Phoenix Spouts

Phoenix spouts buying guide

A Phoenix spout is the outlet that carries water from a Phoenix mixer or tap set into the bath, the basin or the sink. This page holds Phoenix bath spouts, basin and bath outlets, basin spouts and kitchen and laundry spouts, wall mounted, floor mounted and hob mounted, fixed and swivelling, in chrome, brushed nickel, black, gunmetal, gold, brass and bronze. The guide below sorts the Phoenix spouts by range and by style, explains the difference between a swivel and a fixed outlet, how to match a spout to a mixer, how to replace one, and how to look after the finish.

Choose by range

Phoenix makes its spouts in ranges, and each range has its own outlet shape, plate and finish. The best result comes from choosing the range first, and then the outlet, so the spout matches the mixer, the handles and the accessories in the room. If you are buying a spout to match an existing Phoenix mixer, use the range name of the mixer. A spout from another range may look close, but the curve and the plate will not match exactly.

The Vivid Slimline is the largest group, with a slim, curved outlet. See Phoenix Vivid Slimline. The Vivid MKII has a more classical body, and see Phoenix Vivid MKII. The Designer is the swivel outlet range, in round and square plates, and the Gloss MKII and the Lexi MKII are rounded ranges, and see Phoenix Gloss MKII and Phoenix Lexi MKII.

Mekko, Teel, Nuage, Kusabi and Vask are design led ranges, each with its own shape. See Phoenix Mekko, Phoenix Teel, Phoenix Nuage, Phoenix Kusabi and Phoenix Vask. The Wiltern is an art deco range at Phoenix Wiltern, and the Cromford, Nostalgia, Axia and Rush complete the list. See Phoenix Cromford, Phoenix Nostalgia, Phoenix Axia and Phoenix Rush.

The Designer swivel outlet

The Designer swivel bath outlet is a 230mm outlet in a round or a square plate. It swivels through 180 degrees, so it can serve a bath and a basin from the same wall, or move the water to one side of a bath. It sits flush against the wall when it is not in use, which keeps it out of the way and makes it easy to clean around. The spout is a push-fit piece that is fitted at the end of the job, so it avoids scratches during the building work.

A swivel outlet needs clear space on both sides, so check that it can turn through its full range without touching a tile edge, a shelf or a shower screen. See swivel bath spouts for the swivel group from all brands.

The Vivid Slimline outlets

The Vivid Slimline wall outlets are curved, in 180mm and 230mm reaches, and they are made for the basin or the bath. The Plus outlet is fixed, so it does not swivel, and the water falls in one place. That suits a single basin or a bath where the water always lands in the same spot, and it is a simpler fitting, with no moving part to wear. The finishes include chrome, gunmetal, matte black and brushed bronze.

The choice between a fixed and a swivel outlet comes down to the wall. If the outlet serves only one basin or one bath, a fixed outlet is enough. If it serves two, or if you want to direct the water, choose a swivel.

Bath, basin and kitchen outlets

A bath outlet is longer, so the water lands in the middle of the bath. A basin outlet is shorter, and a basin and bath outlet is made to serve either. The kitchen and laundry spouts are taller, made to clear a deep bowl or a tub. Choose the length for the place the water has to land, not for the look of the spout. See bath tub spouts and basin spouts for the checks on length and height, and spouts for the full group from every brand.

Kitchen and laundry spouts

The kitchen and laundry spouts are for a wall mixer above a sink or a tub. They are taller than a bath outlet, so the spout clears the rim of a deep bowl and leaves room for a large pot or a bucket. A wall spout over a laundry tub keeps the bench clear, and a swivel spout can serve a double tub. Check the height of the spout above the bowl, and the reach to the drain, and settle the pipe position with the plumber before the wall is lined.

A spout that serves a sink should also clear anything on the bench behind it, such as a dish rack or a window sill. If the outlet is to be paired with a wall mixer, check the distance between the mixer and the spout, since the two sit on the same plate in some ranges and on separate plates in others.

