A basin waste is simply the passage – or waterway – that allows water in your basin to run off to the drain.
Basin wastes also close off that waterway to enable you to fill your sink with water.
A basin overflow is a small hole that allows water to escape if your basin gets too full.
Overflow’s are normally situated below the deck on which your taps are placed at the back of your basin.
Simple but effective, a basin overflow is designed to prevent bathroom flooding should you leave your basin tap running too long.
Not all basins feature an overflow, and this will have an impact on which basin waste you choose to install.
To learn more about the different basin types, check out our bathroom basin buying guide.
Slotted basin waste, or unslotted basin waste?
That is the question.
The answer to which basin waste type you require will depend on your basin design.
A basin with an overflow will require a slotted basin waste.
A sink without an overflow means that you need to install an unslotted basin waste.
An unslotted sink waste will not let any water that went through the overflow back into the waste pipe.
A slotted waste will allow this water to be drained whether the waste is open, or not.
It is important to choose the correct basin waste.
Failure to do so could result in damage to your new bathroom basin, so it is crucial you understand the type you require.
Picking the wrong waste for your sink also increases the risk of bathroom flooding.
If you have small children or are a forgetful sort, the wrong basin waste could be the cause of a bathroom disaster, so be sure to keep that in mind!
Simple and traditional in its styling, the plug and chain basin waste has been a mainstay in bathrooms across the globe for as long as anyone can remember.
It consists of a plug – metal in the case of the Big Bathroom Shop range – connected to a simple chain that can be moved in place to cover the waste or placed to one side when not in use.
Plug and chains are the most basic of basin wastes, but they are not suitable for every basin out there.
This type of basin waste requires a chain stay to be in place on your basin – this is a little hole in the ceramic that fixes the chain to the basin.
A lot of the more modern and contemporary basin styles do not have this feature, so be sure to keep an eye out when making a purchase and if you’re unsure, get in touch!
Possibly the most popular in our range, a Push Button or Click Clack basin waste features a simple and easy to use design.
To use, simply push the stopper down once to close and push or click again to open it back up.
These wastes are often called “Sprung wastes”, but all three – click clack, push button and sprung – are all the same sort of basin waste.
Much like bread rolls, or barm cakes, or baps, or cobs, this sort of basin waste can be called something different depending on which part of the UK you come from.
In case you were wondering, it’s barm cake, no argument!
Pop-up basin wastes are operated using a lever and rod mechanism.
The metal plug rests on a horizontal rod that is connected through a small bracket arrangement to a vertical rod.
The plug is opened by pushing the vertical rod downwards, causing the horizontal rod to rise and “pop up” the plug.
The plug is closed by lifting the vertical rod up allowing the weight of the metal plug to close the waste.
A clean and modern look is on offer with a flip top basin waste.
A flip top waste is essentially a spinning basin plug that can be turned easily by hand and flipped 180 degrees to open or close.
Simple, and easy to use, a flip top disk-shaped plug cannot be removed from the waste.
A free flow waste – sometimes known as a free-running waste – is more commonly found in commercial bathrooms, and is designed to prevent a basin from being overfilled.
Unlike the other basin wastes in our list, a free flow waste doesn’t have a mechanism that allows it to close.
This type of sink waste is used simply to drain water from the basin and allowing it to slowly escape.
Ideal for restaurants and bars, though it may not be to everyone’s liking, it is perfect for basins that don’t feature an overflow and helps to remove the risk of flooding.
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John trained in journalism before joining the Big Bathroom Shop team. His exceptional journalism skills allow him to meticulously research bathroom topics and bring you the very latest news and views on all things bath and shower related. He’s also a dab hand at Scrabble!
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