Concealed Toilet Buttons

What a concealed flush plate is

With an in-wall cistern, the flush plate is the only part you see, and it can also be how a plumber reaches the cistern. The Caroma Invisi Series II plates give complete service access, so servicing does not mean removing tiles. The cistern is built into the wall, so a plate is made for one cistern or one cistern series. Find the make and series of the cistern behind your wall before you think about finish. The make and model are usually stamped on the cistern, and a plumber can read them once the old plate comes off. You can usually replace just the plate, as long as the new one matches that cistern. Buttons for toilets with an exposed cistern are on cistern toilet buttons.

Plates for Caroma Invisi Series II cisterns

The Caroma plates come in round, rectangular and oval shapes. Finishes include brushed nickel, brushed brass, brushed bronze, matte black and gunmetal, and the round plate also comes in white and grey tones. The fixings are fully concealed, and the plate mounts on the wall above the toilet or on a benchtop. The pneumatic buttons need only a light touch. With the remote option the buttons can sit up to 4m from the cistern.

The round metal plate is 210mm wide, 110mm high and 5.5mm deep. The Contura II round button panel is 228mm by 116mm, in brushed brass, brushed nickel, brushed bronze, chrome and black. The raised care buttons are easy to push and can be installed to comply with AS1428.1, and accessible toilets covers the wider fit-out. The whole range is on Caroma concealed toilet buttons.

For the Invisi Series II cistern, the standard plate suits a wall lining of 6mm to 45mm. Custom buttons need a hole of 65mm by 57mm, or a round hole of 57mm, and suit panels up to 55mm thick. The pneumatic tubes push into the rear of the mounting panel, each tube matched to its button, and the panel is fixed to the tiling box or remote mounting box with the supplied Allen key and screws. Trim the box flush to the wall before assembling the buttons, and do not over tighten the mounting panel screws.

Plates for Geberit Sigma cisterns

Most of the Geberit Sigma 20, Sigma 20 square, Sigma 30 and Sigma 60 plates suit a Sigma 8 cistern. Two Sigma 20 plates name no cistern, so confirm the fit before you order. The Kappa 50 plate pairs with the Kappa Under Counter 150 concealed cistern and doubles as its access panel. Geberit plates share the name of the concealed cistern they fit: Sigma plates fit Sigma cisterns, Omega plates fit Omega cisterns, and the Alpha is for under-counter use. Switching plates takes a few seconds on a matching cistern, since you lift off the old plate and drop the new one in its place.

Other makers make plates for Sigma cisterns too. The Turner Hastings Claremont plate is brass, made in Italy, and suits Sigma 8 in-wall cisterns such as codes 109.795.00.1 and 111.698.00.1, in brushed brass, chrome and brushed nickel. A Geberit cistern has offset valves, so the plate sits 8mm to the right of the toilet centreline. The Fienza Sigma round button plate is ABS with a PVD finish, 246mm wide and 164mm high, in chrome, matte chrome, matte black, matte white, brushed nickel, brushed copper, gun metal and urban brass. The Meir Sigma 21 plate is brass with a PVD finish, the same 246mm by 164mm, in brushed nickel, champagne, lustre bronze, tiger bronze and shadow. The Meir plates are made in Switzerland and assembled in Australia, and the Shadow finish has brownish-bronze undertones that look different under warm and cool lighting, so see the plate in your own light before you commit. The pages to use are Geberit concealed toilet buttons, buttons to suit the Geberit Sigma 8 cistern and Geberit cistern and toilet suite packages.

Geberit Sigma plates are 246mm by 164mm, remote buttons can sit up to 2 metres from the cistern, and the Sigma60 needs a minimum wall lining of 30mm to sit flush. The Sigma60 glass plate suits Sigma concealed cisterns of 8 centimetres from the 2016 range and covering thicknesses of 24mm to 50mm, and it is not suitable for Geberit Duofix elements for wall hung toilets in barrier free applications. It is being phased out, so ask us about replacements before you rely on it.

Seima and Nero in-wall plates

The Seima 500 Series plate suits all Seima in-wall cisterns. It is a rectangular ABS plate, 236mm wide, 152mm high and 8mm deep, with full and half flush buttons, in matte white, matte black, brushed nickel, gunmetal, brushed gold and chrome. Button options are sold separately and the pneumatic action needs only a light touch. The pneumatic plate and the mechanical plate are different parts, with a separate order code for each pairing of finish and actuation, so the plate and the cistern must use the same actuation.

