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How to Find the Ideal Toilet

How to Find the Ideal Toilet

Kohler toilets are designed to provide the highest personal cleanliness and comfort. Selecting the perfect toilet is crucial for any renovation or new construction project. With numerous options available, understanding the differences in toilet types, seat sizes, heights, trapway designs, flushing mechanisms, and aesthetics can help you make an informed choice that suits your needs and preferences.

Table of Contents

Start With the Ideal Toilet Type

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The installation type of your toilet is a foundational decision that impacts both the aesthetic and the overall feel of your bathroom. Understanding the distinctions between each type is crucial for making an informed choice.

Toilets come in four main types: two-piece, one-piece, smart, and wall-hung. Two-piece toilets are common and easy to install. One-piece toilets combine the bowl and tank, making them easier to clean. Smart toilets add bidet functions, heated seats, and automatic flushing. Wall-hung toilets conceal the tank for a modern, space-saving look. Rough-in measurements, usually 12 inches, determine which type fits a given bathroom.

TWO-PIECE TOILETS

These are the most common types of toilets, consisting of two separate components: the bowl and the tank. Due to the separate tank and bowl, two-piece toilets are generally easier to transport, install, and often offer more style variations.

  • Pros: Cost-effective and widely available. Easier to transport and install in tight spaces.
  • Cons: More seams can mean more areas for dirt accumulation.
two-piece toilet
one-piece toilet

ONE-PIECE TOILETS

As the name suggests, one-piece toilets integrate the bowl and tank into a seamless unit. This design creates a sleek, modern aesthetic and makes cleaning easier, as there are no crevices between the toilet tank and bowl. However, one-piece toilets can be heavier and more challenging to maneuver during installation.

  • Pros: Sleek design with fewer crevices, good for ease of cleaning. Often more compact.
  • Cons: Typically heavier and may be more expensive than two-piece models.

SMART TOILET

These advanced toilets incorporate various technologies for enhanced comfort, hygiene, and convenience. Features include automatic flushing, heated seats, bidet functions with adjustable water temperature and pressure, air dryers, nightlights, and remote controls.

  • Pros: Advanced features like bidet functions, heated seats, and automatic flushing enhance comfort and hygiene.
  • Cons: Higher initial cost and may require electrical connections.
wall hung toilets Veil

WALL-HUNG TOILETS

Ideal for contemporary bathrooms and smaller spaces, wall-hung toilets (or wall-mounted toilets) conceal the tank within the wall, leaving only the bowl visible. This creates a minimalist look and frees up floor space, making the bathroom appear larger and easier to clean beneath the toilet. Installation is more complex as wall-hung toilets naturally require in-wall carrier systems.

  • Pros: Modern aesthetic and space-saving design. Height can be adjusted during installation.
  • Cons: Installation can be more complex and may require wall modifications.

How Toilets Are Installed: on the Floor or on the Wall

  • Floor Mount Rough-In: To ensure your floor-mount toilet fits your space, measure from the wall (not the baseboard) to the floor bolts that attach the toilet to the floor. This is the rough-in measurement. The most common rough-in is 12″, though there are also 10″ and 14″ rough-ins.
  • Wall-Hung Rough-In: To ensure your wall-hung toilet fits your space, measure the depth of the wall studs which will hold the in-wall water tank. These tanks come in sizes that coordinate with 2″ x 6″ or 2″ x 4″ studs. You will need to choose a tank that matches.

Get Your Most Comfortable Seat Size

While often overlooked, the type of toilet seat size you choose significantly impacts comfort and accessibility. 

Toilet bowl shape comes down to two choices: round-front and elongated. Round-front bowls are compact and work best in smaller bathrooms. Elongated bowls are longer and oval-shaped, offering more comfort and suiting larger bathrooms. Compact elongated models offer elongated comfort in a smaller footprint for homeowners with limited space.

  • Round-Front: More compact, saving space in smaller bathrooms.
  • Elongated: Offers a longer, oval-shaped bowl that provides more comfort and is often preferred for larger bathrooms.

Some manufacturers also offer “compact elongated bowl” designs that provide the comfort of an elongated bowl in a slightly smaller footprint.

