What is skirted/hidden vs. concealed Trapway toilet? Pros & cons

A lot of people misunderstand the theory of Skirted and Concealed Trapway toilets. It is not their fault both types of toilets seem pretty much the same, but no, there are some major differences between these two types of toilets. This article will discuss the parallel differences and alikeness and suggest which toilet best suits your bathroom ambiance.  

What is a Skirted Toilet Trapway?

A skirted toilet provides a clean, sleek, and straight line from the front portion to the back section and from the upper portion of the tank to the floor, making cleaning the toilet simple. The skirted apron covers and hides the trapway for a seamless look.Skirted Trapway Toilet

Main features of the skirted toilet:

  • It has a compact and superb minimalistic design that is perfect for a modern toilet. It occupies a seamless and trendy design that best fits in the context of modern bathrooms. 
  • It has a silky smooth surface that is easy to clean, and it only needs a gentle sweep of a soft wet towel to eradicate all the dirt and germs.
  • The skirted toilet is ornamented with a slow-closing seat in the box, preventing disastrous sounds from the seat while shutting it off.

Skirted Trapway Toilet Pros:

  • The Skirted Trapway toilets show aversion to catching the germs and molds as no visible trapways are available. 
  • The skirted traditional toilet is still much more accessible to clean than its non-skirted counterpart. The flat surface of the Skirted Trapway toilets protects against the growth of unnecessary germs, molds, bacteria, and unusual-colored rings.
  • The clean lines and flat surfaces blend absolutely right in with the contemporary styles of the bathroom. The sleekness and versatility that this toilet offers you are very much valuable. 
  • The Skirted toilets have a hidden compartment for making room for the Johnny Bolts. The Supplies of the Wall Hung composites can be held within the main juncture, which is beyond the eyesore.

Quick overview: Concealed Trapway

A concealed trapway toilet has a smooth surface at the back that essentially covers the trapway. It is not similar to the skirted toilet, but these two are similar in many aspects, and the main similarity is that both have unrevealed trapways. The visual trapway bends, and curves are not pertinent in this type of toilet. They have an enthusiastic look, and there is no bulky design that destroys the ambiance of the toilet.  Concealed Toilets Trapway

What are the positive sides of the Concealed Trapway toilet?

Let us have a close look into the tremendous aspects of the Skirted and Concealed Trapway toilets that may help to decide which one is more suitable for your bathroom context,  

Staggering aspects of the concealed trapway toilet

  • The modern and trendy look of the covered trapway bathrooms is much more happening in the current generation. They are not as bulky, but they have a simplistic, minimalistic look that effectively blooms the interior.
  • It is more famous for saving a healthy amount of space in the bathroom. It is an ideal choice for those very compact and small bathrooms.
  • Its hygienic box-style cistern is thought to harbor dust and bacteria in and underneath the cistern.

What are the disadvantages of the Skirted and Concealed Trapway?

All the things on this planet have some evil sides of their own, and we should also have knowledge of these aspects because those flaws can replicate a newer dimension of aesthetic progression for consumers.

Opposing sides of the Skirted toilet

  • The installation and fixing process of the Skirted Trapway toilets is pretty much tiresome and lengthy as there is not enough space for performing the plumbing works.
  • The skirt toilets have a much bulkier look than their other counterparts. 
  • The main disadvantage is that this toilet is much costlier than the exposed trapway toilets

Setbacks of the concealed trapway toilet

  • The concealed toilets are more expensive than the normal traditional toilets, and it is not a budget-friendly product.
  • The repairing process is very gruesome, and finding defective parts for replacement is challenging.

Key Differences between Skirted and Concealed Trapway toilets 

There are some crucial differences between the Skirted and Concealed Trapway toilets, though they are not seemingly particular for every aspect. Those differences are, Differences between Skirted and Concealed Trapway toilets 

  • The concealed has a hidden Trapway. On the other hand, the skirted toilet has a sleek line from front to back and from the top of the tank to the floor.
  • There is no extra bulk in the concealed toilet like a fully skirted toilet. 
  • In concealed trapway toilets, you can find more space for plumbing work compared to the skirted toilet.
  • Skirted toilets look more sleek and compact than concealed trapway toilets. 

Best Skirted Trapway toilets 

There are lots of Skirted Trapway toilets available in the market. But if you ask about the most impactful Skirted toilets, then I must mention the name of the “Kohler Memoirs Classic” toilet. I have used it, and it is simply the best one you have ever gotten. 

Short overview:

Flushing type: canister flush

Bowl shape: oblong shaped 

Rough in measurement: 12 inch

The material used: solid vitreous china

Water consumption: 1.28 GPF (Watersense certified)

Key toilet features:  

  • It uses a powerful flush with a water-efficient mechanism. It uses only 1.28 gpf of water per flush.
  • It is a rimless toilet meaning that it can prevent the unwanted growth of molds, bacteria, and germs.
  • This toilet is built with Vitreous china material, which guarantees a long-lasting and scratch-proof surface. 

Best Concealed Trapway toilets 

Over the years, several companies have introduced so many Concealed Trapway toilets, and today I will discuss one of the most competent toilet models, the “ Toto Aquia-iv one-piece toilet.”  

Fantastic features:  

  • It has a Dynamax tornado flush that sends full water through the rim, so all of it is used to clean the bowl.
  • Bowl design wanes water flow resistance and turbulence, resulting in a quieter flush. Sleeker and smoother design compared to conventional box rim models. 
  • Advanced technology destroys the microscopic gaps where waste hides to provide the ultimate comfort and hygiene. 
  • The concealed trapway is easy to clean, and the cleaning process is simple. Just rinse the backside with wet foam, applying some amount of toilet cleaner.

Final Verdict: Skirted vs. Concealed Trapway Toilets

Both versions of the toilets are spectacular from their own point of view, and they are relatively the same thing with a few dissimilarities. If you buy the Skirted toilet, then you automatically get the concealed toilet because all the Skirted toilets have covered trapways. Furthermore, the Skirted toilets have a more compact and sleek design than the concealed trapway toilets. Besides, Skirted toilets are considered the symbol of modern toilets that invigorates the entire toilet ambiance. On the contrary, the concealed trapways have a minimalistic design that is also a feature to be noted. So it is prudent to choose a Skirted toilet over the concealed trapway toilet because it occupies more colossal features than the hidden trapway toilet.

Hi, this is Robert Crossan, the owner of this website, has 17 years of experience in the installation, maintenance, and repair of toilets and plumbing systems. After completing the Level 2 Basic Plumbing course in 2005, I started working in both domestic and commercial buildings as a professional plumber. So I can figure out the core difference between different toilet models and brands. It also helped me monitor their work performance and setbacks.

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