Buying a bathroom can be a big decision, one where having the right information can be invaluable.

At Victorian Bathrooms we hope to be able to help you find that information in several ways.

1. Using this Advice page
2. Asking for information using our Online request Form
3. Contacting us direct.

Just click on one of the links below to be taken to that section, or scroll down the page and browse the information.

• Toilets and Bidets

  • Types of Toilet
  • Bidets

• Basins

  • Types of Basin

• Taps

  • Tap Holes
  • Types of Tap
  • Bath Taps
  • Basin Taps

• Baths

  • Types of Bath
  • Bath Sizes and Shapes

• Showers and Water Systems

  • Water Systems
  • Shower Valves
  • Shower Trays
  • Shower Tray Shapes
  • Shower Enclosure Doors

• Bathroom Conversion Calculator

  • BTUs and Watts
  • Lengths Conversions
  • Tiling Area Calculator
  • Area Conversions

 

Toilets and Bidets

Types of Toilet

There are 5 types of toilets currently available in the UK.

Wall Hung

This type of toilet has the pan hanging on the wall and the cistern concealed in the wall behind it. You do however need to ensure that the pan is supported properly when fitted either by the use of special floor mounting brackets or the use of a framework. A wall hung pan minimizes the impact of the WC on the design of the room.

  Wall Hung Toilet   Wall Hung Toilet Frame and Concealed Cistern

Back to Wall

This type of toilet is used mainly when having fitted furniture. As with the wall hung toilet the cistern is concealed inside the furniture but the pan is sat on the floor. Alternatively you may have the cistern concealed in a false wall depending on the look you are trying to achieve.

  Back to Wall Toilet   Back to wall Toilet with Furniture

Close Coupled

This is the most common type of toilet in the UK. This type of toilet has the pan and cistern joined together. The advantage of this type is that the pan has a splash back built onto it where it joins the cistern.

  Close Coupled Toilet   Contemporary Close Coupled Toilet

Low Level

This type of toilet has a freestanding pan and the cistern sits approx 900mm or 36inches up the wall with a short flush pipe in between the two pieces.

They are most commonly sold with traditional bathrooms and have a chrome or gold flush pipe.  They are generally priced at 50% to 60% higher in price than a close coupled toilet.

  Low Level Toilet   Another Low Level Toilet

High Level

This type was popular in the Victorian era and is associated most closely with bathrooms of that period. The pan is free standing and the cistern sits on the wall approx 1800mm or 6 feet up the wall with a chrome or gold flush pipe and a chain pull flush. Sold mainly for the aesthetic value, all toilets in the UK now have to flush using 3 and 6 litres of water. It makes no difference which type you buy, they all use this amount and as a consequence the high level and low level flush no better than the close coupled toilets.

  High Level Toilet   High Level Toilet Flush Kit

Bidets

Bidets are not that common in the UK as we are not normally raised to use them. However for those that do have and use them there are a few points to consider. For a bidet to work effectively they have to be fitted next to a toilet-not at the other side of the room or several feet away. A UK bidet comes with the tap fitted on the top and is usually a mono bloc mixer.  

  A Typical Bidet

 
 
 

Basins

Types of basin

Basins are often refered to as "sinks".There are 6 main type of basin available in the UK.

Basin and Full Pedestal

This is where the basin sits on full size pedestal and is the most common type in the UK. Normally the waste pipe and hot and cold water pipes run through the pedestal and into the floor.

  basin and Pedestal   Contemporary Basin and Pedestal

Basin and Semi Pedestal

This is where the basin sits on a half height pedestal which does not reach the floor.When recommending this type of unit care should be taken to ensure that the client has the type of pipe work arrangement necessary to install the basin. i.e the pipe work must come up the wall as opposed to through the floor.

  Semi Pedestal Basin

Cloakroom Basin

These are usually fitted without a pedestal, as they are normally very small basins. The wall hung ones are normally fitted with a decorative bottle trap.

  Cloakroom Basin   Designer Bottle Trap

Semi-recessed Basin

This type of basin has a bow in the front but the underside has been cut away to produce a flat area. This is because this type of basin is usually fitted into a worktop.

  Semi-Recessed Basin

Counter Top Basin

This type of basin is either round or oval and fits into a hole cut into a worktop.

  Counter Top Basin

Under Slung Basin

The type of basin is fitted under the hole in the worktop. This means that the worktop has to be a solid surface material, such a marble or stone.