The big difference in bowl shapes is length. Round-front is usually space-saving, while elongated bowls offer more comfort for most adults. The choice is yours.

elongated-toilets
ELONGATED TOILETS
compact elongated toilets
COMPACT ELONGATED TOILETS
roundfront toilets
ROUND-FRONT TOILETS

Seat Size & Shape Comparison

Seat Type Pros Cons
Elongated Provides more sitting space, offering greater comfort for most adults. Requires more space and may not fit in smaller bathrooms.
Round Compact design ideal for smaller bathrooms. Less sitting space may be less comfortable for some users.

Get The Right Seat Height

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Toilet seat height is crucial for accessibility and user comfort, especially for individuals with mobility issues or who prefer a more natural seating position.

Toilet seat height falls into three categories: standard, chair height (also called comfort height), and custom height. Standard toilets sit under 17 inches and work well for children. Chair-height toilets measure 17 inches or more, making them easier for adults and seniors to sit and stand. Custom-height toilets are built for specific accessibility needs or bathroom layouts.

Breakdown of Different Toilet Heights

standard height toilets

Standard Height

  • Pros: Traditional, widely available, suitable for children.
  • Cons: Can be challenging for taller individuals or those with knee or back problems to sit down and stand up from.

Chair Height/Comfort Height

  • Pros: Easier to sit down and stand up, especially for adults, seniors, and individuals with physical limitations. Offers a more ergonomic seating position.
  • Cons: May be less comfortable for very short individuals or young children and might require a footstool.
custom height toilets

Custom Height

  • Pros: Customized for specific needs, especially for those with physical disabilities. Height customization can match the bathroom design or layout more precisely.
  • Cons: Often more expensive than standard models. May require professional installation or modifications to the floor or plumbing.

Consider Trapway Options for Cleanliness and Design

Toilet trapways, the S-shaped channel that carries waste to the sewer line, come in three styles: exposed, concealed, and skirted. Exposed trapways are the most affordable but hardest to clean. Concealed trapways smooth some curves for easier cleaning. Skirted trapways hide the entire base for the sleekest look and easiest cleaning, at a higher cost.

exposed trapway toilets

Exposed Trapway

The most common design has the tramway’s curves and bends visible outside the toilet bowl.

concealed trapway toilets

Concealed Trapway

The trapway is covered by a smooth surface, but the outline may still be visible.

skirted trapway toilets

Skirted Trapway

The entire base of the toilet is covered by a smooth, seamless “skirt” that completely conceals the trapway.

Comparison of Toilet Trapways

Trapway Type Pros Cons
Exposed Trapway Most affordable, easiest to access for repairs. More difficult to clean due to exposed curves and crevices.
Concealed Trapway Easier to clean than exposed, offers a slightly cleaner aesthetic. Still has some contours, may not be as sleek as a fully skirted.
Skirted Trapway Easiest to clean due to smooth, flat surfaces, and offers the most modern and streamlined look. Typically more expensive, can be more challenging to install due to the seamless base.

Evaluate Your Preferred Flushing Options

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Modern toilets offer a variety of flushing mechanisms and technologies, each impacting water usage, convenience, and performance. Flushing options vary in their activation method, water usage, and efficiency.

Toilet flushing mechanisms include single-flush, dual-flush, and touchless or remote-controlled options. Single-flush toilets use one set amount of water per flush, generally 1.0 to 1.6 gallons. Dual-flush toilets let users choose between a light flush, as low as 0.8 gallons, and a full flush, saving water. Touchless and remote models add hygiene and convenience, though they need power to run. Low-flow toilets use 1.28 gallons per flush or less.

right or left side flushing location

RIGHT OR LEFT SIDE

Single-flush toilets typically have a flush lever on the left or right side of the toilet.

top flushing location

TOP (BUTTON)

Top flush toilets are dual-flush and feature a small button for a water-saving light-waste flush and a larger button for a full flush.

touchless flush toilets

TOUCHLESS

Touchless toilet technology is available pre-installed on some models or as an easy-to-install kit that fits most toilets.

wall-flushing-location

WALL

Wall-hung toilets feature a small button for a water-saving light-waste flush and a larger button for a full flush.

remote flushing location

REMOTE

Intelligent toilets feature automatic flushing as well as a touch-screen remote that can also control flushing.

single-flush toilets

SINGLE-FLUSH

Same consistent flush with every use, with models that range between 1.0 and 1.6 gallons-per-flush (gpf).

dual-flush toilets

DUAL-FLUSH TOILETS

Dual-flush toilets offer you the choice of a light or full flush, using as little as 0.8 gallons for a light flush and up to 1.6 gallons for a full flush.

