Believe it or not, there are many choices for toilets these days. So how do you choose?

HEIGHT

The ‘standard’ height for toilets has changed over the years. Not long ago, 15” was considered the standard. Nowadays we have more options. At the MIDLAND DESIGN CENTRE we offer toilets from 15 inches up to 18 inches (from floor to brim of bowl).  The new standard, or what is called the “right height” toilet is 16.5”.  That extra inch and a half can make quite a difference when sitting down or getting up again. Seniors, or those with hip or knee conditions, tend to go for these higher toilets, but the 16.5” size is definitely the new normal. Our best selling toilet is actually the 18” Chelini Cabot toilet (#3274-095).

SHAPE

There’s two shapes to choose from, Elongated or Round. Sometimes it’s a little hard to tell the difference without them being side-by-side, but the Elongated is definitely longer from front to back. The Round option may be more oval than round, but shorter. Elongated is definitely the better selling toilet, especially for new installations, but for those into a renovation, or a smaller bathroom or powder room, the round may be the better option. 

FLUSH

You’ll often see the flush capacity of the toilet measured in litres, i.e. 4.8 litres per flush. This is also called the efficiency of the toilet. The lower the litres,

the more water is saved in the flush.  A high-efficiency toilet saves more water.  Typically, you can find 6.0L, 4.8L or even 3.8L flushes. 

Some toilets offer DUAL-FLUSH. You’ll notice that these have the two buttons on the top of the tank. These offer both the efficient flush and standard flush. This American Standard, for example, offers a 4.1L and 6L flush. Think of it as a Number 1 flush and Number 2 flush!

Although these were very popular when they came out, the trend seems to be going back to single flush toilets with the usual complaint of extra cleaning of the buttons with the dual flush.

TRAP-WAY

The Trap-way, or that twisted area you see under the tank and behind the toilet bowl, can be either exposed, or concealed. The first photo above visibly shows the exposed trap-way, and the second photo has a concealed trap-way. Many find the concealed trap-way easier to clean, but you will pay extra for this feature.

LINED OR UNLINED

Depending on the humidity in your home, you may elect to choose a lined tank on your toilet. An unlined toilet may produce condensation, or “sweat”, on the outside of the toilet tank which can accumulate and drop onto the floor.  You can see if the tank is lined or not by lifting the tank lid and looking for what looks like styrofoam on the inside wall of the tank. Most modern toilets are lined, but there are some that are not. Worth checking if your current toilet sweats!

MaP

Another important spec to watch out for is the MaP rating. This is basically the power of the flush, measured in grams (g). The higher the grams, the more powerful the flush. Typical ratings are 600, 800 and 1000, with 1000 being the most powerful.  Like height, the standard has moved up with 1000 being the most common today.

These are the most common factors to look for when choosing a toilet. We’re happy to show you the various options and help you decide which toilet best suits your needs.

With over 100 toilets in stock, we likely have the right one for you! Visit the Midland Home Hardware Design Centre today!

#toilets #rightheight #maprating 

 

This was one of my favourite projects due to the client’s vision for the space, and the unique challenges brought on by a century home. The kitchen before was very confined, dark, and was not a reflection of the homeowner’s style and taste (as you can see, they have an impeccable design style).
I was able to bring their vision and sketch to life! They chose cabinetry from Wood Crest Cabinetry in Maple Gentry Whitecap and countertops from Silestone in Eternal Calacatta Gold. The farm house sink is from our Sinkology collection. This is one stunning kitchen indeed! 
 

 

 

 

 

 

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We are very excited to have been chosen as the exclusive dealer for Tenzo Fine Plomberie in North Simcoe! Tenzo is a Canadian company based out of Quebec and have been offering fine bathroom and kitchen fixtures since 2008.
 
Tenzo has been recognized for its high quality, innovative and sophisticated fixtures. A dedicated Research and Development team thrives on establishing new and inspiring designs whilst selecting materials that have longevity, style and excellence. Their products are made from solid brass and engineered to last a lifetime.

View more photos, or come into the DESIGN CENTRE and ask any of our staff about these new and exciting faucets, showers and fillers.
 

There are advantages to choosing us over the rest:

• We have over 10,000 sq.ft. of building Centre and Design Centre space.
• We have everything you need for your kitchen, bathroom, or other interior projects
• We are open 7 days a week!
• We have cabinetry, countertops, sinks, faucets, lighting, flooring, tile, appliances and so much more, all on display for your selection.
• Installation is available for cabinetry and countertops with our Home Installs team. We will ensure that your project is seamless and walk you through every step of the process. 
• For other installations or construction work we will recommend trusted local contractors. We have great working relationships with local contractors/builders/trades and will assist in communicating your project needs.
• Our Design Centre Team is here to assist you with selecting products for your special project.

Drop in, or book a free consultation to meet our team, view samples, discuss your ideas and start your project on the right foot.

Did you know that the Midland Home Hardware Design Centre is a dealer for the popular Schluter®-Systems? Here’s an excerpt directly from Schluter.

“Contrary to popular belief, tiles and grout joints are not inherently waterproof, and must be installed in conjunction with a waterproofing system that effectively manages moisture and prevents mold growth.”

“The Schluter®-Shower System is an integrated family of products that together form a fully bonded, watertight assembly for tiled showers. The Schluter®-Shower System eliminates the risk of failures due to water and vapor penetration and dramatically reduces total installation time. From drains to shower benches to waterproofing pipe seals, Schluter®-Systems offers everything you need to ensure a dependable and watertight installation.”

