With many bathrooms and cloakrooms becoming smaller Margaret Talbot, Marketing Manager at VitrA, argues that wall hung bathrooms are the perfect solution and, thanks to the latest generation of support frames, installation is trouble-free.
The growth in the availability of wall hung fittings has been the biggest revolution in British bathrooms. Initially, wall hung products were only available at the upper end but now wall hung – and the frames needed to fit it – can be found at all price levels.
Wall hung makes sense, especially in the typically small UK bathroom. The fittings hang free of the floor, giving an illusion of space and a wall hung WC occupies a smaller area than a conventional low level pan. Cleaning is also easy – most wall hung pans are a clean simple shape with no nooks, crannies or visible pipework for dust and dirt to linger. Additionally, mopping the floor is faster when there are no obstacles to clean round.
Clean lines
Because the cistern is hidden away inside the frame with just a sleek flush plate visible, the look is clean and uncluttered. The flush plate offers a long and a short flush either 3/6 litre or 2.5/4 litre and can be mechanical, pneumatic or electronic. Most plates have an anti-fingermark surface, depending on the finish. Finishes available from VitrA include gloss white, chrome, matt chrome, gold and glass black.
Loop–T infrared flush plates operate at the wave of a hand – ideal for less able people. The infra-red plates are operated via an electronic mechanism installation set which must be fitted during wall installation. Sirius, an award winning mechanical flush plate is also available in gloss white, matt black and chrome.
Easy to maintain
VitrA’s frame systems are all WRAS approved and are quick and easy to install. Maintenance is simple as the flush plate can be removed giving access to internal fittings. The panel gap on the body of the flush plate is designed to provide optimum opening space for maintenance of the filling and flushing units – effectively overcoming fears that repairs are a problem should the valve develop a fault.
Valves are subjected to 200,000 water tightness and accelerated life tests at the factory. Flushing mechanisms include an overflow pipe that channels excess water down into the WC pan, preventing the risk of flooding.
“Wall hung makes sense, especially in the typically small UK bathroom. The fittings hang free of the floor, giving an illusion of space and a wall hung WC occupies a smaller area than a conventional low level pan.”
Installation options
VitrA has frames in varying heights, including a reduced height model suitable for solid, stud and double stud walls and in slim and regular sizes to suit the space available. The frame will support up to 60 stones. Installation is quick and easy – the frame itself and connecting pipework are concealed behind a stud wall.
Once the frame is in position and the stud walling has been completed, all that is left is fitting the pan and the flush plate. The company’s range of wall hung pans incudes easy-to-clean rimless models, compact designs for small bathrooms and the V Care shower toilet which offers independence to the elderly and less able.
