Floor toilet installation

A floor-standing close-coupled toilet, with the cistern sitting on the pan, is still the most common choice in blocks of flats and for renovations without chasing walls. It is simpler to fit than a concealed frame, but it has its traps: a waste outlet in a different place from the old toilet, an uneven floor, and a waste connection that only starts leaking a few days later.

What floor toilet installation covers

• matching the waste: a bend or pan connector with a seal to the pipe in the floor or wall;
• positioning the pan, marking and drilling the holes and fixing it to the floor;
• fitting the cistern, fill valve and seat;
• connecting the hose to the isolation valve and setting the water level in the cistern;
• a test: several flushes and checking for leaks at the waste and under the cistern.

Floor or wall outlet

Toilets differ in their outlet. In older blocks the waste often comes up through the floor, in newer ones out of the wall. Before buying, check which outlet you have and how far it is from the wall, because that decides which pan will fit without alterations. The handyman can use a flexible connector, but moving the waste by more than a few centimetres is a plumbing job.

Silicone and finishing

The pan is sealed to the floor with sanitary silicone, but a short gap is left at the back. If it ever starts leaking at the waste, the water comes out in front of the toilet where you will spot it at once, instead of soaking under the tiles.

Common questions