Welcome back to the Drench blog where this week we reveal all about concealed cistern toilets.
These fantastic new alternatives to the classic close coupled toilet are an increasingly popular choice when it comes to DIY bathroom renovation – and for good reason!
Modern bathroom designs incorporate space, light, functionality and minimalism. A toilet with concealed cistern saves valuable space as well as providing further valuable possibilities to the modern bathroom renovator.
Before we delve into the world of hidden cistern toilets, let’s cover how exactly they are hidden in the first place.
How Do Concealed Cisterns Work?
A usual cistern set-up will be positioned at the rear of the toilet bowl and be connected to the wall in some manner, such as this Harbour Acclaim Close Coupled Toilet with Soft Close Wafer Seat (left) in comparison to a concealed cistern (right). This has been the status quo of toilets for quite some time – until now.
Now, a hidden cistern – such as this fine Vellamo Slim Dual Flush Concealed Cistern unit – works by fitting into a cavity positioned in the wall behind the toilet seat. By hiding the toilet cistern in this manner, the toilet seat can be positioned flush against the bathroom wall. These are known as Back-to-Wall Toilets.
Alternatively, a slimline hidden cistern – such as this Geberit Concealed Cistern for Low Height Furniture with Pneumatic Dual Flush – can be fitted inside a furniture unit positioned at the rear of the toilet pan.
This is a fantastic solution when you want both the storage and functionality of a furniture unit and the clean aesthetics of a hidden cistern toilet.
Will Concealed Cistern Maintenance Be Easy?
It is a common misconception that maintaining a concealed cistern toilet need be difficult. Like any home DIY procedure, a little research and patience will result in a job done right and easily.
If the manufacturer has added an access panel to either the top or front of the unit. If using a cavity wall to conceal your cistern, you may also implement an access panel of your own that could be strategically hidden behind a mirror or other décor.
Likewise, if using a furniture unit to conceal your cistern, most manufacturers will ensure that this furniture unit features a simple access port.
So don’t let myths about un-serviceable toilets prevent you from styling up your bathroom with the latest hidden cistern units. With a bit of prior planning and proper installation, it is easy to access your concealed cistern from the top or the front.
Are Concealed Cisterns Universal?
Now, let’s dip into compatibility of concealed cisterns and toilets. As you can imagine, universality across concealed WC cisterns is not yet the norm, with a range of different sizing across our hidden cistern product range.
However, it can be attained and for excellent value – as you can see in Drench’s very own Universal Dual Flush Concealed Cistern & Round Button.
And it’s not as hard as you might expect – with concealed cistern compatibility depending heavily on the toilet you select, you can largely determine concealed cistern type and size and make life easiest when it comes to installation and maintenance.
Wall-Hung Toilet Frames
In wall-hung cases, your concealed cistern needs to feature a wall mounting frame. This is vital to hold the weight of the toilet pan, piping, cistern and additional weight such as the user. Most cistern wall mounting frames will hold 300-400kg of weight – ensure you check maximum weights before use.
When selecting a frame, you must first check the height and depth of your partition wall to make sure that your hidden cistern, frame, piping and all other elements will fit properly.
Standard frame sizing features 0.85, 1 and 1.2 metre heights with a 160-200mm depth. Slimline frames offer as little as 80mm depth to accommodate slimline concealed cisterns that go as thin as 75mm!
Most cistern frames feature a flush plate linked to the cistern itself. These clean flushing options have been around a while but are now becoming a big part of home bathroom with extensive décor-matching options offered.
If you need any advice on concealed cistern toilet and frame compatibility, just give the Drench team a ring and we will be delighted to help you out!
Features of Concealed Cisterns
Now that we’ve covered the technical aspects, let’s have a look at some of the concealed cistern products in the Drench online store that are really pushing the boundaries of quality and functionality in the field.
As one of the most popular new bathroom trends, concealed toilet cisterns are enjoying a lot of attention when it comes to progressive design, as exhibited by these top sellers from leading brands such as Geberit and Vellamo.
Dual Flush
The ability to select the amount of water with which you flush may not seem revolutionary but the benefits make themselves apparent when you consider the environmental perks.
Units such as Geberit’s Sigma Concealed Cistern take this functionality even further, offering the choice of both single and dual flush set-ups in incredibly sleek designs (80mm in this unit’s case!) that can easily be incorporated into a creative range of cavities.
Money and Water-Saving Flush Settings
We featured this powerful unit by Geberit when discussing furniture unit integration yet here it returns thanks to the company’s revolutionary fill and flush valve technology that offers great money-saving potential.
Reduced Flush Noise
An often-overlooked benefit from hidden cistern designs is a reduction in flush noise. With the cistern tucked away inside a furniture unit or wall, there is far more sound insulation.
Then brands such as Vellamo take it further with units like this Dual Flush Slimline Concealed Cistern with Square Button, which has been designed specifically to minimise flush noise. The result is a bathroom décor that is even more relaxing and non-intrusive to daily life.
The Aesthetic Appeal Of Concealed Cistern Toilets
Bathroom designs have progressed rapidly in line with our individual tastes – and while many trends come and go, current bathroom trend features an unmistakable focus on the minimalist bathroom. This modern approach entails a totally uncluttered design that draws on integration to provide a totally functional space.
The concealed cistern is an essential component when designing the most efficient modern bathrooms. With a hidden cistern approach, bathroom designers create more open space and potential to draw more powerfully on wall space, texture, colour and other approaches.
It is no surprise that concealed cistern toilets are one of our most popular products at Drench – this trend has been increasing for some years now and we see no reason why it will do anything other than increase.
