What materials are toilet bowls made of?

The correct choice of the material from which the plumbing is made is of key importance in the operation of any equipment, including such a necessary thing as a toilet bowl. The appearance, service life and comfortable use of the model depend on this parameter. Manufacturers offer many options, but, first of all, it will not hurt to understand the characteristics of different types of materials, their pros and cons.

The most affordable and popular material is sanitary ware. He is a mixture of quartz and white clay, since kaolin is able to absorb water, the product must be glazed. The structure gets hardness and strength due to firing at temperatures above +1000 degrees. Perhaps, it is one of the oldest materials that appeared and was used for the manufacture of sanitary ware in time immemorial.

The attractiveness of earthenware for buyers lies in its impact resistance, which is almost the same as that of porcelain in terms of performance, despite the more expensive cost of the latter. In addition, in appearance, earthenware toilets are practically indistinguishable from porcelain, they are made in different colors, and can have an interesting shape. The undoubted advantage is the resistance of earthenware to aggressive household chemicals. But the main advantage is, of course, the low price due to the simple production technology. In addition, such a product is ideal not only for home, but also for summer cottages.

The disadvantages are the following:

• relatively short service life;
• porosity of the material, due to which contamination cannot be simply washed off with water, the use of cleaning agents is required;
• Over time, limescale and a hard layer of urea, emitting an unpleasant odor, form on the material.

To make their toilet truly exquisite, many people prefer the more expensive and high-quality material - porcelain. It has a number of unique characteristics that explain this preference, namely:

• porcelain sanitary ware looks more presentable and is considered elite;
• the high quality of the material is evidenced by its strength, which allows it to withstand significant mechanical stress, as well as wear resistance and durability (up to 50 years of use);
• even a white porcelain toilet attracts with its beauty, but there is an opportunity to choose other rare colors to make the bathroom original;
• for the manufacture of a porcelain device, high-quality clay is taken, and as it is manufactured, the product is covered with compounds that give it a beautiful gloss and water resistance;
• due to the smooth surface of the material, the care of the toilet is assumed to be simple, without the use of household chemicals.

Models of metal toilets are not in wide demand, and there are reasons for this. Steel products are usually used in public places - in cafes, trains and airplanes, because they have the necessary lightness.... Cast iron devices are unpopular due to the low strength of the enamel, which is prone to damage - the formation of cracks and chips. In addition, they are too heavy, which is difficult to install and transport.

An additional disadvantage that prevents the placement of such equipment in living quarters is their appearance, which is not always in harmony with the interior of the toilet.

Meanwhile, anti-vandal metal (stainless steel) has many advantages that are worth paying attention to, namely:

• steel models are lightweight and can be delivered from the store on their own;
• due to their lightness, installation is simplified;
• plumbing made of steel does not rust, in addition, it can withstand large mechanical loads without being deformed and destroyed;
• the characteristic metallic luster of the product will not fade over time;
• a stainless steel toilet bowl is not afraid of critical temperature drops;
• maintenance of the equipment is extremely simple, since the material is devoid of porosity, and any dirt is washed off from a smooth surface without effort;
• such models cannot become a source of pathogens, since plaque does not form on them.

A positive characteristic of a metal structure is considered resistance to acids and alkalis - as a result, even aggressive chemicals can be used for cleaning, although in most cases this is not necessary. The disadvantage of porcelain is its high price.

In modern life polyvinyl chloride is used for the manufacture of a huge number of things, and its scope is constantly expanding. At the moment, toilet bowls are also successfully produced from polymer material. Another thing is that such plumbing is not intended for home use, but a plastic toilet is perfect for a country house.

The affordability of models in this category is already a significant advantage over other modifications, including those made from earthenware. Therefore, plastic is a cost-effective material when you need to install an outdoor toilet.

Other advantages of plastic models are as follows:

• polymeric materials, including acrylic, have sufficient strength and can withstand heavy weight;
• plastic is highly wear-resistant and is not damaged at high temperatures;
• a smooth and even surface is easily cleaned, is not subject to the accumulation of plaque, and therefore, pathogenic flora;
• high quality plastic does not absorb odors;
• plumbing is lightweight, so its installation does not cause difficulties, in fact, like dismantling, which is important for suburban life;
• polymer models have a wide range of different colors and shapes;
• we can say that plastic toilets are distinguished by a certain ease of use.

Despite all the advantages, reinforced plastic toilets are not devoid of the following disadvantages that must be considered:

• the service life is much shorter than that of models made of other materials;
• plumbing does not tolerate the effects of cleaning agents that include abrasive particles;
• in order to eliminate unpleasant odors, the country plastic toilet will have to be additionally equipped with a ventilation pipe and a lid, since, due to the lack of flushing, a device without a siphon is usually purchased.

When the bathroom is tiled with natural stone tiles, it’s not surprising that filling the room requires plumbing to match the chosen design. And since there is a demand for such products, they are available in different versions, new, more effective, high-quality and improved models appear every year. For manufacturing, the material obtained from mixing acrylic resin and mineral chips - marble, granite, quartz. Depending on its type, the appearance of the product also changes, repeating the characteristic features of natural stone.

The undoubted advantages of the product are as follows:

• plumbing has a special coating that makes it hygienic and protects it from damage;
• the material does not absorb dirt and unpleasant odors;
• the structure acquires auxiliary strength due to various additives;
• a toilet bowl, which is made of artificial material, is much lighter in weight than a ceramic or natural stone structure;
• the undoubted advantage lies in the cost of artificial stone.

Toilet bowls are made not only of metal, faience or stone - there are creative plumbing fixtures made of wood, glass and other materials. Various original models, sometimes unreasonably expensive and even ridiculous, but for some they are acceptable, which means that they will be produced in the future. Several examples are worth noting.

• Golden toilet - it is obvious that it is not made of real gold, but gold plating or the use of gold paint is allowed. In most cases, it is based on earthenware or metal, most often it is the same steel, which means that it differs in similar characteristics.

• Toilet bowls are no less interesting in their appearance, decorated with silver mosaic or gold painting... The main material used for their production is glazed ceramics of the corresponding color.

• Talking about elite wooden models, it should be clarified - they are created on the basis of earthenware or porcelain covered with glaze imitating noble species of dark and light wood, with the exception of the seat, which can be made of natural expensive wood. Such products can cost from 60 thousand to 150 thousand rubles. and be equipped with high quality filling and fittings.

• Strained glass it is also used as a material for plumbing, it looks beautiful, but has a significant drawback - the structure needs careful care, and not only its outer, but also the inner part will have to be cleaned - as it is used, dirt also accumulates inside, which must be removed, which is quite enough hard. Glass models suggest different colors, black is especially popular. We will not say anything about the aesthetics of a transparent toilet, but the strength characteristics of such plumbing are very doubtful.

For information on what material to choose the toilet from, see the next video.