Everything You Need To Know About Wall Hung Toilets

What is a Wall Hung Toilet?

A wall hung toilet is simply a toilet that is attached to the wall instead of the floor. The toilet’s cistern is hidden behind it, as part of the wall. Because of this, the toilet’s flusher is often a panel on said wall, rather than a button on the cistern. The toilet has the appearance of hovering because it is fixed to the wall.

You may be asking yourself, how does a wall hung toilet work? They work like any other, it’s just that the basic components are slightly rearranged. The cistern is held within a metal frame within the wall instead of being attached at the top of the pan. Nevertheless, the cisterns pipes still connect to the pan, just in the gap hidden by the pan’s affixture to the wall.

The pan is affixed to the frame by being bolted to threaded screws that make use of a multi-point system to spread the weight over a larger, manageable surface area, allowing it to stay aloft.

Durovin even make Wall Hung Bidets which can act as your accompanying cleaning station. These work just as wall hung toilets do, by being fixed to a frame hidden in the wall.

Is a Wall Hung Toilet Worth It?

Yes. If you want a quieter experience with a modern aesthetic that is also extremely hygienic, the rimless wall hung toilet is perfect for you.

Hanging your toilet on the wall means the sound of its flush does not travel through the floor anywhere near as much as it would if it were affixed to the floor. This is because sound travels at its fastest when travelling through solids. By hanging the toilet midair, the sound of the flush must first travel through the air underneath. Sound travels at its slowest when travelling through gas. This gives the sound plenty of time to disperse and means it is much less likely to travel around the home.

It is also extremely aesthetically pleasing, as it looks modern and stylized. Not just functional, but fashionable too. It hides the cistern in the wall, immediately giving it a sleeker, more streamlined look. Coupled with the fact it is suspended in the air gives it the impression of being from the future. It can complete the look of a bathroom. Maybe you are cultivating a minimalist style and the lack of cistern and ground connection allows the toilet to be one of your minimalist fixtures. Maybe you’re pushing a modern look, complete with cool steel tones and sharp angles, in that case, this more futuristic looking toilet is perfect for your bathroom.

When installing your wall hanging toilet you can choose to build a false wall around the frame or install it directly into a stud wall. This amount of customizability means you can have your toilet fit your bathroom how you desire. It gives ample opportunity to save space and give you more room to relax on the toilet or decorate further. This is because if you build it into a stud wall you instantly save space by having the cistern hidden within the wall. You can further capitalize on this by installing a short projection wall hung toilet, which protrudes off of the wall less, saving even more space. A short projection toilet is considered to be any toilet that features less than 650mm between its furthest edge and the wall. When you consider some toilets take up 800mm, you can see how a short projection wall hung toilet can save you a lot of space.

As well as this, because of the streamlined design, the wall hung toilet is more hygienic. It is more accessible for cleaning, as its base is lifted from the ground, exposing more cleanable surface area than the grounded alternative. Plus, because the cistern and piping are hidden, there is less surface area to collect grime and then require cleaning.

If you’d like to do some further research, we discussed the pros and cons of both wall hung toilet pans and close coupled toilet pans in our article Toilet Pans: Everything You Need To Know.

Is a Wall Hung Toilet Safe?

Yes, they are extremely safe. The average wall hung toilet can hold up to 500 pounds! That means that even the average panda bear, coming in at 333 pounds, could sit on one without a worry. Considering the average human weighs 136 pounds, it’s safe to say the average person can consistently use one without issue. However, always check your weight before installing one, you don’t want to find out you’re too heavy and feel bamboozled.

Like all installations, a wall hung toilet can be compromised by its surroundings. It is important you install the toilet on a strong enough wall and build the frame to the exact specification.

The minimum required wall thickness for a wall hunk toilet is six inches. This is so there is enough wall to act as an anchor for your toilet. If the wall was less thick, you could cause extreme damage to your home, your toilet and yourself.

While six inches is the minimum, ten inches is the preferred standard of thickness. This is because it offers more weight to levy against the toilet. Most modern buildings are now built with ten inch walls, but it is always important to check the thickness of your walls before attempting install a wall hung toilet.

Another important guide is that you shouldn’t install a wall hung toilet in a wall that is liable to drop below freezing as it could cause freezing in the toilet, which could in turn cause the toilet to crack.

How High Should a Wall Hung Toilet Be?

On average, if you measure from the rim of the bowl to the floor, a wall hung toilet should be between 14 and 19 inches off the ground. This is to fit the average sitting height. However, this is not a hard and fast rule. Your home may require a higher or lower toilet for a multitude of reasons and as long as it is reasonably fitted to the frame, this is perfectly acceptable. Be sure not to fit it too high though, you still need to reach it!

