How to choose and install a toilet installation system

Our idea of “good bathroom and toilet renovation” is changing very rapidly. A few years ago, they were figuring out which toilet bowl is better – compact or with a separate cistern, today – install suspended toilets and other sanitary ware and argue about which installation for the toilet bowl is better.

What is an installation for a toilet bowl and what kind they are

Recently, more and more often install suspended toilets and bidets. The structure on which they are mounted and is called installation. In addition to the weight of the sanitary bowl, the installation also holds the sewer and water inlets, and some models also hold the water tank. The cistern is made of polymer and access to it is limited, as it is then covered with tiles or other exterior finishes. After installation, only adjustment is possible with access through the drain button. For this reason, it is better to choose this type of sanitary ware of good quality – in case of problems, you will have to redo everything – knock down the finish, change the cistern, then do everything anew, and it is far from cheap.

There are two types of installations: block and frame. Block otherwise can be called attached – they are attached to the capital wall (on the photo below). That is, their installation requires a wall with sufficient bearing capacity.

Frame installations can be attached to the floor and to the wall, can have only two points of attachment to the floor. They differ in the fact that they do not require a solid wall – their frame is more massive and necessarily rests on the floor. Frame installation for the toilet can be installed even in a plasterboard wall.

Regardless of the type, the process of installing a toilet installation is a messy business, so the work should begin before finishing the walls in the bathroom or toilet. Frame installation for the toilet is installed at all at the stage of creating a partition or mounted in a prepared niche.

What to pay attention to when choosing

Installations under the toilet bowl are sold as a set with the bowl, and separately. It is easier, of course, to buy everything in a set. Then all the dimensions will exactly match. If the bowl is already available, it will be necessary to look at the dimensions of the frame and the distance between the fastening elements – it must coincide with the mounting holes in the toilet bowl.

It is very useful if the frame has the possibility of height adjustment – you can set the bowl at the level you need. Pay attention also to the type of coloring. The best option – powder coating. It is reliable, creates a tough durable film that holds well on the metal. All other types of paint hold up worse.

When choosing an installation for a toilet bowl, it is worth paying attention to the set. Usually together with the frame there are elements of fastening – for the suspension of the toilet bowl, fittings for fixing sewer and water pipes. Some companies in the basic set also include a cistern and a drain button. The drain, by the way, can be two-mode. It is more economical, because when pressing the big button drains 6-9 liters, small – only 3-4 liters of water. It is good if the drain is adjustable – the volume of flushed water can be adjusted to the specific shape of the toilet bowl.

Which type is better?

Which type of installation under the toilet bowl and bidet is better? The frame design is considered more reliable – it usually uses thicker metal, but it also costs more. In any case, when choosing a frame for a suspended toilet bowl, pay attention to the strength of the structure – it should not wobble, its elements should not sag. Inspect the welds and the quality of coloring – there should not be even small defects.

And a little about manufacturers. The best are considered to be installations for the toilet produced in Germany and Italy. But their sanitary ware is expensive. No worse quality equipment for bathrooms and toilets are made in the Czech Republic and Bulgaria, and the price range for their products is average. The cheapest installations and suspended toilets – Chinese, but it is risky to mess with them – can work well, and can quickly fail.

Installation of toilet installation

Installation begins after the floor is leveled. If a block type of installation is chosen, then the walls should be leveled. As already said, the installation of block installation is possible only on the wall with a good bearing capacity. Usually these are load-bearing walls, as ordinary partitions can collapse.

First of all, it is necessary to determine the place of installation of the toilet. Depending on the type of installation you will need to fix it to the floor or to the wall. To the proposed place of installation it is necessary to bring sewage pipes and water. The pipes of these systems should be located in close proximity to the selected installation site.

Next we will talk about the installation of installation for sanitary ware of the frame type.

Fix the frame to the floor

Then we put the frame on the place where it should stand, check the verticality, horizontality. Then, with a pencil or marker, make marks in the places of fastening – there are holes in the frame.

Having moved the frame according to the marks, drill holes – under the size of the fasteners. When installing in concrete, usually use dowels with hexagonal wrench flats. After the holes are made, put the frame in place, insert and screw in the dowels.