One of the products that we carry is called Kerdi-Board.
 

Schluter®-KERDI is a pliable sheet-applied waterproofing membrane and vapor-retarder designed for the direct application of tile. KERDI is ideal for use in tiled showers, bathtub surrounds, residential steam showers, and other tile applications in wet areas.

• Sheet-applied polyethylene waterproofing membrane and vapor retarder
• Eliminates water damage which can lead to mold and mildew
• Features a modified polyethylene (PEVA) core with non-woven polypropylene on both sides
• Features an anchoring fleece on both sides to anchor the membrane in thin-set mortar
• Ideal for waterproofing in conjunction with tiled surfaces on walls and floors
• KERDI is 8-mil-thick and guarantees uniform thickness

Visit the Design Centre to learn more about Schluter®-Systems.

by Briana Lalonde, Kitchen Designer
Midland Home Hardware Design Centre

With an array of options, choosing the right sink for your needs can seem overwhelming. The best place to start is with the type of countertop it’s being installed into. Is it a laminate, quartz, granite, or a solid surface countertop? If it is laminate the type of sink will be a top mount (as undermount is not currently an option for laminate countertops). If you are installing the sink into any of the other surfaces, you can choose either a top mount or an undermount. However, for a polished and modern aesthetic an undermount is recommended for quartz, granite, and solid surface countertops.

For the sink finish, a timeless classic is stainless steel. Stainless steel offers a durable, non-porous surface. We also offer many sizes in a granite composite (such as Blanco Silgranit). The granite composites offer colour options that may better suit your countertop colour and kitchen design style, while being stain and scratch resistant.

A personal style preference may be an apron sink (farm sink), which is available in both top mount and undermount (these are my personal favourite!). Apron sinks are available in stainless steel, granite composite, hammered copper, and fireclay.
We are here to help you choose the right sink for your project.

Did you know that the Midland Design Centre, besides the thousands of products available through Home Hardware, also offers many brands that we order in directly from the manufacturer?  One of those is Stonewood Bath Cabinetry. 

Stonewood Bath Cabinetry is distributed by Rock Solid Supply. For the past 17 years, Stonewood has been the superior choice vanity with the proven quality you expect, the timeless style you love, and the finishing options that fulfill your vision. They continue to be an industry leader, always learning and improving to serve you better. Delivering exceptional service and happiness to our customers is our top priority.

Stonewood Bath Cabinetry prides itself in providing superior construction integrity. We use solid hardwood for face-frame, back-frame, furniture kick construction and dovetail drawer boxes. Our engineered quartz vanity countertops lead the industry in choice.

Our program allows you to mix and match products, styles and colours to give them the bathroom vanity of their dreams. Select the colour, size, quartz top, sink and hardware. Stonewood vanities are assembled and inspected in Barrie, Ontario.

Let one of our consultants guide you through the selection. In addition to vanities, Stonewood also offers accessories such as colour matched mirrors, storage/medicine cabinets, linen towers and more. 

We are pleased to announce that the Midland Home Hardware Design Centre is now a stocking dealer for the Perfect Level Master tile levelling system. The system can accommodate a wide variety of tile sizes and thicknesses:

• Size S   - For Tile Thickness     3-8mm (1/8 - 5/16")
• Size M   - For Tile Thickness     8-14mm (5/16 - 9/16")
• Size L    - For Tile Thickness    15-25mm (9/16 - 1")

We recommend Medium (M) sized Clips. This is the standard tile thickness size in North America 

Please note that Small (S) and Large (L) clips are only available in 1MM grout joints. We recommend using our Reusable Crosses to achieve desired grout joint size.  

In between thickness? Size up and use our Base Plates to ensure proper tension during install. 

If you are a tile person in the trades, ask us about our Tile Program. Call 705-526-5416, x300.

This local kitchen was once a conference room and is now turned into a residential kitchen and apartment. 

The space was very plain and geared towards business meetings. There was a small kitchenette but not a fully functional kitchen. These clients are avid foodies and one is a professional chef. Having a functional and well-organized space to work in was of utmost importance, while at the same time being aesthetically pleasing to entertain.

The clients provided their wish list and I worked within the confines of the space to achieve their wishes. The kitchen cabinetry was ordered from Wood Crest Cabinetry. Pictured here is the door style Salem in the colour Alabaster (a calming off white). The countertop material is Dekton, a high compact surface, in the colour Entzo. This countertop choice provided the added benefits of a highly durable, scratch resistant and heat resistant surface. The backsplash is Exagon stone/glass mosaic from Ceratec. The hardware is Henlow in Bronze Champagne from Marathon. The clients also chose lighting from Canarm and Art District flooring from Eclipse.

The transformation of this space is truly stunning. The client’s personal style is throughout the entire apartment and is truly cohesive, for a very welcoming earthy yet modern vibe.

This was a really enjoyable project to be apart of from start to finish.

Briana Lalonde, Kitchen Designer

 

TO SERVE YOU BETTER!
In our pursuit to provide the best customer service, we’ve invested in a new BOOM TRUCK to improve our delivery operations. This new, state-of-art, vehicle allows us to make more deliveries efficiently, and safely. This is our commitment to our local community. 
Look for us on a road near you!