It is always important to appreciate the needs of your household, so it would be a good idea to find out the comfortable sitting height of those who will use the toilet often. That way your toilet can be comfortable for all who need it. You can find out your comfortable sitting height by measuring how high your body is off the floor when you feel your best while sitting.

Which Is Better Between A Wall Hung Toilet And A Floor Mounted Toilet?

It is easy to imagine these two types of toilets as fated rivals, battling for supremacy. However, the truth is they suit different lifestyles. A wall hung toilet has an adjustable height, meaning it is more practical for the elderly and disabled. However, a ground based toilet is easier to repair thanks to its’ exposed cistern. It is important to choose a toilet based on your lifestyle and your needs.

It is important to keep in mind however that you can obtain a wall hung toilet fixing kit that will make maintenance considerably easier. If worry over potential maintenance is stopping you from taking the plunge with a wall hung toilet, don’t let it as you have a variety of maintenance options at your disposal.

What Are The Disadvantages Of Wall Hung Toilets

The disadvantages of wall hung toilets are simple and twofold.

Installing Wall Hung Toilets

Installing a wall hung toilet can be quite difficult, even for an experience plumber. This is because of the need of a toilet frame, as well as the necessity to either build out or build into a wall. This tricky and potentially time consuming install can be off-putting for some. However, if you want a meatier DIY challenge and a modern toilet, this is perfect for you.

The Price Of Wall Hung Toilets

Wall hung toilets naturally cost more than their predecessors, the floor mounted toilet. This is because they are newer and have benefits like being easy to clean and having a hidden cistern. Price comparison is an important step to shopping and shouldn’t be missed, however don’t give in to analysis paralysis. If you think the benefits of a wall hung toilet are ideal for you, then buy a wall hung toilet.

Do Wall Hung Toilets Leak?

Like all toilets, it is possible for wall hung toilets to leak. However, this is not common and usually due to incorrect installation. For example, if the toilet feels loose against the wall, it is not installed properly and this can lead to a leak. As well as this, it is important to doublecheck that all pipes and fittings are secure behind the wall hung toilet before putting the fake wall across them. So, make sure you test for leaks before installing the wall cover!

Which Is Better, An Oval Or Square Wall Hung Toilet?

There are benefits to both, but it will come down to your preference between comfort and space saving. Oval toilets are generally considered more comfortable as they tend to have longer, more accommodating projections. Square toilets are often more space saving as they have shorter projections off of the wall. Ask yourself what you value most in your space and follow that deduction. Don’t forget to think about style too! Curved lines have a more classical bathroom connotation while straight lines have a more modern evocation.

Where Can I Get a Wall Hung Toilet?

You’re in luck, Durovin Bathrooms has a large stock of fantastic rimless wall hung toilets for sale. If you’re looking to freshen up your bathroom, a wall hung toilet could be the final piece to the puzzle. Our toilets come with soft close lids, large P-Traps and anti-bacterial three layer glazing, making them the best option for you.

We also sell amazing wall hung basins to round out the aesthetic of your bathroom. The benefits of a wall hung basin are very similar to those of a wall hung toilet, they’re less noisy, easier to clean and give the bathroom a modern look that compliments the lifestyle of today.

Wall Hung Toilet Cisterns

Now, if you’re trying to get the right wall hung toilet, you need the right wall hung toilet cistern. If you are buying your wall hung cistern separately from your toilet, then you need to make sure that the piping from the concealed cistern is the correct dimension to attach to your wall hung toilet.

We also recommend you invest in a wall hung cistern with dual flush. Dual flush cisterns are fantastic as they allow you to choose how much water you use when flushing. This is great for saving water and therefore money. It also reinforces that modern feeling wall hung fixtures give your bathroom.

Remember, a concealed cistern wall hung toilet is nothing without the concealed cistern, so invest in the right cistern for you.

How Do I Install a Wall Hung Toilet Frame?

Before you install a wall hung toilet, you must install the wall hung toilet frame. We recommend Grohe Toilet Frames. Your first step when installing your wall hung toilet frame is to decide where you want your toilet to be and whether you need to put the frame within the wall or build a fake wall around it.

Pick whatever will suit the aesthetic of your bathroom best. It may look odd to have an extra piece of wall bulging out of your room, or it may be the perfect addition to compartmentalize the space. You will also have to take into consideration what kinds of walls your bathroom has. For example, a thick stud wall is most ideal as it provides anchorage, but also the space behind to hide the cistern. If you build your frame into a regular wall, you might find yourself with a cistern in your bedroom!

