Renovating the bathroom is something that requires quite a bit of expertise. It’s not just a matter of fitting new units, but also making sure that they all work together with the plumbing, lighting, and everything else you want to put into the room.
Unfortunately, if you attempt a bathroom renovation, you will invariably come across all sorts of words and have no idea what they mean. Many of these are short-hand for common items, but you don’t always know it the first time around. What’s more, there are also a lot of acronyms that people in the industry use that just aren’t a part of the popular vernacular.
The good news is that this guide is here to help. We run through some of the terms you will likely encounter during a bathroom renovation and what they mean.
Here’s a rundown:
Grout
Grout is one of the easier terms. It refers to the sealant used to fill spaces around your showers, sinks, and baths. It looks a bit like white putty and either cures hard or into a sort of bouncy, rubbery sponge.
Grout is something you will absolutely need in any bathroom renovation. It helps to seal everything so water can’t escape down to the floorboards.
Trap
A trap is a U-shaped pipe that goes under sinks and toilets. It’s useful because it “traps” the nasty smells that could be coming up from your drains and prevents them from getting into your bathroom. It does this by creating a water barrier between your bathroom’s atmosphere and the depths on the other side.
Yes, u-bends can be temperamental, especially if you’re the sort of person who sheds a lot of hair. But you will certainly notice it if you get rid of them.
Undermount Sink
An undermount sink is, as you might guess, a type of sink, but a very special one. The term “under-mount” refers to fittings that allow the sink itself to fit underneath the surrounding countertop to avoid clunky obstacles that could get in the way.
Undermount sinks take all sorts of forms but the main point is that you can’t see where the sink meets the countertop. There’s no join you have to avoid when cleaning.
Threshold
What on earth is a threshold in the bathroom?
The term in this context refers to the annoying lip between the shower basin and the rest of the bathroom floor. Some showers don’t have any thresholds, but these usually require you to turn the room into a wet room, which is more expensive. However, you might want to try it if older adults will be using the bathroom, as it is safer.
Dual-Flush
Dual flush is a term that relates to a type of toilet with two flushing options. One uses a lot of water, and the other uses less.
We’ll leave you to join the dots but suffice to say that this method is often more environmentally friendly.
Wainscoting
Wainscoting is another term you may come across but haven’t heard before. If it sounds old-fashioned to you, then, good guess, because it is.
Wainscoting refers to the decorative paneling applied to the lower part of the wall that skirts around the room. The idea is to add substance and character to the bathroom while also protecting paintwork or tiles from accidental kicks or door slamming.
The wainscoting was traditionally quite tall. However, model bathrooms now reduce the height and modernize it so that there’s less protrusion into the room. It usually falls below the level of the floor tiles and makes contact with the boards below.
Backsplash
You probably know the term “backsplash” from the kitchen. It’s the helpful section of stain-proof material behind the cooker and sinks to prevent bolognese splatter from ruining the décor.
However, there is also such a thing as the backsplash in the bathroom. It’s not always as prominent, but it is often found behind the sink in bathrooms that aren’t all-tile. Backsplashes are helpful for the same reason, preventing annoying toothpaste splatter from ruining the paintwork behind.
GPM
GPM is another complicated acronym you might come across during a bathroom renovation. It refers to “gallons per minute” or the flow rate of faucets and shower heads.
Modern options often have a lower GPM while providing the same apparent volume of water through clever aeration technologies. These increase the total amount that seems to be coming through significantly.
So there you have it: some of the most used jargon terms out there for bathroom renovations, and what they mean. Did you learn something new? If so, drop us a line and let us know!
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