Wake up in the morning, make your bed, and freshen up. Then you use the toilet and read a magazine. Have you ever thought about the bathroom you sat in? Why do they use those ceramics? If you want to renovate your bathroom but don’t know what kind of material your toilet is made of, then I think I can help you with this. Here I will try to elaborate on the different materials used to make this toilet. I hope it’ll help you choose the right toilet material.
- Vitreous China is the most common toilet material and is made of several kinds of clay. It usually uses ball and china clay, silica, and a fluxing agent. The glaze is used on it as a waterproof coating. Both the clay and glaze are fired together to make it durable and stain-proof.
- The second most common toilet material is porcelain, which is more durable than ceramic. It is made of refined clay, which is baked at a higher temperature to make it denser. So they are less porous and more stain-proof.
- Ceramic is also a nonporous toilet material, but it is not as durable and stain-proof as vitreous china or porcelain. But ceramic toilets are cost-effective and sold at a low price.
- Toilets made of wood, marble, or metal are rarely seen these days. Plated metal toilets are still used in airplanes.
- Polystyrene (one kind of thermoplastic) is used to make a durable toilet seat. Also, wood flour from maple or birch is mixed with melamine to make affordable toilet seats.
What is a toilet?
I know everyone knows about the toilet. It is essential for every home to the hotel. A bathroom is a bowl-fixed potion mainly used to collect human waste like urine or feces. That means this is a mandatory part of your home. You may think, why is it called a toilet? This word is a Spanish word from “toilette.” That means a dressing room. There are many materials used to build any toilet. But most of the ceramics are popular ones.
What is the main material of the modern toilet?
The toilet-making materials and processes are changing day by day. So from the beginning to the modern-day, many people use many materials to make a perfect toilet. The first toilet is made with metals like lead, copper, zinc, etc. Bypassing time, people developed this and created different types of toilets with other materials. People make toilets for your home, hotel, airplane, and camping tours. Let’s take a look at some materials used to make toilet bowls or tanks:
Porcelain and Ceramic toilet
Nowadays, almost all bathrooms are made of porcelain. This material is one kind of mixed ceramic. Porcelain is a complex, white, nonporous ceramic that is easy to clean and fine-grained. This material mixes kaolin, quartz, etc. This material is also very hard at high temperatures. You may think they used porcelain to make a toilet because this ceramic quickly changes its shape. Making it to your preference is also very hard. So unlike other materials, this ceramic is durable. Ceramic is waterproof, so it’s easy to clean and maintain. And if you know that ceramic kitchenware is also very famous because it is easy to sanitize, this theory is also applied to the toilet.
A clean bathroom provides a healthy family, and ceramic is easy to sanitize. A white porcelain toilet shows itself clean and adds some extra sine to your dressing room. This porcelain is also famous as vitreous china clay. Porcelain is also made with a different type of clay. And that’s why when you make it and dry it out totally, it won’t change with the weather temperate. Porcelain is not heated sensitive.
For this reason, people love to add a porcelain toilet to their dressing area. The porcelain toilet is also very eco-friendly. So a shiny thing in your bathroom increases the beauty and is very good for your environment if it ruins.
Toilet Made of Durable Steel
Steel is also used to make toilets. But it is mainly used in precision. Porcelain or ceramic bathrooms are easy to break. When you install it in the washroom of a prison, many can misuse it. That makes a big fuss. But you know steel is a rigid metal. It’s tough to break the steel toilet. So it’s very durable in any environment. That is why steel toilets are mainly produced for use by people. But sometimes, you also find this sanitary in a waiting washroom or roadside toilet. Steel is a specific temperature convenient. So when you use it in winter or a full summer day, it gives you a lousy impression, and that’s why this kind of toilet is not perfect for your daily life.
Plastic Toilet
I know you may be surprised that a toilet can be made with plastic. Yes, it is. But this is infrequent care. Plastic toilets are very lightweight. So it’s easy to carry. I think you got the point from this. Plastic toilets are preferable for portable functions. That means this type of toilet can be easily moved and also carried. Many filming teams in the jungle or tourist people headed on a long trip like to take a portable plastic toilet with them. But this washroom is not recommended in your house dressing area because they are not practical for your daily bathroom.
The sensitization process is also different from the other two materials. Because plastic is sometimes actionable with many cleaning solutions, it’s hard to maintain. And a plastic toilet is also easy to break. It’s not as durable as steel or ceramic. So please don’t compare its strength with the other two materials.
Comparison– Vitreous China Vs. Ceramic Vs. Porcelain
These materials are the primary thing of any toilet. And I think you know where and which bathrooms are preferable. In the previous year, many used wood to make toilets. They used wax to make it waterproof. But using it daily, the wood quickly decayed. Because the wood does not remain the same in the water, that’s why they need to drop the idea of making a toilet with wood.
What are toilet seats or lids made of?
Here we talk about the bowl material of the bathroom. But you know the toilet comes with a seat and seat cover. The primary material used to make this part is plastic and wood. Mostly used plastic in the washroom. Because these are very easy to clean and it’s a prevalent material in the market. Many types of plastic are used to make the top of the toilet, like resin, thermoset, thermoplastic, etc. This material also easy to comes in different variations of color and style. So you can achieve a great look on a bit of a budget.
Or, if you want a royal look in your washroom, go with a wooden top. The wooden top is very comfortable on winter mornings. And this top got your restroom on another level. A wax-coated wooden toilet seat is more expensive than plastic. If you love a particular thing in your washroom, I don’t think you won’t mind using an extra amount to get a great look in the restroom.
My Final Recommendation
The bathroom is a mandatory part of your house. So, in order to meet your requirements, I believe you should know what material the toilet bowl and seat are made of. My suggestion is to install the porcelain bowl in the restroom. It adds an extra shine to the bathroom and is very reliable. It’s durability and easy-to-sanitize process also help you save some money. A neat and clean bathroom looks good and ensures your family’s good health. And porcelain is very easy to clean because it’s waterproof. So it just saves you some time from your daily chores.
FAQs
- What type of material is used in an airplane toilet?
Mainly, plastic and steel toilets are used on a non-slippery surfaces in an airplane.
- Why are porcelain toilets famous in the house?
As I told you before, ceramic toilets are waterproof and easy to clean. These are not changeable with temperature. Porcelain is a strong type of ceramic, so it’s also durable. For this all good reason. This ceramic is famous for toilet material.
- Can I wash my ceramic toilet with bleach?
Yes. You can easily clean the washroom with any cleanser. This ceramic is waterproof to quickly clean the restroom with a minimum amount of cleaning solution.
- Can I use a steel seat in my toilet?
Most washrooms used plastic and wooden toilet seats. But if you want, you can use a steel seat. But keep in mind that these are very sensitive to temperature. So if you get uncomfortable in the winter, it’s totally up to your choice. I don’t recommend this.
- Is the porcelain toilet safe?
Ceramic is well known for its ease of sanitization. Porcelain is one kind of mixed ceramic. So it’s effortless to sanitize and clean. And that is why this kind of toilet is safe for your restroom.
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.