Glossary Of Bathroom and Plumbing Words Terms Phrases

Colourbathrooms.co.uk

Yorkshire. The Heart Of British Bathroom Manufacturing.

Glossary Of Popular Bathroom Related Terms

Bathroom Dictionary Thesaurus By Colourbathrooms

Colourbathrooms.co.uk Stockists Of Obsolete Bathroom Colours. Yorkshire. U.K.

Jargon Doublespeak Jibber-Jabber Lingo. Bathroom and Plumbing Terminology Patter.

Heard a word or turn of phrase, and not exactly sure what it means or relates to? Don't fret, here you will find, and soon hopefully understand various terms used in and pertaining to the bathroom trade and its products.

   

GLOSSARY TERM IS POSITIONED HERE

The definition of the term is written below the title, like this.

ABS CAP

Often refers to a process of shower tray manufacture, where the ABS plastic (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) outer shell is filled with stone resin, providing both a robust structure, with a glossy durable plastic finish.

ACRYLIC

Plastic sheet material used primarily in the manufacture of baths, bath panels and shower trays. Popular gauges of sheet range in 3.2mm. 5mm. 8mm.

ANTI SLIP

A moulded pattern within the bath material, on the internal floor of the bath. Assists in helping the client to grip to the bath in normally slippery conditions.

ART DECO

A style applied to brassware and sanitaryware that has dominant straight lines and angular cut corners. 

AUTO SYPHON

A mechanism to trigger the flushing process when the cistern reaches a set volume of water. Negates need for lever/button. Often found feeding urinals in public toilets.

BACK TO WALL

Often shortened to BTW. May refer to a toilet or a bidet. This type of sanitaryware is mounted flush to the wall and therefore has a flat back.

BALL FLOAT

Attached on the arm of a ball valve, this float (often spherical in appearance) rises with the water level within the cistern, and aids the closing of the valve.

BALL VALVE

A water valve used in toilet cisterns to regulate water intake and cut the water supply off when a desired volume has been attained.

BANJO WASHER

A plastic connector that fits over the stem of a vanity basin, bath, bidet, or kitchen sink waste allowing the connection of an overflow pipe.

BASEBOARD

Typically a sheet of chipboard of varying gauge that is stuck to and supports the underside of a bath.

BATH BAR

A moulded plastic accessory panel which fits on the wall above the bath, providing additional storage for soap, shampoo, spongers etc.

BATH FILLER

A bath mixing valve that is typically two tap hole but can be three tap hole. Allowing a mix of hot and cold water without the shower function.

BATH FEET

The fitments that allow the bath legs and indeed the bath to be steadied and secured to the floor. Permitting each corner to be individually leveled up.

BATH FRAME

Typically made from wood but sometimes steel or a combination of both. A frame runs around the underside of a baths lip to help support the perimeter.

BATH GRIPS

Moulded or attached handles which assist in the clients balance by way of purchase for one or both hands.

BATH LEGS

Bars or channels that fit to the underside of the bath permitting the attachment of bath feet.

BATH SCREEN

A glass or plastic water shield that fixes to the wall and sits atop the bath lip. Prevents spillage from bath showering. Various hinge configurations available.

BATH SHOWER MIXER

A bath mixing valve that is typically two tap hole, but can be one, three or four tap hole. Can support telephone cradle, wall bracket or riser rail configurations.

BIBO

Acronym for 'Bottom In Bottom Out' relates to the inlet & outlet location on a cistern.

BIB TAP

Often wall mounted, and typically used in kitchens in conjunction with a Belfast sink. Can be concealed or surface mounted fed.

BIDET

Sanitaryware similar in size to a toilet pan, predominantly for washing your backside.

BI-FOLD

Refers to a hinge function on a shower door. Bi-fold means that the door folds in half at the midpoint and then both halves together push to one side.

BOW FRONTED

Refers to the style of a bath, basin or shower tray. Style where the centre projects away from the back farther than the sides.

BSP

British Standard Pipe. The term relating to the standardisation process of pipe threads originally in Britain, but which has been adopted in countries throughout the world. With regards to a typical bathroom suite, the most common fittings are regulated to 1/2 inch and 3/4 inch threads.

