick a cabinet that you find most suitable for your bathroom.

If price is not an issue, then you can opt for more costly pieces like vanity units. In some cases these are sold together with bathroom suites, however there are also some that can be purchased on its own. Usually these vanity units are integrated into the bathroom with the unit furnishing a stand for a sink and a provision for a WC unit. Just like fittings are installed to the vanity unit, it can be utilized to conceal areas of your bathroom like cisterns, piping, and bottle traps, which gives your bathroom a clean appearance. Aside from keeping the fittings concealed, these vanity units also offer a decent amount of storage space with the built-in cabinet and drawers.

However if you are on a budget and don't find the need for costly bathroom furniture pieces, then you can opt for a basic bathroom mirror or wash stand. A wash stand is a simple piece of bathroom furniture that works as a stand for your sink. These wash stands are usually finished in wood, but there are also some pieces that can be found in chrome. Most of the wash stands for sale are floor standing and often come with a built-in shelf that can be utilized as storage space, but then there are also some wash stands, usually the ones finished with chrome that can be hung on the wall and is equipped with a towel pole for maximum use.

Adding extra style to your bathroom without taking up all the space can be achieved with bathroom mirrors. These mirrors are simply installed on the wall with the only limitation being your wall size. Mirrors for the bathroom are sold with different features such as backlit, demistable, heated, and LED mirrors. Together with these different kinds of mirrors, there are also optional add-ons that include shelves, LED clocks, and magnifying mirrors giving you a wide range of choices. Top of the line LED mirrors are most sought after as it offers clear mirror and LED surround with most providing a 3D feel. As you can see there are so many different options when it comes to bathroom furniture. It is all up to you to decide on the pieces that will suit your bathroom best.

Liberty Bathrooms is an online bathroom retailer, specialising in bathroom suites and bathroom furniture, including fitted bathroom furniture.

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Planning Your Kitchen Makeover

Having a whole new kitchen fitted is very exciting but don't rush into it. It can save you a lot of time, money and mistakes if you plan it really carefully.

The first thing to do before you go ripping everything in the kitchen out is to consider what you are going to change and what is going to stay the same. If you are making any structural changes to the room such as removing a wall or moving doors and windows then you're likely to need to replace everything in the kitchen, but if not then have a good think about it. If your kitchen cabinets are in decent condition you could consider simply replacing the doors rather than the whole cabinets. Even if you want to change the layout of the kitchen this may still be possible if you carefully remove the cabinets first. Then consider your flooring. If you have a good but tired floor, consider how it would clean up before changing it for another. Old terracotta floor tiles for example can be restored and look really beautiful.

Next you need to put some thought into your budget. If you have a strict budget then this is going to restrict what you can do, so keeping anything from the old kitchen that you can, will be important to free up cash to spend elsewhere in the room. If you're not replacing the kitchen floor tiles then you can spend more on some really stunning kitchen wall tiles for example.

Consider the layout of your new kitchen. You are most likely going to have to live with it and use it daily for many years, so it's important to have it just how you want it. A lot of kitchen showrooms will now be able to take the measurements of your room and show you various layouts on a computer in 3D, which is incredibly helpful, but only you know your actual needs so you need to work out what they are. If you entertain a lot then you might need a large table and a lot of chairs. If you do a lot of cooking in bulk you might want a chest freezer in your kitchen. Every family is different, so determine your specific kitchen requirements and make sure they are taken into account at the design stage. You can also buy software for your home PC that will enable you to design rooms, this can be a great help if you have some time to spare.

The most fun part of choosing a new kitchen is picking out the kitchen itself, along with the kitchen wall tiles and other accessories. Again do put plenty of thought into it. You need something that isn't going to date too quickly and that you're not going to get fed up of in a few months! If you know you won't be replacing the kitchen again for several years then try and pick a classic design that will last rather than the latest trend that may tend to look old fashioned more quickly.

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