Page 572 - The City and Guilds Textbook: Plumbing Book 1 for the Level 3 Apprenticeship (9189), Level 2 Technical Certificate (8202) and Level 2 Diploma (6035)

The City & Guilds Textbook: Plumbing Book 1

Material Description Appliance
Fireclay Made from buff-coloured ball clays from Devon and Dorset Belfast sinks
in the UK. London sinks
Fireclay is very robust to withstand rough treatment but, Butler’s sinks
unlike vitreous china, it is porous. Because of this, it requires
‘firing’ with a ceramic undercoat to seal the clay before being Urinals
coated with two coats of white glaze and then re-fired. Heavy-duty WC pans and washbasins
for hospitals
High-impact plastic Usually manufactured by injection moulding techniques. WC seats
WC cisterns
Bath panels
Acrylic Comes in varying thicknesses, between 3 mm and 8 mm. Baths
Heated until it becomes soft and pliable, and then placed Bath panels
over an aluminium mould, where it is sucked into place Washbasins
(known as vacuum forming).
Shower trays
Warm to the touch.
Can be moulded into many shapes.
However, easily damaged by scratching and abrasive
cleaners. Acrylic baths are often strengthened by a base
board made from chipboard and glass-reinforced polyester
(GRP).
Very lightweight; appliances are usually aimed at the
domestic market.
Acrylic baths require a supporting cradle.
Enamelled cast iron Extremely robust but is very heavy and very cold to the Baths
touch.
Because of the nature of cast iron, bath designs tend to be
very traditional.
Porcelain enamelled The steel sheet used in the manufacture of sanitary ware Baths
pressed steel must be of the highest grade low-carbon steel. The enamel is Washbasins
sprayed on and then kiln fired.
It is rigid but light, very robust but the enamel is easily
damaged.

Conventional WCs

WC stands for water closet. It consists of a WC pan and a flushing cistern. There
INDUSTRY TIP are different types of WC pan, as follows:
● The wash down type: the most common type of WC fitted in the UK. The pan is
Smaller versions of WC pans
are available for use in infant cleared by a carefully designed water distribution system, which uses the force of
schools. the water flush and volume of water delivered to the bowl to clear the contents.
Wash down-type WC pans are usually around 400 mm high, depending on the
manufacturer, and have 50 mm of water seal in the trap. The bowl is shaped to
provide efficient effluent clearance while maintaining easy cleaning.

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