How Are Toilets Made?
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Toilet Seats
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Most toilet seats on the market today are made from either polystyrene (a type of plastic) or a wood-plastic blend.
Polystyrene toilet seats begin as pellets, which are first melted and then poured into a mold. This mold is clamped shut and heated to a temperature of around 400 degrees. Once set, the toilet seat is cooled, separated into two halves, and placed into a vat of water to cool further. It is then given a polishing.
In the case of wood-plastic toilet seats, ground-up wood is mixed with plastic resin and zinc sterate. This entire mixture is ground up further to ensure consistency. It makes its way to the molds, which are heated to 300 degrees and pressurized. The toilet seat is sanded to smooth its texture, dipped into paint then put under an oven to bake.
Both polystyrene and wood-plastic seats are assembled, packaged and shipped.
Body
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A toilet's body is essentially a work of pottery made from vitreous china, a clay mixture. The china is delivered to the factory as a liquid. It is thinned, filtered to remove any leftover impurities, and re-thickened.
This liquid is poured into the molds for the toilet bowls and tanks. When the clay has set, holes are drilled for its various fittings. The parts are then left outside to dry, then dried again in an oven for several hours.
Next, the bowls and tanks are glazed and placed on a conveyor belt. The belt moves the parts under the kiln, which slowly increases in temperature. This process takes around 40 hours. Afterward, the parts are cooled and checked for cracks.
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Construction
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The toilet is now ready for assembly. This includes installing the flushing handle, lever and the rest of a toilet's internal mechanisms, all of which are manufactured at a separate facility. Toilet seats may also be attached at this time if not sold separately. The finished product is now ready for shipment.
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References
- Photo Credit NatalieMaynor/flickr creative commons
