Skew-Trap Toilet Suites for Renovations

A skew-trap toilet suite has its waste outlet exiting to the side rather than straight down or straight back. That offset makes it the practical answer in older homes where the drain sits off to one side of the pan and moving it would mean cutting into the floor. Knowing when a skew trap is the right call can save a renovation a lot of expense.

When a skew trap is the right choice

Older houses were plumbed to whatever drainage layout suited the era, and the waste for a toilet doesn’t always line up with a modern pan’s standard outlet. A skew trap sends the waste out to the left or right, letting you keep the existing drain position instead of relocating it. That avoids breaking up the slab or floor, which is often the single biggest cost in a bathroom renovation. If your old pan already had a side outlet, a skew-trap suite is usually the straightforward like-for-like replacement.

Getting the connection right

The critical measurements are which side the outlet exits and the height and distance of the drain from the wall. Because these vary, a skew pan is frequently connected with an adjustable pan connector that takes up the difference between the pan’s outlet and the fixed drain. Confirm the direction of the skew — left or right — matches your drain before ordering, since a pan is built for one side.

Style hasn’t been sacrificed

A skew outlet is about the plumbing, not the appearance. You can still choose a modern close-coupled suite with a dual-flush cistern and an easy-clean bowl, so the fixture looks current even though it solves an old drainage problem. The outlet is hidden low at the back, out of everyday view.

Matching a suite to your drain

To find a suite that suits your outlet position, browse a range of toilet suites at Just Bathrooms, a local showroom in the Illawarra.