Setting the required height of the toilet bowl installation

Most toilet bowl installation frames have adjustable height. When choosing the height is considered from the level of the finished floor – in fact, from the level of the installed floor covering. If there is no floor covering yet, its thickness should be added to the required height.

To set the height, the legs of the frame are made adjustable. They are fixed with clamping bolts. To adjust, we loosen these bolts (located at the bottom of the frame on the legs), set the desired height, check the horizontality of the top bar, and then tighten the bolts again.

Fixing to the wall

Special adjustable bolts are included in the set for fixing to the wall. One end of them is fixed to the upper corners of the frame, the second end is fixed on the wall (with dowels of a suitable type).

After that, the installation for the toilet bowl is exposed strictly vertically. A construction level is applied to the side posts, turning the nut on the fastener changes the position of the frame relative to the wall.

The procedure is important, but not complicated. We set everything with maximum accuracy, check several times in all planes. Everything must be perfectly level. After adjusting the movable tongue on the fastener (in the photo it is under the finger) press in. It clamps the screw, the frame is rigidly fixed.

Groh has an additional fixer – a plastic clamp that clamps the thread. It is installed near the flag (on the photo).

Connecting sewerage and water

The next stage is the connection of the spigot, fixed on the frame, with the sewer outlet. In some sets there are factory elbows, if they are not available you will have to look for a suitable one or put a corrugated sanitary pipe.

Another option – on the frame there is a plastic clamp, in which the sewer pipe is inserted (in the photo above). In this case, the cross-section of pipes is clearly specified.

Cold water is connected to the spigot on the cistern. You can connect with any pipe, but it is important to make the connection reliable. Therefore, it is not recommended to use metal-plastic pipes with press fittings – they require periodic tightening, which in this case is problematic. That is, there are not many options – polypropylene, copper pipe, polyethylene pipes connected by soldering.

The adapter and the entrance to the cistern are connected with a flexible hose. It is also choose carefully, it is better in a braid of good stainless steel. Ideally – buy a branded hose.

Finishing work

Since any installation for a toilet bowl assumes the presence of finishing, the entire installation process is divided into two parts – before finishing and after. The first is finished, followed by finishing.

Usually the installed frame is covered with plasterboard. According to the instructions, it is required to install two sheets. First, all the dimensions are transferred to the wall, the profile is mounted along the contour, and to it the sheets of drywall are already attached.

Before starting work, it is necessary to install a box for the button on the frame. For the period of finishing work, it will protect the interior from dirt. On the sheets it is necessary to cut out several holes: for the button, sewer outlet and water inlet from the cistern, two studs for hanging the toilet bowl. To do this, the sheet cut to size is put in place, then pencil around all the necessary elements. According to the drawn contour, holes are cut out. Having prepared two sheets, they are installed and fastened to the previously mounted frame. After installing the GPB, tiles are laid on the glue.

Installing the button and hanging the bowl

After finishing, the box under the button is cut – its edges should be at the same level with the tiles. The cut-off cover exposes two bolt holes. It is on them that the button for the drain will be held.

Before installation, a hose (if the drain is pneumatic) or a cable (if the drain is mechanical) is connected to the button. Then it is installed in place and tightened with two bolts (at the corners diagonally or as in the photo opposite each other).

Installation of the bowl begins with the installation of the gasket. It is put on the studs. Holes for the sewer and water drainage in a circle are treated with sanitary silicone.

Next, install the spigots in the toilet bowl and hang the whole construction on the studs. Put rubber gaskets on the protruding studs and tighten the bolts.

You can consider that the wall-hung toilet bowl is installed. The final touches are left – cut off the excess rubber lining. You can do it with a sharp paper knife. Just run along the contour of the bowl, cutting off the excess.

For better sealing, the joint is lubricated with silicone. After laying the strip, it is immediately smoothed, the excess is immediately washed off. It is better to smooth it with something smooth and rounded, for example, the handle of a teaspoon. That’s all, you can check the work.

Video on installation of toilet installations of different companies