Each design project moss tackles has unique features and needs, so we rarely default to a design we’ve used many times before. A wall hung toilet, however, is a great solution that we like to suggest nearly everywhere. There is so much to love about this idea that we have to think really hard before specifying anything else. Here’s why!
Why a Wall Hung Toilet?
More Space
Bathrooms are often smaller than we’d like. When remodeling, especially, we often have to squeeze them into existing spaces as efficiently as possible. Whether we are turning an old pantry into a powder room or trying to maximize floor area in a new master bath, its rare to feel like there is too much extra square footage in a bathroom. A wall hung toilet frees up a crucial few square feet for other features … or just for extra breathing room.
More Accessible
That extra floor space can be crucial for someone with disabilities trying to maneuver in the bathroom. Removing the pedestal base makes it easier for wheel chair footrests to pass under the bowl. Plus, the wall mount means that you can always choose at installation to mount the toilet at an ideal accessible height, rather than being limited by the design of the unit to a specific seat height.
Cleaner in Appearance
As fans of a modern aesthetic, we often find it frustrating – and counter-intuitive – that modern style fixtures and finishes are often the most expensive. Why should a clean, simple design be harder to produce? Toilets are one of the most pernicious examples of being fussier and more “traditional” looking than they need to be. One exception is the wall hung toilet. Plenty of floor mounted toilets ARE cheaper but, once you get into the wall hung toilet models, all models tend to be more modern in appearance, regardless of price point. In short, we love the look.
Actually … just Cleaner
Plus … they are actually cleaner – as in, tidier, less grimy, and less germ-y. Bathrooms have the potential to be a little gross. We all prefer to use a loo that is as hygienic as possible – but with a minimum amount of labor. Having the toilet tank in the wall means it can’t gather dust and grime. Keeping the toilet up off the floor makes cleaning the toilet and the floor both much easier and minimizes those icky connections that always seem to need another scrubbing to feel really clean.
Would we ever specify a Standard Floor Mount Toilet?
There are a few (totally reasonable) reasons not to consider replace a standard unit with a new wall hung toilet.
For one, it isn’t necessary to replace something that still works fine with something new just for the sake of newness – remember how we don’t like to provoke unnecessary waste?
In some of our projects, particularly in condo or high rise buildings, it isn’t possible to adjust the existing plumbing stack without doing a lot of damage to neighboring units. When the bathroom floor plan – or at least the toilet location – isn’t changing from the previous layout, it can be easier to stick to a floor mounted toilet. This is also true if the toilet is oriented against a demising – or dividing between tenants – wall which can’t be opened up during construction.
Enclosing the tank in the wall does make it harder to mess with after the fact. While we have NO COMPLAINTS about the performance of the in-wall toilet tanks we’ve specified, if a building had an old and finicky plumbing system (and there wasn’t time or budget to update all of it) it could be wiser to keep as much of the toilet plumbing as accessible as possible.
Why Toto?
There are starting to be a wide range of wall hung toilet models on the market. This Remodelista article 10 Easy Pieces: Wall-Mounted Toilets lists a handful of styles and manufacturers.
Still, we have a clear favorite, and it is the Toto Aquia Wall Hung Toilet.
We make no bones about belonging to the Cult of the Toto Toilet that the New York Times described in their November 2015 feature. The Toto Aquia is one of the sleeker models around. The Toto toilet is just that – the bowl that hangs off the wall. We generally pair it with the Geberit Durofix in-wall toilet tank which is compatible with Aquia’s dual flush system, meaning you can choose one of two options when you flush, saving water when you can. Remember that flushing toilets account for the biggest chunk (27%) of household water use. Everything Toilets sings its praises, mentioning the “patent SanaGloss ceramic glaze … designed to help prevent debris and mildew,” which is another great feature. In short … its a pretty great toilet suitable for residential AND commercial purposes.
When you are going to the trouble of renovating your home or business to the point of re-configuring the plumbing, you have a stellar opportunity to switch to a wall hung toilet. We think you should. You’ll enjoy it every single day.
