Have you ever considered what toilets are made of? Most people say its clay, others say it enamel while some mention porcelain. Well, to ensure that your toilet is strong enough to bear the weight of the user, it is made out of a special type of clay called vitreous China or Porcelain and water. Though this is not the only material used in making toilets as a small percentage is made of steel most especially those used in prisons.
Why are toilets made of porcelain? When the toilet seats are made of different materials such as resins, vinyl plastic, and various types of woods?
Why are Toilets Made of Porcelain?
You might have been wondering what material are toilets made of? Right from the very beginning, toilets have been made of porcelain clay because the material has to carry out several functions. Some of these functions include;
- Being waterproof
- Being sturdy
- Being easy to mold into shape
- Be clean and easy to clean
- Not sensitive to temperature change
- Look good
Apparently, the vitreous China clay ticks all the boxes when it comes to these requirements coupled with the fact that the manufacturing process with porcelain is quite simple. The manufacturing process includes pouring the mixed clay into the mold, let to dry up, then glazed before being sent to a kiln. This is a simple and straightforward process that doesn’t require much expense except for the skill of molding.
Why are Toilets Not Made of Plastic or Steel?
Lots of you may be wondering why toilets are not made from plastic or steel after all these two mineral resources seem to be cheaper options. However, making toilets out of plastic most especially is quite expensive. But there are toilets which are made from steel but they’re mostly used in prisons.
Making products out of plastic requires extrusion or injection molding. That is why making a structure such as a toilet out of plastic is very difficult and can create in users a particular state of mind. The plastic material may not buckle under the weight of the users however users may get a wrong perception due to the use and quality of plastic.
Making a Toilet out of Steel
You may say that steel doesn’t have the same properties as plastic so why isn’t it used to make toilets for everyday use. The answer still lies in the user experience, public perception and characteristics of steel such as:
- Steel is sensitive to temperature changes and can adapt to the current weather temperature.
- Steel won’t give your toilet the rich feeling and look of a clean porcelain finish
These are just a few reasons why steel cannot be used to make a toilet. There are many more reasons that disqualify this material but these are the most important.
Conclusion
Since porcelain is a non–porous, clean material, it helps keep the toilet in sanitary condition and pristine. It also makes the toilet cleaning process easy for users. Furthermore when toilets are made of plastic, there’s every chance of breakage but with vitreous china, the chances of it cracking or having a short life span is very low.