  Under Mount Basin  Undermount Basin underneath worktop

Taps

Tap Holes

Basins come with one, two or three tap holes.

• One tap hole.

  This type of basin uses a mono bloc mixer, which normally incorporates a pop-up waste.

• Two tap hole.

  The most common type of tap configuration has a separate hot and cold tap with a plug and chain waste.

• Three tap hole.

  There are two type of tap arrangement that can be fitted to this type of tap-hole arrangement. Either a three-hole mixer which is a hot and cold valve head and a separate spout, usually fitted with a pop up waste. Or you could fit a pair of basin taps and what is known as a chain stay waste. A chain stay waste uses a plug and chain but the chain is held in place by a disc, which is fitted into the middle of the three holes.

 
 
 

Types of Tap

Bath Taps

Pair of Bath Taps

The most common form of taps for baths, one tap for hot water and one for cold. The cold tap is normally on the right and the hot on the left.

  Traditional Pair of bath Taps   Contemporary Pair of Bath Taps

Bath Filler Deck Mounted

This type of tap has the hot and cold-water taps combined onto one mixer block. The advantage of a mixer over a pair of taps is the ability to mix the water to the desired temperature whilst the bath is filling.

  Bath Filler

Three Hole Bath Filler

This is where the spout is separate to the bath tap valves. In this case you have a hot and cold valve and the spout is mounted either in the centre between the two valves or mounted in the corner.

  3 Hole Bath Filler

Bath Shower Mixers

This is the same as the bath fillers but has a shower hose and handset attached. These types of showers are designed for washing hair or rinsing the bath.

  Traditional Bath Shower Mixer Tap   Contemporary Bath Shower Mixer Tap

4 and 5 Hole Bath Shower Mixers

These are the same as the three hole mixers but the four-hole mixers have a handset that sits on the bath with the hose under the bath rim. The shower is switched on by means of a diverter button mounted on the bath spout. The five hole mixer works in the same way but has a separate diverter mounted on the bath, not on the bath spout.

  4 Hole Mixer Taps   5 Hole Mixer Taps

Wall Mounted Bath Filler

This is where the mixer is mounted on the wall above the bath and not on the bath rim.

  Wall Mounted Bath Filler

Overflow Bath Filler

This is similar to the three-hole bath filler but whereas the three hole has a spout the overflow filler has the hot and cold valves on the rim of the bath and the filler is the overflow fitting which also doubles up as the pop up waste.

  Overflow Bath Filler

 
 
 

Basin Taps

Pair of Basin Taps

This is where you have a separate hot and cold tap on the basin with the cold tap usually on the right and the hot on the left. This is the most common configuration for taps on a basin. This type of basin normally has a plug and chain waste like the bath taps.

  Pair of Basin Taps   Another Pair of Basin Taps

Basin Mono-Bloc Mixer Taps

This is where the hot and cold taps are mounted on a single tap bloc in the centre of the basin. This type of tap normally has a pop-up waste supplied as part of the tap.

  Basin Mono-Bloc Mixer Tap   Basin Mono-Bloc Mixer Tap 2

Single Lever Basin Mixer Taps

These types of tap are very similar to the mono bloc taps. Both the hot and cold water supply are controlled by a single lever( as suggested by the name) turning to the right for cold water and to the left for hot water. They can also be mixed to give a useable temperature of water.

  Single Lever Basin Mixer Tap   Another Single Lever Basin Mixer Tap

3 Tap Hole Basin Mixer Taps

As with the bath arrangement you have a spout in the middle and a separate hot and cold valve on either side. This type of arrangement has a pop up waste.
On a three tap-hole basin you can also fit a pair of basin taps and in the central hole fit a chain stay basin waste - this is where the plug chain is attached to a disc which fits over the middle hole.

  3 Hole Basin Mixer Tap

 
 
 

Baths

Types of Bath

There are 4 main types of bath that are commonly sold in the bathroom industry.

Cast Iron Baths

This is the material from which most baths used to be made and is now most commonly used for free standing baths. The weight of a standard cast iron bath filled with water is in the region of 25 stones. The bath is usually fitted with four legs which means that the weight on each leg on the floor is approximately 6.25 stones. As we walk across the floor foot to foot we actually weigh more that this.

