Caroma Toilet Seats

Which Caroma toilet seat fits your toilet

Caroma toilet seats are not interchangeable. Each seat is made for particular pans, and the compatibility line on the listing says which. A seat that suits a Luna pan may not suit an Urbane Compact pan, and a seat that looks right can still miss on the hinge holes. Check the pan first, then the seat.

The listings on this page state their fit. The Caroma Urbane II seat suits Urbane II, Luna and Forma pans, and the Liano soft close seat suits Urbane and Liano pans. The Xena soft close seat is designed for Luna pans and will suit many other brands, though the listing tells you to check sizing. The Profile soft close seat suits the Profile and Retro pans, plus the Cameo, Caravelle, Concorde, Leda, Opal, Trident and Vintage pans. The Urbane Compact seat suits the Urbane Compact wall faced pan only. If you aren't sure which pan you have, the Caroma toilets page explains where to find the model, and the Caroma toilet parts page lists the spares.

Measure the pan, not the old seat

An old seat may have been a compromise fit, so measure the ceramic pan itself. You need three numbers. The hinge centres run from the centre of one fixing hole at the back of the pan to the centre of the other. The pan length runs from the front edge back to the centre line of the hinge holes. The pan width is the widest point across the bowl. Compare all three with the seat's specification sheet before you order.

Look at the shape too. A D shape has a flatter, squarer front, and an oval has an evenly curved front.

The seats, one by one

The Liano soft close seat is a double flap, compression moulded seat with quick release chrome hinges. The listing says it comes off with one click of a button behind the seat. It suits Urbane and Liano pans, and its box holds the seat and a fixing kit. The Xena soft close seat has the same double flap construction and quick release chrome hinges, with a blind fixing. Its listing says it is designed for Luna toilets and will suit many other brands if the sizing matches, and its box also holds the seat and a fixing kit.

The Urbane II seat suits Urbane II, Luna and Forma pans according to its listing. The Urbane Compact soft close seat comes with a lid, hinges and fittings, and a pair of hinge caps in the box. The Profile seat has soft close hinges, while the Profile standard seat comes with either a standard or a soft close hinge, chosen from the drop down. Its hinges are lightweight plastic and it is listed for domestic use. The Trident is a snap-on detachable seat of medium weight with fully adjustable pan fittings. It is listed for domestic and light duty commercial use, and it comes in white with a fixing kit.

The Family D shape seat is the one built for a household with a young child. Its listing describes an Australian designed and engineered training seat with a push button quick release and a soft close adult seat and lid. A detachable child seat secures to the lid with magnets, and GermGard antibacterial protection is listed too. The child seat is lightweight and isn't soft close. The listing says the seat fits Liano, Luna and Urbane wall faced and close coupled pans, and may suit other toilets if the size, shape and hinge holes line up, so check the dimensions in the technical specifications. The box holds the seat, a fixing kit and the installation instructions.

Quick release, hidden fixing, top fix and bottom fix

Most Caroma seats here are quick release, so the seat lifts off for cleaning. Press the two release buttons on the hinge covers together and lift the seat straight up off the hinge posts. Some older or specific models use a hidden fixing instead. The nuts, plastic or metal, sit under the back of the pan, and you loosen them by hand or with a spanner. A little silicone lubricant around the hinge can free a stuck button.

The fixing type also decides how the seat goes on. A top fix tightens from above, usually with expanding fixings inside the pan holes, and it suits back to wall toilets and any pan where you can't reach underneath. A bottom fix tightens nuts under the pan.

What soft close and quick release actually do

CHOICE explains both features plainly. A soft close lid closes quietly and puts less stress on the pan, which reduces long-term damage. A quick release seat comes off without tools for easier cleaning. A seat can have one feature and not the other, so check the listing. On a pan with a concealed cistern, or on a back to wall suite, a quick release seat also lets you reach the back of the pan, where dust and splashes collect. A standard hinge seat, such as the one in the Aire Concorde connector suite box, needs tools to remove.