Water Conservation and Efficiency

Choosing a water-efficient toilet can significantly reduce your household’s water consumption and utility bills. Dual-flush and low-flow toilets (1.28 gallons of water per flush or less) are excellent choices for eco-conscious homeowners.

Flushing Options Comparison

🚽 Flushing Options Comparison

Flushing Type Pros Cons
Single-Flush ✅ Simple operation
✅ Generally less expensive 		❌ Uses same water for all waste
❌ Potential water waste
Dual-Flush ✅ Great for water efficiency
✅ User can choose based on waste 		❌ Slightly more expensive
❌ May take getting used to
Touchless/Remote ✅ Highly hygienic
✅ Modern convenience 		❌ Requires power
❌ Higher cost
❌ Possible accidental flushes

Think About Design & Aesthetics

Your toilet is an integral part of your bathroom’s design. Consider the key factors of bathroom design: color, style, and how the toilet complements your décor for a cohesive look.

Toilet design comes down to color and style. White remains the most common color, though options range from bone and biscuit to black and gray. Style choices span traditional, transitional, contemporary, and minimalist. Match the bowl shape, base design, and flush button style to the bathroom’s vanity, tile, and décor.

Color Options

While white is the most common, toilets are available in various colors to match diverse bathroom palettes, from classic bone and biscuit to bolder blacks and grays.

Style and Bathroom Décor

Toilets come in numerous styles, from traditional and transitional to contemporary and minimalist. Selecting a toilet that complements your vanity, tiling, and overall bathroom theme creates a harmonious and visually appealing space. Consider lines (curved vs. sharp), base design, and flush lever/button aesthetics.

FAQs & Buyer’s Guide: Your Questions Answered

Common toilet buying questions cover rough-in measurements, water efficiency, and compatibility. Measure the rough-in before buying, since it must match the distance from the finished wall to the center of the drainpipe. Look for the WaterSense label to confirm EPA-level water efficiency. Swap two-piece toilets for one-piece models when the rough-in matches. Choose smart toilets that clean like standard models, plus periodic filter changes for bidet functions.

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  • What is a toilet’s rough-in dimension?

    The rough-in refers to the distance from the finished wall to the center of the drainpipe. Measuring this accurately before purchasing a toilet ensures a proper fit.

  • How do I know if a toilet is water-efficient?

    Look for the WaterSense label, which indicates that the bathroom meets strict EPA criteria for efficiency and performance.

  • Can I replace my two-piece toilet with a one-piece model?

    In most cases, yes, as long as the rough-in measurement is compatible. Our team can help you verify this.

  • What maintenance do smart toilets require?

    Like traditional toilets, smart toilets require regular cleaning and maintenance of electronic components, such as filter replacement for bidet functions.

Design Help: Personalized Guidance from Our Showroom Team

At Weinstein Bath & Kitchen Showroom, choosing the proper toilet is part of a larger design journey. Our showroom team is dedicated to providing personalized assistance to help you pick the perfect toilet for your bathroom renovations or remodels.

  • Model Selection & Displays: Explore our extensive selection of toilet models and see them displayed in various bathroom settings. This allows you to visualize how different fixtures would look in your home.
  • CAD Drawing for Design: For more complex projects, our team can assist with CAD drawings to help you visualize your bathroom layout with specific fixtures, ensuring everything fits perfectly and functions beautifully.
  • Consultations: Schedule a one-on-one consultation with our design experts who can provide tailored advice based on your needs, budget, and aesthetic preferences.
  • Comprehensive Service Offerings: As a full-service plumbing supply store, we not only help you choose fixtures but also provide all the necessary plumbing and heating supplies for your project, making us a one-stop shop for homeowners, contractors, and designers alike.

Find Your New Toilet at Weinstein Bath & Kitchen in Collegeville, PA

The bathroom is crucial in every home, where family members seek comfort and convenience. However, many homeowners often overlook their toilets when planning improvement projects. Is your toilet in need of an upgrade? Our showroom consultants are ready to assist you in exploring our latest selection of toilets. Make an appointment with us today and take the next step of turning your dream bathroom into a reality.