Why Is Sanitary Ware in Washrooms Made From Porcelain

The styles and design of washrooms has changed in some areas with toilet cubicle walls being made from a variety of materials, floor coverings have changed in both material and design. One thing has remained fairly constant and that is the material that toilet and hand basins are made from; porcelain.

Porcelain is intrinsically clay and water that is mixed for the purpose of manufacturing toilets and sinks, the mixture is poured into a mold and then placed in a kiln where it is fired and when this process is finished a fully functional piece of washroom sanitary ware has been produced.

There are four reasons why porcelain is such a good material for the manufacture of washroom accessories they are;

• The base materials are very cheap, as is the process of manufacture.
• Porcelain is very non-porous and this makes it ideal for toilets and sinks.
• Porcelain in very strong and durable.
• Porcelain can be cast to produce complex shapes.

The combination of these four factors has meant that toilet pan and hand basins have been produced from porcelain for over a century and a half. There have been some alternative such as stainless steel toilets and sinks but none has been quite as resilient as porcelain.

Porcelain can be coloured and this can fit in with some of the new designs and colour schemes that washroom designers are using in some modern facilities. As a raw material porcelain it is easy to shape and with the advent of more artistic designs in hotel washrooms and restaurant’s toilet facilities it means that there is far more choice for designers to choose from meaning that a high degree of style and panache can be incorporated into toilet and washroom facilities.

Porcelain’s durability and non porous nature means that hygiene can more easily be maintained as cleaning is a relatively easy job. The durability means that those companies carrying out major refurbishment work or new build can with impunity fit sanitary ware that they know will potentially last for many years to come.

Of course most other areas of washrooms including toilet cubicles, hand dryers, paper towel dispensers and soap dispensers, have been made from an ever changing array of materials from plastic to metal. Mirrors along with the enduring porcelain toilet that grace toilet cubicles around the world, are one of the few things that have remained unchanged for decades.