Ideal Standard Toilet Seat Hinges
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Ideal Standard Toilet Seat Hinges

You bought a new toilet seat, spent twenty minutes wrestling with the old one, and then realized… you can’t tighten the new bolts. Why? Because you can’t reach underneath the toilet.

This is the classic "Top Fix vs. Bottom Fix" nightmare. If you don't know the difference before you click 'buy', you are going to end up with a bag of parts you can't use. This is especially tricky with big brands. For example, finding the right Ideal Standard Toilet Seat Hinges requires knowing exactly how your toilet pan is built.

Here is the simple guide to figuring out which type you need so you don't waste your money.

The "Bottom Fix" (The Old School Way)

This is the standard hinge type for most traditional toilets.

  • How to check: Stick your hand behind the toilet bowl and feel underneath the hinge holes. Can you feel a bolt coming through? Can you touch the wingnut?
  • The Mechanism: A long bolt goes through the ceramic, and you tighten a plastic or metal nut from underneath.
  • The Trap: If your toilet is fully enclosed (meaning the sides go all the way back to the wall), you physically cannot get your hand in there to tighten it.

The "Top Fix" (Blind Hole Fixings)

Modern bathrooms love the sleek look of "Back-to-Wall" or "Wall-Hung" toilets. But these designs create a problem: you have zero access to the underside of the pan.

  • How to check: If the sides of your toilet are smooth ceramic with no gaps, you have a Top Fix pan. The holes are "blind"—they don't go all the way through, or if they do, you can't reach the exit.
  • The Mechanism: These use a special expansion toggle (like a rawl plug for a wall). You push the fitting into the hole from above. As you tighten the screw from the top, the toggle expands inside the ceramic to grip the pan.

Why It Matters for Ideal Standard Toilets

Ideal Standard makes both types. If you try to force a bottom-fix hinge onto a top-fix pan, it will just spin loosely forever.

Many of their popular ranges, like the Concept or Tesi, often use specific top-fix expansion bolts. On the flip side, older models might rely on traditional bottom fixings. If you are hunting for replacement Ideal Standard Toilet Seat Hinges, you need to check the pan first, not just the seat.

Can You Convert Them?

Sometimes. If you have a bottom-fix toilet (where you can reach underneath), you can actually use Top Fix hinges if you want to. They are easier to install because you don't have to lie on the bathroom floor.

But you can never use Bottom Fix hinges on a Top Fix toilet. It’s physically impossible.

Get the Right Kit

Don't guess. If you aren't sure, remove your old seat and look at the holes. If they are just dark voids in the ceramic, you need Top Fix.

My Toilet Spares stocks a huge range of genuine fixings. They list the specific hinge kits for almost every model, so you can grab the exact Ideal Standard Toilet Seat Hinges designed for your pan. Whether it’s a blind hole fixing or a standard nut-and-bolt, getting the right one means the seat stays tight for years, not days.