CERAMIC DISC

A type of valve that utilises two overlapping ceramic discs, which allows water to flow or cease depending on the alignment of their spaces or barriers.

CISTERN

The typically ceramic or plastic tank, that holds the water ready to initiate the toilet flush process, when activated.

CISTERN FITTINGS

The internal workings of a toilet cistern. These can vary for the type of cistern and its application. In a close coupled cistern you may expect to find a syphon, and inlet valve, a float connected to the inlet valve, close coupling bolts, and possibly an overflow pipe if this is not built in. Externally a flushing lever / button and a doughnut washer to make watertight.

CISTERN LID

The top cover of the cistern tank. Often used as a shelf for loo roll, this typically boasts the largest dimensions of the cistern being the biggest part. It can sometimes also provide the only clues as to the manufacturer's identity of the cistern. Said manufacturers will frequently choose the underside of the cistern lid to place their branding and other details. 

CLOAKROOM BASIN

Named for its use in small cubbyholes. Often under the stairs, in lofts or en-suites. Doesn't require a pedestal as it fixes to the wall via brackets.

CLOSE COUPLED

This describes the bolting or fastening together of the toilet pan and cistern. A direct connection where the cistern sits on the back of the pan.

CLOSE COUPLING PLATE

The plate that fits to the underneath of the syphon on a cistern with no bolt holes, allowing bolts to pass through the plate into the pan.

CONCEALED CISTERN

A hideaway cistern that typically connects to a back to wall toilet pan. This cistern is often made from plastic and hidden in the wall.

CONCEALED SHOWER VALVE

A mixing valve that can either be manual or thermostatic in design, which has the pipework and connections hidden in the wall.

CONDENSATION

Water vapour that accumulates on the outside of a cistern in a warm room, often when the cistern is refilled with a supply of cold water from outside.

CORNER BATH

Typically three sided bath. Two equal straight sides & one curved side. The bath has one line of symmetry. Flat sides are fit against perpendicular walls.

CORNER ENTRY

A four piece, two sided shower enclosure. Each side is divided into two equal halves, one half of each slides away from a corner point back on themselves.

CRADLE

A type of bath fixing that supports both the underside of the bath like a leg, and the frame of the bath at side points.

CROSS HEADED

A style of handwheel / tap head based on cardinal compass points. Four protrusions which lay perpendicular to each on either side, allowing an easy grip and the turning operation of a valve. Popular with Edwardian and Victorian styles of taps, showers, mixers and exposed isolation valves, typically used on traditional radiators and heated towel rails.

DIAPHRAGM

The part of a cistern syphon that creates the vacuum and starts the siphoning flush. By pulling a small amount of the cistern water up and over a bend.

DIVERTER VALVE

A water switch that can be operated to manipulate the flow of water down one channel as opposed to another.

DONUT WASHER

The larger circular washer that is compressed between a close coupled pan and cistern to seal around the syphon and make watertight for flushing.

DOUBLE ENDED

A bath that has two sloped interior ends allowing the bather(s) to lay facing either way. Tap position will often be located on one side rather than an end.

DUAL FLUSH

A cistern that has two flush settings, one large often six litres and one small often three litres.

EASY CLEAN

Often relates to a waste where the central drain is removable for easy access.

EASY PLUMB

Pertains to a shower tray that has removable panels and has ease of access to the underneath, allowing easier fixing of the trap.

EDWARDIAN

A style of brassware typically sharply cut cross-head design that has flat fins as its cardinal points.

ENCAPSULATED

Describes a baseboard that has been spray covered with fiberglass, increasing its resilience to water absorption and ultimately decay.

EXPOSED SHOWER VALVE

A surface mounted mixing valve which can either be manual or thermostatic. This valve has all of its inlets and outlets on display.

FIBREGLASS

A mix of glue resin and thin stranded glass, almost hair like. Typically applied by sheet or by blower to reinforce the back, and underside of an acrylic bath or shower tray. Products can also be formed from fibreglass, and then have the finished side and edges sprayed over. 

FEET

See: Bath Feet

FLEXI PIPE

Abbreviation of 'Flexible pipe'. Can refer to a goose/swan neck recoiling plastic waste pipe, or to braided metal covered rubber tap/valve connectors.

