one Piece Toilet and two Piece Toilet. Which Is Better?

Toilet are an integral part of any bathroom. Whether you’re in the midst of a remodel or your old toilet is leaking and needs replacing, you’ll be faced with several options when choosing a new bathroom fixture. When you need to buy a new toilet, a one piece and a two piece toilet, which will you choose? The one piece toilet is always the winner without getting into the cost and features.


Why?

Yes, the one piece toilet is better in appearance design. It always has a modern one piece toilet,like a one piece dual flush toilet, a one piece elongated toilet, a one piece skirted toilet, a one piece comfort height toilet, a one piece round toilet and so on. The seller will have a lot of selling points. That’s why.

But that is hardly the case for the pragmatic toilet hunters. Appearance design may be the last thing on their list, they see beyond looks, sometimes even beyond cost. They see only benefits and value for their hard earn money.

Let's start with a summary
 

 

So what are the benefits and value between a one piece and a two piece toilet?

It depends on how you prioritize your needs and which one benefits you the most.

Both designs have their drawbacks even though they may have the same performance level. So understanding the pros and cons will help you decide on a toilet that’s right for your home and your budget.

 

What are the advantages and disadvantages of the 1 piece toilet and the 2 piece toilet？


Appearance

Both one piece toilet and two piece toilet are available in a wide range of styles. Because of the sleeker appearance of 1 piece toilet , some people feel that they are better in contemporary bathrooms. However, you can find 1 piece toilets with traditional designs as well as modern 2 piece toilets, like the american standard one piece toilet.

The main advantage of the two piece design is you can replace the toilet tank and toilet bowl separately. If the toilet tank is broken, you will need to replace the toilet tank, likewise for the toilet bowl.

But if you broke either part of a one piece toilet, you will need to replace the whole toilet. Perhaps, this is the only drawback of the one piece toilet, besides cost.

And since the toilet tank is fused with the toilet bowl, there is no need to make provision to support the toilet tank. That's where some space can be saved and make the overall construction more compact, which explains why most of the space saver toilets are of the one piece design.

However, for a siphonic toilet, there is a physical limit to the bowl length, unlike the washdown design. 

Besides looking great, the one piece toilet is very easy to clean and maintain. That's the best advantage above all.

 

Constructions

Which is better? One piece or two piece toilet.

Performance-wise, there is no difference between the one piece and two piece toilets.

They can have the same flushing power and efficiency. The interior parts are almost identical if they are from the same toilet manufacturer. They may even have the same features and specifications.
So whether you prefer comfort height toilet or water-saving feature or compact toilets, you can find in both one piece and two piece toilets.

The one piece toilet is easier to clean because there is no gaps or joint between the toilet tank and the toilet bowl. And its a lot more hygienic since there is no place for dirt and grime to gather. Most people choose one piece design mainly for this reason.

The joint area of the two piece toilet can be a breeding ground for mold and bacteria if left unclean over time. And it is difficult to clean the area thoroughly without removing the toilet tank. Besides, there is the risk of leaks between the toilet tank and toilet bowl if the tank is not installed back properly.
 

Size and Weight
Both one piece toilet and two piece toilet come in a range of sizes. Traditionally, most one piece toilets take up slightly less space due to the way they are designed. The toilet tank and toilet bowl are molded together so that they don’t need as much room, front to back or in height.

However, most one piece toilets are designed to comfort height toilet, which means that the bowl sits at 17 inches, rather than 15. Two piece toilets can be found in both standard and comfort height, and both toilets are available in sizes to accommodate various bathroom designs.

When choosing a toilet, the most important measurement is the rough in, which is the distance from the center of the drain pipe to the wall behind the toilet. Most toilets sit at 12 inches, but some have a 10- or a 14-inch rough. Two piece toilets have more options for sitting on a differently sized rough because the bowl size doesn’t change. Simply order a different tank to sit on top. A few one piece toilets offer the ability to have a moveable rough to accommodate different bathrooms. So, if you have an odd-sized rough, you have more options with a two piece.

One piece toilets are considerably heavier. This is because a two piece can be uncoupled to move, halving its weight, while a one piece contains everything in one mold. Moving it can be more difficult, and shipping costs may be considerably higher.

 

Installation

The 1 piece toilet can be a challenge to install due to its size and weight. And it can be tricky when you have a small space. Strong arms and a good back will make an easy install; otherwise getting help is not an option.

But once you get the toilet into position, the installation is almost done. The rest of the work is easy, like connecting the water supply, mounting the seat, and caulking. So in this regard, the one piece toilet is easy to install.



The 2 piece toilet is more comfortable to install in a sense you can deal with the toilet tank and toilet bowl separately. With lesser weight to wrestle with, typically one person can complete the entire installation.

However, the tricky part is mounting the fragile porcelain tank onto the toilet bowl. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions to a T to avoid leaks later. And cracks on either the bowl or the tank can happen when you overtighten the bolts.

In both cases, to install the toilet, a wax ring is placed over the waste pipe. The toilet is set on top of the ring at a slight angle then twisted sharply to face front. The installer sits on the toilet and leans front to back and side to side to evenly distribute the weight. The toilet is then bolted to the floor, and the bolts are concealed either in the toilet skirt or with bolt caps.

The water line is hooked up to the bottom of the tank and sealed. The water is turned on, and the toilet is allowed to fill before being flushed to check for leaks. This takes less than an hour.
 

Durability

Since the one piece toilet is one large piece of porcelain, there are no joining parts to upkeep. From an engineering point of view, the lesser parts or connectivity, the more reliable it will be.

Hence, upkeeping a one piece toilet is super easy. There is no worry of water leaking out of the tank to mess up your bathroom floor.

The two piece toilet will need the extra care for leaks once the rubber gasket that seal the tank has had its day.

Besides the usual replacement of tank interior parts, both designs can last for many years under proper care and usage. But since the one piece model does not have the joining portion, the out-leaking problem does not exist. So it is a more durable toilet over the two piece design.
 

Costs

Traditionally,one piece toilets cost more, even with the same toilet manufacturer and style.

About 80% of toilets sold are the two piece toilet models. The main reason being they have been around longer, and homeowners are familiar with it. So that provides the economy of scale that relatively brings down the production cost.

While the one piece toilet doesn’t quite have the market volume like the two piece, its production cost is higher in comparison. The more complex production process of the one piece toilet is also a factor.
One piece or two piece toilet. Have you decided which one is more suitable for you?