Once you’ve decided where you are going to install your frame, you must assemble the frame. The frame is made of many metal bars that can be bolted together to form a shape akin to two capital “H”’s stacked on top of each other. Once you have assembled this frame, you need to connect the cistern to it. Lay the frame down on the floor and place the cistern onto it. You can now fasten the cistern in by tightening the fixing mounts on the side of the frame. Make sure your cistern is secure before standing up the frame again.

Lift up the frame with the cistern attached and slide the metal feet into the gaps at the base of the frame, this should allow your frame to stand without damaging your floor. It’s important you don’t attach these too early, as they could scratch the floor when you lay the frame down.

Now that the frame is standing you can slide the waste pipe clamp into the central bar. This will hold your waste pipe when it is connected to the wall.

Now, you must put your frame into position. Bolt your frame’s feet into the floor the top of the frame into the wall behind. Be sure to frequently measure and check your spirit level to make sure everything is level. Once the frame is attached, clip the waste pipe clamp over the waste pipe.

Now, connect the cistern to the water supply. Grab a bucket and point the water inlet pipe into it. turn on the water supply to make sure water successfully travels through the pipe without issue. If this is the case, turn the water back off and continue. If there is an issue, turn the water off and mop up any spilt water. You will then have to look into what caused the issue.

Now, you may connect the water inlet pipe to the flush system as you now know it functions.

You must now cover the frame and cistern. If you have built into the wall, you must cover the hole you made. If you have built against the wall, you must build around the frame. Make sure you cut appropriate gaps into your coverings to thread through pipes and the flush panel.

Once your panels are ready, attach them to the frame to cover the system.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed the frame. But another battle is on the horizon, for you must install the toilet pan itself.

How Do I Install a Wall Hung Toilet?

Want to know how to fit a wall hung toilet?

First things first, you need to install your flush pipe and waste pipe connector into the gaps you left in the frame wall.

Next, screw some threaded rods into the frame that line up with the designated gaps on the back of your pan. You will then want to life your pan and place it onto threaded rods, ensuring you place the relevant gaps onto your exposed flush pipe and waste pipe connector as you do so. Then tighten a washer and nut onto your threads to secure your toilet. You will want to double check that the toilet is completely straight at this point. If it isn’t, don’t worry. You can loosen the threads and readjust slightly until it is level and then tighten again.

Now, there should be one hole left in your wall. That hole is reserved for your flush panel! Turn on your water supply. Hit the air button the back of the flush panel and then connect it to the blue tube behind the hole. You can now fix the flush panel to the wall.

Use silicon to seal the perimeter of where the toilet touches the wall and then do the flush test to see if you can spot any leaks. If so, mop up and apply more silicon. If there are no leaks, the you’ve done it! You have installed your wall hung toilet and if anyone needs help, you now know how to fit a wall hung toilet.

For a comprehensive overview of floating toilet installation, watch the attached video.

How Do I Clean a Wall Hung Toilet?

Now your toilet is installed, you need to be able to clean it. Most of the cleaning process is the same as a ground based toilet. You will need to let the bowl soak in cleaning liquid and you will need to wipe down the outside with antibacterial wipes. However, there are some key differences. You will want to wipe down the underside of the bowl, which unlike with a floor mounted toilet is accessible. You will also want to clean up the floor space underneath, to make sure it doesn’t gather dust.

Fortunately, you will not have to clean the cistern or pipes as they are not exposed. Gone are the days of dusting down a cistern and polishing the exposed piping. Say hello to your easier cleaning regimen.

Wall Hung Bidet Toilet

Now, if you’re installing a wall hung toilet, you may also want a wall hung bidet. However, is it best to have a separate wall hung bidet or a combined wall hung bidet toilet?

We recommend a separate wall hung bidet. This is for a few reasons, for example, if you break your combined wall hung bidet toilet, then you lose two fixtures in one foul swoop. As well as this, most wall hung bidet toilets are actually wall hung toilets with electronic bidet toilet seats. These toilet seats are less convenient than having a simple, water saving wall hung bidet and are more likely to go wrong thanks to their electric component.

Wall Hung Toilet Pros And Cons Summary

To Conclude...

So, you’ve learned all about wall hung toilets and installed your own. Now what? Why not make use of that extra space and invest in some more bathroom upgrades? Durovin has an excellent array of baths and showers that can improve any bathroom. We also have a host of basins and accessories to give your bathroom the edge it needs.