FLUSHER

See: Lever Handle

FLUSH PIPE

The often 'L' shaped pipe that connects the cistern syphon to the back of the low level pan. This pipe can also be straight.

FREESTANDING

A bath that is usually situated in the centre of a large room rather than being fit against a wall. Tending to be ovular is shape, and with a rolled top lip.

HANDWHEELS

The part of a valve that a client interacts with to either open, close or adjust said valve's pressure, by rotating a head or lever by a number of degrees.

HANDSET

A handheld shower head that is attached to the end of a hose. This can be for use with a bath shower mixer or wall shower valve. Often when not in use they fix to a wall bracket, slide rail kit or rest on top of a bath shower mixer cradle. With one and four tap hole bath shower mixers the handset is usually slid into a slot within the bath fixing.

HIGH LEVEL

This system of toilet has the cistern placed high up on the wall, often achieving a flush process via the pulling of a chain.

INDICES

See Tap Indices

INTERNAL OVERFLOW

Relates to a toilet cistern that does not require a separate overflow to be connected as it has access within the syphon for excess water to escape through.

ISOLATION VALVE

An inline valve which can be fit on a pipe to open or close the water feed. Allows the restriction of water flow, whilst keeping the mains supply open.

L BATH

An 'L' shaped bath made for showering at one widened end. Squared and angular like a bath shower tray hybrid. Often supplied with tailored glass screen.

LEGS

See: Bath Legs

LEVER HANDLE

The hardware attached to the front or the side of a cistern which gives means to starting a toilet's flushing process.

LOW LEVEL

A low level toilet has a flush pipe separating the pan and cistern. The pan and cistern do not directly touch when in this configuration.

MACERATOR

Connects to the toilet pan outlet, and breaks up waste before pumping it through a small pipe. Used when the toilet is below the level of the soil pipe.

MANUAL SHOWER VALVE

A mixing valve for hot and cold water that does not require electric, and relies on the flow of both the hot and cold feed to be configured individually.

MONOBLOC

Refers commonly to a basin or bidet that has one hole for the tap. Pertains also to the configuration of tap itself.

OFFSET CORNER BATH

Typically three sided bath. Two unequal straight sides & one curved side. The flat sides are fit against perpendicular walls.

OLIVE

A ring made from copper or brass which compresses on pipe under the pressure of a locking nut, making a watertight fitting.

PAN

The bottom part of the toilet that is perched or sat upon. This catches the waste matter and with the aid of a water cascade allows said matter to be vanquished.

PAN CONNECTOR

The intermediary seal which forms a watertight connection from the outlet of a toilet pan to the soil pipe, or to a pipe that will connect to the soil pipe.

P BATH

A 'P' shaped bath made for showering at one widened end. Rounded and smooth like a bath/quadrant tray hybrid. Often supplied with tailored glass screen.

PEDESTAL

The stand that covers the pipework and where required physically supports the weight of a basin.

PIVOT DOOR

Refers to the way a shower door opens and closes. Pivot doors rotate on a single axis usually between two thirds and three quarters in of one side.

PLUMBERS KEY

A specialised tool that makes the tightening and loosening of tap nuts easier than using a regular spanner. It has a perpendicular lever rod at the base of the shaft, and at the top an adjustable sprung grip that can be fit around the nut. The grooves on the inside of this grip fit around the nut, and process the turning of the lever rod which acts as a handle.

PLUMBERS SPANNER

See: Plumbers Key

POP UP WASTE

Available for baths, basins, bidets, and kitchen sinks. A remotely operated gravity based plug and surround that requires no chain.

PUSH BUTTON

The hardware often attached to the top of a cistern which gives means to starting a toilet's flushing process. Can also be attached remotely.

PUSH WASTE

Available for bath, basin, bidet and kitchen sink. A chain-less spring loaded click into place plug and surround. 

QUARTER TURN

Relates to the operation of a tap or mixer with a ceramic disc valve, where the head only has to be turned 90 degrees to achieve maximum pressure.

RISER RAIL KIT

Accessories for exposed wall shower valves and bath shower mixers. Consists of the rail, adjustable arm, handset, shower pipe & optional soap dish.

