Choosing the right replacement toilet seat

Choosing your new replacement toilet seat can be a lot more confusing than you may think, you've likely realised this already and now you're here for a little help!

At first glance most toilet seats look strangely similar but they differ vastly from shape to function and form. Don’t just rush into your purchase; it is worth spending a little time looking into things and finding the right toilet seat for you. The right toilet seat will not only work as expected but can also raise the look and feel of your bathroom.

Finding the right replacment toilet seat

Toilet Seat Shape:

Toilets come in all different shapes and sizes as do the toilet seats that accompany them. Firstly, to find the right seat for your toilet you have to work out what shape your pan is. This should be fairly easy, you should be able to tell just by looking at your toilet bowl and noting what shape it is, this is even easier if the toilet seat is already attached! 

Most older and basic toilets are round or oval shaped toilet seats, but your more modern toilets can have a square toilet seat or more likely a 'D' Shaped toilet seat. Some toilets might have a different shaped toilet seat to match the shape of the bowl, these are called dedicated toilet seats and require the exact seat to match the pan.

Measure Your Toilet Seat

Once you’ve determined the shape of your toilet and the type seat that you require, you should take the following measurements:

Fixing centre distance (the distance between the two fixing holes of your toilet)

Width (the width of your toilet pan at its widest point)

Depth (the distance from fixing hole to the end of point of the seat)

Types Of Toilet Seat Fixings:

There are two main types of toilet seat fixings, top fixing and bottom fitting, and it is worth noting that not all hinges are suitable for all toilets.

Bottom Fixing Toilet Seats

Bottom fixing toilet seat hinges feature a traditional style fixing which includes fitting two bolts down into your pan and then tightening them from underneath. Wing bolts are often used. If you can get your hand up behind the toilet and feel the bolt, it is likely that a bottom fix toilet seat is the seat you need.

Top Fixing Toilet seats

Top fixing toilet seat hinges work by feeding two bolt fixings into the toilet pan and tightened from the top, hence the name. You could think of this as something like a wall plug in a hole in the wall. If you are unable to get to the toilet fixing or see the toilet fixings as detailed in the bottom fixing seats section, then it’s likely you need a top fix toilet seat.

It is worth noting that in the interest of hygiene, most toilet seats are classed as a non-returnable item once the seat has been taken out of its container and you remove its cellophane cover. You can take it out of the box to check but, please ensure you do not remove the seat from its protective cover until you are sure it will fit and that the design is right for you.

After you’ve determined the above, you should be in a much better position to find the toilet seat that you need. 

See our full range of replacment toilet seats and soft close toilet seats and use our filters to help you find the seat that beat matches your current seat.