Fitting a new seat

Fit the hinges loosely, set the seat on the pan and align it, then tighten a little at a time, alternating sides. Recheck the alignment before the final tighten. Don't over-tighten metal fixings against ceramic: hand tight plus a gentle extra turn is enough. Ask a licensed plumber to handle anything connected to the water supply.

Soft close, GermGard and other features

A soft close seat lowers itself instead of dropping, which prevents slamming and reduces noise and wear. The Urbane II, Xena, Liano, Urbane Compact and Profile soft close listings all state it. GermGard is Caroma's antimicrobial protection, and it helps inhibit bacterial growth on the treated surface. It is listed on the Family D shape seat, the Urbane II seat and the Profile soft close seat. It does not replace cleaning.

For a household with a child learning to use the toilet, the Family D shape seat is the one to look at. Its detachable child seat secures to the lid with magnets when not in use. The adult seat and lid are soft close, but the lightweight child seat is not. Its fit is the one given above.

The Trident is a snap-on detachable seat with adjustable pan fittings, listed for domestic and light duty commercial use. The Profile standard seat is a lighter double flap seat with plastic hinges, in standard or soft close.

Match the hinge to the taps

Hinge cap kits change the finish of the hinge without replacing the seat. The Urbane, Contura and Riviere kits suit Contura II, Urbane II and Luna Slim toilets, and the listing says they are not compatible with Urbane II Luxe suites. The Liano, Arc and Xena kits suit Liano and Luna suites, and the Liano, Luna, Arc and Xena seats. Finishes include stainless steel, matte black, PVD brushed brass and PVD gunmetal, and the Liano, Arc and Xena kit adds PVD brushed bronze. A hinge that matches the tapware keeps the finishes consistent through the bathroom.

The hinge caps in detail

A hinge cap covers the hinge fitting and changes its finish. The listing for the Liano, Arc and Xena caps gives a size: electroplated metal, 51mm long and 5mm high. Those caps come in brushed brass, stainless steel, matte black, gunmetal and brushed bronze. The Urbane, Contura and Riviere caps come in brushed brass, matte black and gunmetal. Each family names the toilets it fits, and the Urbane family says it does not fit Urbane II Luxe suites. A cap is only a cover, so it can't stand in for a worn hinge, and the Trident and Profile seats are not on either list. If the hinge itself has failed, replace the seat or look for a hinge set for your pan. Toilet hinge caps and buttons lists the caps and covers from other makers.

The electronic bidet seat in detail

The Caroma electronic bidet seat adds washing and drying to a toilet you keep. The listing says water flow and temperature adjust from the remote. The extendable nozzle handles front and rear washing and cleans itself, and an air-powered dryer is built in. The seat and cover close softly and release quickly for cleaning, and GermGard protection is listed on the seat. It comes with dual check valves and an integrated air gap to meet AS2845.2 backflow prevention. The box holds the seat, a remote control and installation instructions, and the listing links a compatibility chart and an operation and installation manual.

The listing names the suites it fits: several Luna and Luna Slim suites, the Urbane II and Urbane wall faced Invisi II suites, the Urbane wall hung Invisi II suite, and the Liano Easy Height and wall hung Invisi II suites. CHOICE notes that a seat that replaces your seat needs power, and that an expert installer is recommended because it connects to the water supply. Plan a power point near the toilet. Bidet toilet seats lists the other seats that fit a toilet you already own.

When to replace a seat, and what to check first

Replace a seat when the finish is worn, the hinges have loosened beyond tightening, or the lid no longer closes properly. Before ordering, confirm the make and model of the pan if you can. The brand and model are usually stamped on the cistern or the pan, and a Caroma seat suits a named list of pans, not every pan. If the pan isn't a Caroma, the listings that say a seat may suit other toilets, such as the Xena and the Family D shape, tell you to check the size, the shape and the hinge holes first.

