Paul Thorn has some top tips on how to ensure you don’t miss your mark when installing urinals.

Most installation problems can be avoided before you even start, if you take the time to measure up the space, think about how many people will be using the room, and choose a urinal that suits the needs of the site.

The large variety of urinals available should provide a solution for any space. Bowl or trough? Steel or china? Dividers or no dividers? Bear in mind that the urinal isn’t just for public toilets – homeowners with mobility issues or owners of holiday lets may be considering a domestic urinal to make the most out of their bathroom space.

Mount with care

When it comes to urinals, there’s one standout mistake among novice plumbers. If you’re installing a wall-mounted urinal, you need to find a secure spot on the wall by testing with a stud finder or identifying that the wall surface is solid and suitable to take the weight of the unit you are proposing to hang. Skip this step and you’re inviting disaster; that urinal won’t stay in place for long.

Once you’ve found the right place to mount your urinal, be very sure of where any electrical wires are and keep well clear of these and your water pipes when you are drilling.

Make sure keep an eye on the surroundings. You hopefully won’t stop a door from closing with a carelessly-installed urinal, but you should check to see where doors, mirrors and windows are in the room to avoid any inconvenient positioning or privacy issues.

Proper piping

There’s a lot that can go wrong with pipes. Be sure to measure all piping to the right width and length – measure twice, cut once – and tighten every connection carefully to avoid and leaks, but not too tightly or you’ll strip the connection points from the end of the pipes, making future maintenance harder than it needs to be.

Maintenance and cleaning

Once installed, we recommend that you give the urinal a quick clean so that it looks its best for your client. It’s easy to clean and maintain stainless steel urinals, and you’ll provide a good service if you give your clients a few tips on how to keep the urinal in pristine condition.

Stainless steel resists corrosion, thanks to high levels of chromium, but it can still corrode if it’s not properly looked after. Fortunately, it’s a soap and water job. Washing up liquid, clean water and a soft lint-free cloth will shift most corrosive agents, and keep your urinal shiny and chrome.

Paul Thorn is director of Washware Essentials