Time to switch to a back to wall toilet?
Why to upgrade to a back to wall toilet? Well, when thinking bathrooms, you can be forgiven for dismissing the toilet as a wholly necessary element as opposed to a design feature in many instances.
And in all honesty, you could be right with regards to a number of standard models, which can just ‘be there’ in and amongst your beautifully thought out and constructed bathroom interior.
However, some contemporary toilet styles can actually serve to suit and enhance the scheme you’ve created or are looking to introduce – accentuating a clean, minimalist aesthetic and maximizing space in the process.
Back to wall toilets are one such type, and in this blog, we’ll aim to explain in greater detail the many features that make them an ideal option for many bathroom areas.
What are back to wall toilets?
In contrast to traditional toilets, a back to wall toilet incorporates a streamlined design with the toilet pan fitted against the wall, and a cleverly concealed cistern contained either within the wall itself or a separate unit. They are a floor mounted toilet completed with toilet bowl.
As such, the presence of a back to wall toilet can certainly assist in fostering a neater bathroom finish and great for space saving. Especially compact bathrooms or en-suite areas – they’re a great way to save space in your bathroom.
The entire collection of back to wall toilets from Big Bathroom Shop also incorporate soft close seats as an added bonus, meaning less stress on the toilet seats themselves, and a much lower probability of accidental snaps, claps and bangs occurring.
A variety of back to wall toilet designs
One of the great advantages afforded to would-be buyers of back to wall toilets is the sheer scope in design choices on the market.
There’s a massive variety of back to wall toilet models, and whilst they are predominantly associated with contemporary profiles, both modern design and traditional styles available to suit any styling of bathroom.
In the case of modern back to wall toilets, potential buyers will typically note angular or curved lines as defining elements, perfect for adding an air of sleek sophistication.
Especially diminutive bathroom spaces could benefit from shorter projection back to wall toilets meanwhile, which incorporate a smaller protrusion to further aggrandize available room. Slimline compact back to wall toilet units are another option that will serve to enhance space significantly.
What are back to wall toilets made from?
As you would expect for any sort of high quality toilet, back to wall toilets from Big Bathroom Shop are constructed from failsafe ceramic. So not only is a hardwearing, durable performance guaranteed, but the material also lends itself to providing a glossy, easily cleanable surface.
White ceramic is the most readily associated style in relation to toilets in general, and back-to-wall designs are no exception.
It’s generally tough to go wrong with the clean white aesthetic in most bathrooms – it will mesh well with almost any décor and contrast nicely alongside the likes of chrome fittings and fixtures, which tend to be prominent in bathroom areas on the whole.
Furthermore, the components within bathroom suites can match up alongside white ceramic back to wall toilets for a uniform look. Think bathroom sinks and vanity units of a mirrored makeup and appearance.
However, back to wall toilets are not restricted to a white ceramic construction. Exemplified by the Milano Nero toilet collection, there’s an array of beautiful black back to wall toilets available too, an ideal feature for a supremely sophisticated, modern bathroom design.
Again, black back to wall toilets can accompany matching bathroom furniture to create a consistent aesthetic if that lines up with your personal preferences. They are also prime candidates for installation in predominantly white bathrooms, with that colour contrast scheme proving utterly timeless still.
Are back to wall toilet units essential?
The answer to this question depends on the layout and look you are hoping to create.
Put most simply, units are completely essential unless you are installing a back to wall toilet directly onto the wall. And realistically, the presence of a unit is highly recommended in most instances anyway.
A back to wall toilet unit will simplify the fitting process, negating the need for the cistern and pipework to be installed within the wall. If a unit isn’t fitted, a boxed section or stud wall will be needed to allow room for the necessary plumbing work – potentially much more intrusive on the space than you might wish for.
Plus, once fitted, the unit will incorporate valuable extra storage space in the form of shelving, which could prove particularly crucial in a small bathroom area.