Replacing a seat is a simple job and doesn't touch the water supply. Work on the cistern or the drain connection is different and goes to a licensed plumber. Keep the old seat until the new one is fitted and lined up. The old fixing positions are the quickest check of the hinge centres.

Looking after the seat

Take the seat off to clean it. Use a pH neutral cleaner, and avoid bleach, ammonia and abrasive pads. If the seat starts to move side to side or the bolts loosen, realign it and retighten the hinge fixings, alternating sides.

Seat shape: D, round or oval

A plumbing contractor's guide lists two pre-purchase checks for a seat: the shape (D, round or oval) and whether a quick release seat is available for the pan. A retailer guide says to choose a shape that matches the pan, elongated or round, and to consider soft close. Caroma's own seats follow the same logic. Its 2015 seat range chart also lists a toggle and bolt pack for blind fixing, and an adaptor kit for Leda type pans. The Family seat is a D shape. Its technical sheet lists compatible pans by code across the Luna, Urbane, Urbane II, Liano and Elvire ranges, and gives a measuring guide with three ranges: A between 53 and 173mm, B between 390 and 450mm and C between 350 and 360mm. The sheet does not label the letters in text, so use its diagram. The other seats on this page state the pans they suit in the compatibility line. If your pan isn't on a listing's list, measure the hinge centres, the pan length and the pan width, and compare them with the technical specifications before you order.

Material and feel

A retailer guide says standard plastic seats are durable and easy to clean, and that thermoplastic feels more premium. The Caroma listings describe their seats by construction. The Liano and Xena are double flap, compression moulded seats. The Profile standard seat has plastic hinges and is listed for domestic use, and the Trident is a snap-on seat of medium weight for domestic and light duty commercial use. The Family seat pairs a soft close adult seat with a lightweight child seat that isn't soft close. None of the listings states a weight rating or a material grade, so if that matters in your household, ask for the specification sheet. Wipe the seat with a damp cloth and a mild cleaner, and keep abrasive pads away from the finish.

Do you need a new seat or a new toilet?

A retailer guide says that if the suite is sound and flushes well, a new seat may be enough, since seats wear, crack or discolour over time. That holds for a Caroma seat when the pan is in good order and the listing names it. If the pan is cracked, leaks or no longer suits the room, look at the suites instead. The Caroma suites with a soft close seat in the box are on Caroma toilets, and the seat on this page then becomes a spare. The same guide says to pay extra attention to the seat bolts, the handle and the flush lever when cleaning, because those touch points collect dirt. It also says to check regularly for leaks and loose fittings.

Replacing the seat, step by step

Take the old seat off first, and keep it until the new one is in. On a top fix seat the fixings are reached from above, usually by lifting the hinge covers. On a bottom fix seat the nuts sit under the back of the pan, so you need to reach there. Offer the new hinges to the pan holes loosely, set the seat on the pan, and line it up so the gap is even all round. Tighten a little at a time, alternating sides, and recheck the alignment before the final turn. Over-tightening a metal fixing against ceramic can crack the pan, and hand tight plus a gentle extra turn is enough. If the seat has a quick release, test that it lifts off and clicks back on. Replacing a seat doesn't involve the water supply, so you don't need a plumber. Anything on the supply or the cistern does.

Which hinge cap family fits

The two Caroma hinge cap families are not interchangeable, so match the listing to your toilet and your seat. If you own an Urbane II Luxe, an Urbane Compact or a Profile, neither listing names your seat, so check the dimensions before you order. A cap is a cover and doesn't replace a loose or broken hinge. Choose a finish that matches the taps, the flush button and the towel rail, and the room reads as one set. Across the two families the caps come in brushed brass, matte black, gunmetal, stainless steel and brushed bronze, and not every finish exists in both.

Other Caroma pages

If you are replacing more than the seat, the toilet seats page covers seats for other makes, and the buying guide on the main toilets page explains set out, inlet and projection for a whole new suite. Range pages for the pans these seats fit include Urbane II, Luna Cleanflush and Contura II.