  Cast Iron Bath   Contemporary Cast Iron Bath

Acrylic Baths

This is the most common material now used to produce baths in the UK and Europe. Acrylic comes in several thicknesses most commonly 3mm, 5mm, 8mm and 10mm. There is a misconception that the thicker the acrylic the stronger the bath. This is not so. The acrylic is there only to hold the colour and maintain a waterproof barrier. The strength of the bath comes from the glass-reinforced plastic, which is sprayed on the underside of the bath. They normally have a full encapsulated baseboard. This is normally a chipboard base that supports the bottom of the bath.

Armour Plus

Four great reasons to choose armour plus. Armour plus is a special process which has been developed for making a very rigid, super strong acrylic bath. This process produces the modern equivalent of the old cast iron bath but with a better surface and a warmer touch. How is this done?

• Layer 1- outer surface. High gloss acrylic. Solid colour won’t fade or rub off.
• Layer 2- glass reinforced polyester provides strength and high impact resistance.
• Layer 3- special mix of polyester resin and glass fibre increases rigidity.
• Layer 4- blue mix of polyester resins seals the shell and completes the lamination. Whereas most acrylic baths are constructed in 2 layers armour plus baths have 4. Each one is designed to provide extra strength exactly where it is needed.

  Acrylic Bath   Double Skin Acrylic Bath

Stone Resin Baths

QUARRYCAST is a high performance mineral crystal composite that comes a naturally high gloss brilliant white finish. In tests QUARRYCAST outperforms both cast-iron and acrylic, having no layers or surface coatings to chip, delaminate, creak under pressure or wear away. Warm to the touch, the special insulating properties of QUARRYCAST keeps your bathwater at the right temperature for longer. Add a dash of colour or keep classic white, QUARRYCAST allows you to paint the exterior. Backed up by a 25 year domestic guarantee, QUARRYCAST means that it’s easy to maintain - a light polish keeps the surface as good as new. All of these baths require a specific waste.

  Stone Resin Bath   Stone Resin Bath with Towel Rail

Pressed Steel Baths

This is where a layer of steel several millimetres thick is coated with a stove-enameled surface. They are most commonly used in hotels and commercial premises. As the material of the bath is very thin they tend to cool down very quickly. They also tend to be very plain in shape due to the manufacturing restrictions of the material.

 
 
 

Bath Sizes and Shapes

There are a multitude of bath shapes and sizes available in the UK at present but they break down into several groups.

Rectangular Single Ended Baths

This is the most common style of bath with the taps at one end. The most common size is 1700 x 700. They are however produced in sizes ranging from 1200 x 750 to 2000 x 1200.

  Single Ended Bath

Rectangular Double Ended Baths

These are becoming more popular in the UK, rounded at both ends with the taps in the middle bringing a different design to your bathroom. Again these come in a variety of sizes. .

  Double Ended Bath

Corner Baths

There are two mains types of corner bath: equal sided and offset, where one side is longer than the other. Two equal sided corner baths are usually available 1100 x 1100, 1200 x 1200, 1300 x 1300, 1400 x 1400 and 1500 x 1500. The offset corner baths are usually available in two sizes 1500 x 900 and 1500 x 1000. They are available with or without a seat in the corner.

  Corner Bath   Offset Corner bath

Shower Baths

These baths have a larger area at one end to allow for more room for showering. They are usually supplied with a bath screen made especially for the shape of the bath.

  Shower Bath   Shower Bath 2

Space Saver Baths

These baths are made to a special shape usually thinner at one end to allow for more room to fit furniture or make more room for pottery or even a shower cubicle.

  Space Saver Bath

 
 
 

Showers and Water Systems

Water Systems

There are several types of showers available in the UK and the type you choose has a lot to do with the type of hot and cold water supply that the customer has in their house. These are the types of domestic water systems most commonly available.

Gravity Feed (Low Pressure)

This type of water system usually has a direct mains cold water feed. The hot water is provided by means of a hot water cylinder (copper) sited in an airing cupboard and a cold water cistern (tank) sited either above the cylinder or in the loft. To use a mixer shower with this type of system the cold water tank needs to be sited at least three feet (0.1 bar) above the shower head/handset.

Pumped Gravity Feed Systems

This type of system can be altered to create a power shower by the use of adding a pump. There are many types of pumps but which pump you require depends on the products being purchased by the customer. The only pumps that should ever concern you in bathroom sales are,

• 1.5 bar - gives the same pressure as a combi-boiler to run most showers.
• 3 bar - this pump will run any multi function handsets and body jets.
• House pump - usually provided to pump both high pressure tap fittings and multiple bathrooms.