SEMI PEDESTAL

A half pedestal that covers the water inlet and waste pipe of a basin. Pipework is often concealed within the wall for this fitting to be permitted.

SEMI RECESSED

This relates to a basin that sits half on and half off of a vanity unit worktop, overhanging at the front.

SHOWER ENCLOSURE

Refers to a shower cubicle with two or more sides. A single door is rarely described as an enclosure.

SHOWER TRAY

The base which sits under the shower enclosure which the client stands upon whilst utilising the shower. Often made in ABS capped stone resin or acrylic.

SISO

Acronym for 'Side In Side Out' relates to the inlet & outlet location on a cistern.

SOFT CLOSE

Refers to the slow declination of the toilet seat cover, which descends to its resting position on top of the seat. Often this is due to the hinge design.

SOIL PIPE

The large pipe that carries foul waste to the main drain. Various utilities inside the house will connect to this pipe depending on your area.

SPA BATH

A bath that has very small pin head sized holes drilled through the base, through these holes the water circulates around the bath under pressure provided by a pump. These water jets are said to be both relaxing and invigorating. As these holes are much smaller in diametre than typical whirlpool baths, there can be a lot more of them operated at the same pressure from the same horse power.

STONE RESIN

A mixture of resin and concrete based products which set like stone. This is used in the manufacture of shower trays where the mixture is poured in to moulds and then once dried, sprayed with a colour finish. The mixture can also be poured into ABS shells to reinforce the plastic casing to form an ABS capped shower tray.

STOP TAP

A valve which allows the free flow of water from a supply to a pipe network or utility. This can be used as an isolation valve for a specified appliance, or as the cut off for a main supply, often to be used when there is a leak on the infrastructure or when new pipework is being added.

SWIVEL SPOUT

Refers to the ability of the water outlet on a tap to be moved from side to side. Usually more commonplace on kitchen sink mixers.

SYPHON

The mechanism inside the cistern that when activated by a button, chain or lever starts the water vacuum process and initiates a flush.

SYPHONIC BUNG

A device that sits within and protrudes from the syphon of a close coupled toilet cistern. Connecting to a 'syphonic toilet pan' it aids the flushing process.

SYPHONIC TOILET PAN

A close couple toilet pan that draws additional vacuous power due to its design at the point of cistern coupling.

TAP HEADS

See: Handwheels

TAP INDICES

Plastic or ceramic inserts which display the temperate nature of a tap valve, either with colours, initials or words. ie. (H)ot & (C)old.

TAP NOSE

The reach of the spout that protrudes into the bath, basin, sink, bidet etc. Measured from the centre of the inlet to the centre of the spout.

TAP REDUCERS

A connector that fits on the end of a larger thread converting it to a smaller thread.Typically these transform 3/4" threads into 1/2" threads.

TELEPHONE SHOWER MIXER

Typically a two tap hole configuration of a mixing valve with a cradle mounted on top of the brassware to support the shower handset when not in use.

THERMOSTATIC VALVE

Can be a shower or bath shower mixing valve. A non electric valve with easily set temperature controls and an anti scolding safety cut out, which acts when there is a pressure drop.

TRAP

Connected between the waste and the waste pipe, this device removes and stores larger contaminate blockages, allowing for easy removal.

VANITY BASIN

A plastic or ceramic bowl that is typically inset in to a worktop and mounted on top of a cupboard. Term can also relate to a semi recessed basin.

VANITY CUPBOARD

Typically wooden in construction and often plastic coated or gloss sprayed. This storage unit supports either a vanity basin or a semi recessed basin.

VICTORIAN

A style of brassware typically a smooth rounded cross-head design that may or may not have protruding bobbles on the nibs of each point.

WALL HUNG

Relates to a basin, toilet or bidet. Where the sanitaryware is raised off the floor and bolted to the wall. Either a solid wall or a stud wall used in conjunction with a frame.

WASTE

The fitment around the plug that lets waste water drain away. This will connect the sanitaryware, shower tray or bath to a trap or directly to the soil pipe.

YORKSHIRE FITTINGS

Coupling connectors often used for joining copper pipes. Yorkshire fittings have a solder ring attached on the inside to aid being made watertight by blowlamp.