The Nero in wall push plate suits the R&T in wall cistern, and the Bao Elegant in wall suite that uses it. It is 304 grade stainless steel with soft rounded corners and fully concealed fixing, and the finishes include brushed gold, brushed nickel, brushed bronze, graphite and gun metal. The graphite plate is 258.6mm wide, 178.6mm high and 28.6mm deep. For each brand's plates, see Seima concealed toilet buttons and Nero concealed toilet buttons.

Fienza, Meir and Turner Hastings plates in detail

The Fienza Sigma round button plate is ABS with an electroplated finish, 246mm long, 164mm wide and 15mm deep. The chrome, matte chrome, brushed nickel, brushed copper, gun metal, urban brass, matte black and matte white versions are all dual flush and made for Sigma cisterns. The matte finishes are designed to resist smudges and fingerprints, which keeps a plate looking clean between wipes.

The Meir Sigma 21 plate is brass with a PVD finish, 246mm wide, 164mm high and 15mm deep, and it weighs 2.2kg. The PVD finish is applied by a hand-made technique, so the colour and finish may vary from piece to piece. That variation is part of the premium character of the plate, and it is worth holding a sample against the tapware before you decide. The Meir plates are made to pair with Meir tapware in the same finish names: tiger bronze, champagne, brushed nickel, lustre bronze and shadow.

The Turner Hastings Claremont plate is brass with a brushed PVD finish, and overall it is 330mm wide and 170mm high. It has a dual-hole design for dual flush. Because a Geberit cistern has offset valves, the button sits 8mm to the right of the toilet centreline. The plate needs at least 20mm of clearance from the cistern face to the wall. Ideally it goes on a tiled wall. If the wall is not tiled, use a 10mm water-resistant backing bracket to create the required spacing. That clearance should be on the plan before the wall is lined, since it changes how deep the lining sits at the opening.

Choosing a finish and a plate material

Metal plates in brass or stainless steel feel solid and take PVD finishes in brushed brass, bronze, nickel and gunmetal. ABS plates are lighter, and they take electroplated chrome, matte black, matte white and fingerprint resistant matte finishes. Neither material is the wrong choice. Pick brass or stainless where the plate should match metal tapware, and pick ABS where a quiet, painted-wall tone or a simple matte finish suits the room. A white or neutral plate sits into a wall, and a metal plate stands out against tile. Check the finish name against the tapware, and treat a PVD colour as a close match rather than an identical one.

Accessible bathrooms

If the toilet is for someone with limited reach or grip, the control and its position matter as much as the finish. AS1428.1 puts the flush control zone 600 to 1100mm above the floor. The back-mounted zone is 500mm wide from the toilet centre toward the side away from the wall, and the side-mounted zone is 300mm either side of the toilet front.

Caroma's raised care buttons are installed to meet AS1428.1-2009 Amendment 1, and Geberit's remote range includes a white care button. Both speak to the button, not the room, so ask a certifier or access consultant to confirm the whole fit-out. The wider room is covered on accessible toilets.

Space behind the wall

An in-wall cistern is typically 500 to 600mm high, 350 to 400mm wide and 90 to 150mm deep, the wall cavity is at least 150 to 200mm, and flush plates are 150 to 200mm high and 200 to 250mm wide. These figures vary by model. The Geberit Sigma8 in-wall cistern is 80mm and the Duofix 90mm, and the Caroma Invisi II needs a minimum cavity of 90mm for an in-wall installation. Use the ranges to get a feel for the space and the exact figures for the exact cistern to set out the wall. Plan access for maintenance through the flush plate or an access panel, so repairs do not need extensive wall damage.

Looking after the plate

Finish decides care. Clean brushed brass with a soft damp cloth and mild dish soap, wiping with the grain, then rinse and dry. Avoid acidic cleaners, bleach, abrasives and vinegar. Water left on brushed brass causes mineral deposits that get harder to remove the longer they sit. That advice suits the brass PVD plates here. For ABS and stainless steel plates the safe default is much the same: a soft cloth, mild soap, no abrasives, and no spray cleaner left to sit. If a button feels stiff or the flush changes after cleaning, the cause is behind the plate and a plumber should look.

Before you order

Check the compatibility line for the plate against your cistern. If you are planning an in-wall toilet from scratch, start with in wall concealed toilets. Seat hinges, caps and seats are on toilet components, and the toilets page covers choosing a whole suite.