Combi Boiler , Multi-Point

This type of water system has a mains feed cold water supply. The hot water is provided by an instantaneous gas boiler. The boiler either does both the hot water and central heating ( combi-boiler), or it does just the hot water only (multi-point). With this type of system you will achieve a pressure of 1.5bar approximately. You cannot use a pump to power the shower with a combi - boiler. However as the hot and cold water is supplied under pressure(1.5bar) you already have the equivalent of a power shower.

Bars of Pressure

• 0.1bar = 1m
• 0.2bar = 2m
• 1.5bar = 15m
• 3bar = 30m and so on..

Pressurised Water System , Unvented (High Pressure)

This type of water system has a mains cold water supply. The hot water supply is from a hot water cylinder which is supplied by full mains pressure of 175 feet (2.5bar approximately). This type of system provides you with sufficient pressure to run any type of shower, body jets and multi function headsets.

 
 
 

Shower Valves

There are 2 main types of shower valves.

Concealed

This type of shower valve must be fitted in a cavity of approx 100mm. All fittings are concealed with only the front fascia and controls on show.

  Concealed Shower Valve

Exposed

This type of valve has all the fittings outside of the wall, usually needed if no cavity is available, thus meaning only the hot and cold water pipes are to be hidden in the wall.

  Exposed Shower Valve

 
 
 

Shower Trays

Stone Resin

Stone resin trays are by far the most common trays available. The low cost of producing the moulds for the trays makes then the most versatile in size. They are available in both legged and un-legged format (the most common being without legs).

Acrylic

Modern acrylic trays are generally built to a very high standard and are fully reinforced. All acrylic trays are on adjustable legs and so are ideal in applications where a solid floor such a concrete is on site. The result of this higher built quality is that acrylic trays are not an inexpensive option.

 
 
 

Shower Tray Shapes

The most common are the square, rectangle, pentangle (penta- or five-sided) and the quadrant (quad of quarter circle). Which are available in a variety of sizes. 

  Square   Quadrant   Penta   Square Penta   Rectangle

 
 
 

Shower Doors and Enclosures

Shower doors and enclosures come in a variety of shapes and sizes. As with pottery the cost and quality of the units depend on the materials used in the construction and the design. Normally the thicker the glass the more expensive the shower cubicle. Less expensive enclosures generally use glass in the thickness range of 3mm to 5mm. This thickness of glass will always have a metal framework surrounding it to support the weight of the glass. The mid to upper market enclosures have glass in the thickness range of 6mm to 8mm. This type of cubicle generally has very little framework surrounding it or even none at all. The build quality of ancillary parts such as hinges and seals is also important, as these are the parts that wear the fastest with day to day use and will result in leaks.

Pivot and Hinged Doors

These work in the same way, in that they open outwards as a single piece of glass. With the pivot door the hinges are at the top and bottom of the door. The hinged door has the hinges on the side of the door. This does mean however that when the door is open, the opening on the hinged door is wider than that of the pivot door.

Bi-Fold and In-Fold Doors

These two doors both open inwards. The bi-fold door is hinged in the center and as the name suggests folds exactly in the middle. These are usually more appropriate for smaller bathrooms and confined spaces.

Sliding Doors

These doors slide on rollers back and forth to open or close. Again, useful for confined spaces.

Quadrant Enclosures

These enclosures are shaped like the quarter of a circle. They usually have a single sliding or twin sliding door. The design value of these enclosures give the bathroom the illusion of space saving due to the corner being removed.

 
 
 

BTU Calculator

To give the approximate heat output required for a room you need to…
Firstly measure the length(l) width(w) & height(h) of the bathroom in meters.
The standard height of a bathroom is approx 2.4m (8ft)

Length (m)

Width (m)

Height (m)

BTU

BTU-Watts / Watts-BTU Convertor

BTU

Watts

Inches-mm / mm-Inches Convertor

Inches

mm

Feet & Inches-mm / mm-Feet & Inches Convertor

Feet	Inches
mm

Tiling Area Calculator

Wall 1 width (m)

Wall 2 width (m)

Wall 3 width (m)

Wall 4 width (m)

Wall Height (m)

Tiling Area (m2)

Square Yards-Square Meters/Square Meters-Square Yards Convertor

Square Yards

Square Meters

script by Ken Bearpark
(c) Victorian Bathrooms