Usually, the unit will co-ordinate with the toilet itself in terms of finish, though there are specific instances where this might not be the case.
Classic bathrooms might favour an oak furniture unit to team with a clean white back to wall toilet, for instance, enhancing an aura of traditional authenticity. And by contrast, a predominantly silver unit could provide a striking accompaniment to a black back to wall toilet to provide an eye-catching modern edge in a contemporary bathroom.
In turn, and as alluded to earlier in the piece, the opportunity exists to match up the WC unit with other bath suite components, fittings and furniture as well.
For back to wall toilet installations without a unit, the only necessary extra consideration to be made is a concealed cistern to ensure the toilet is fully operational. In most cases, the toilet cistern will be supplied alongside a streamlined flush button. To ensure the most efficient performance possible, with regards to saving water, it is best to opt for a dual flush system.
HOW EXPENSIVE ARE BACK TO WALL TOILETS?
The price range concerning back to wall toilets is a wholly expansive one, with several factors playing a part in determining whereabouts on the spectrum certain models are positioned.
For example, the most inexpensive option available from BigBathroomShop is the Milano Select Modern Oval Back to Wall Toilet with Soft Close Seat, at £114.99. And despite the low price point, it features all the defining characteristics to be expected from a back to wall toilet – a quality ceramic construction and hardwearing white glaze finish amongst the hallmarks, plus a soft close seat.
At the extreme opposite end of the scale, meanwhile, sits the Milano Arca Back To Wall Japanese Bidet Toilet, an ultra-contemporary design that will set buyers back £1,924.99.
The obvious additional inclusion is the WC unit, though a deeper dive into the product will unearth a plethora of technological features that serve to differentiate the toilet itself from cheaper models.
These include deodorising and variable wash functions, in addition to internal lighting and adjustable drying settings, all controllable via an included remote control.
And in the middle of the road, the Milano Lurus Oak Modern Ballam Toilet and Basin Combination Unit proves you don’t have to spend excessively to indulge in a back to wall toilet with a unit and added features.
The unit incorporates a basin atop, with the oak effect finish well suited to the cottagecore bathroom interior trends that have grown so popular in 2021. The full package retails at £419.99, and plenty of varied back to wall toilet models are sold in cohesion with sinks at a similar cost, with alternative bundles that also incorporate the likes of vanity units priced round about the £700 threshold.
All in all, the pricing scale for back to wall toilets ensures there’s an ideal option for most all budgetary needs. Cost differentials can mainly be attributed to more or less technologically advanced features, as well as extra fixtures and fittings supplied as standard within bundles.
Are back to wall toilets easy to install?
In actual fact, the back to wall toilet installation process isn’t quite as simple in comparison with other types of fittings, such as close coupled toilets.
Should you opt for a back to wall or wall hung toilet without a wall unit, then all necessary plumbing will have to be secured within the wall, and pipework might have to be upgraded accordingly too.
Furthermore, any required repair work of the future could be tougher to accomplish in light of these sort of fittings being difficult to reach. The fitting of a removable panel is highly advisable to provide easy access over the course of the toilet’s lifespan.
And whilst all these fitting considerations might sound daunting, it’s really bread and butter for a professional qualified to do the job properly.
So try not to imagine the installation process as the major drawback some can present it as, and instead factor in the potential outlay needed to complete the work correctly, whilst drawing up your back to wall toilet budget.
Shop back to wall toilets from Big Bathroom Shop
I think we have covered the questions ‘What are the benefits of a back to wall toilet’, and make a case so compelling Saul Goodman would be proud of the brief.
We’ll leave it up to you to decide whether that’s a good or a bad thing, but we’ll be around if you would like any further help with regards to updating your home toilets or any other luxury bathroom features.
You can leave your thoughts or queries in the comments section below, or contact us via Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.
John has a background in sports journalism, and lists content writing amongst his primary passions. He provides expert bathroom trends commentary and analysis, as well as offering meticulously researched answers to the most frequently asked bathroom posers.