Planning the position

The spout position is the one decision that cannot be changed after the tiles go on. Mark the height of the outlet on the wall with tape, and check it from the finished rim of the bath or the basin, not from the floor. Stand at the basin or kneel at the bath, and check that a hand and a jug fit under the outlet. Then check the sides, so a swivel outlet can turn without hitting a screen or a shelf.

Give the plumber the range name, the reach and the finish before the wall is closed. A written note of the spout model and the height, kept with the house records, saves guesswork when the spout is replaced years later.

Wall, floor and hob mounting

Most of the Phoenix spouts here are wall mounted. They come out of the wall at the end of a pipe that sits behind the tile, so the position is settled before the tiles go on. A floor mounted outlet stands beside a freestanding bath, with the pipes coming up through the floor, and the Vivid has floor mounted outlets for that. A hob mounted outlet stands on the bath deck or the basin through a hole. See freestanding bath mixers and hob mixers.

Match the spout to the mixer

The spout is only the outlet, and a separate mixer or a pair of handles controls it. They look best from the same range and the same finish, so the plate, the handle and the spout share a shape. See wall basin and bath mixer sets for the pair sold together. If you mix ranges, keep to the same finish and a similar shape, round with round and square with square. Check the finish name too, because brushed gold, brushed brass and brushed bronze are different colours.

Replacing a spout

A spout can be replaced on its own if the new one suits the wall outlet. Measure the projection of the old spout, from the wall to the point the water falls, and choose a new one that reaches the same distance. Check that the new spout connects to the outlet in the wall in the same way as the old one, because some spouts fix with a screw and some with a collar or a push fit. If the old spout has a diverter built in, the diverter is a separate matter, and a plumber should check that the new spout works with it.

If the old fitting is non-standard, or if the wall outlet is damaged, ask a licensed plumber, because a damaged outlet is a repair behind the tile.

Finishes and materials

Chrome is the largest group, easy to match and simple to clean. Brushed nickel is a soft silver that hides water marks. Black is bold against white tiles, and it needs a wipe now and then. Gunmetal is a dark grey between nickel and black. Gold, brass and bronze are warm metals that suit timber, stone and brass fittings. See chrome taps, brushed nickel tapware, black taps, gunmetal tapware and gold taps.

Much of the Phoenix spout range is lead free brass, and the rest is brass. A spout is in constant contact with water, so lead free brass is the better choice where it is offered. See lead free taps for the wider group. Check the material and the compliance marks on the model you choose.

Flow and installation

The spout does not set the flow. The flow depends on the supply pressure and on the mixer that feeds it, so a spout on a low pressure supply runs gently with any mixer. Taps sold in Australia carry a WELS rating for water efficiency, so check the rating for the product you choose. Plumbing work has to be done by a licensed plumber, who positions the pipe, fixes the spout to a solid backing, seals the plate to the tile and tests it for leaks. The installation sheet supplied with the spout is the reference for the connection and the fixings.

Care

Wipe the spout with a soft, damp cloth and mild soap, and dry it with a soft cloth to prevent water marks. Do not use abrasive pads, bleach or strong cleaners, because they can damage a brushed, black or coloured finish. Rinse bath oil and bubble bath off a bath spout after use, since they leave a film. Hard water leaves scale at the end of the spout, and a soak in a mild cleaner will clear it.

Questions to settle before you order

• Which Phoenix range is the mixer, and does the spout come from the same range?
• Is the outlet for a bath, a basin or both?
• Do you need a swivel outlet, or is a fixed one enough?
• How far does it need to reach to land the water near the middle of the bath or the drain?
• Is it to be wall, floor or hob mounted, and has the plumber agreed the position?
• Which finish matches the rest of the metal in the room?

Related pages

For the full Phoenix range, see Phoenix tapware and Phoenix taps. For a tap from any brand, start at taps.