Wooden Toilet Seats Pros & Cons

Wooden toilet seats come in a variety of styles. Some are enameled, others are molded while others are just pure wood.  Before you get spoilt for choice, you might want to first learn about why wood is good or bad for your bathroom.

Here are the unique features, pros and cons of the wooden toilet seats available in the market today. Also find more on the best plus frequently asked questions.

Wooden Toilet Salient Features

Wooden seats come in just wood, molded wood or enamel coated.

Wooden seats can be made from either one or several pieces of wood that have been glued together then are curved to fit a toilet bowl.

Molded wooden seats are made by injecting heated polystyrene into a mold then left to cool.

Enamel is mainly used to coat pressed wood thus offering a fine finish.

• They are natural since they are made from wood. There are three types of wooden seats available in the market; enameled, molded wood and pure wood seats.
• The seats are environmentally friendly and offer you a pleasant finish that highlights natural wood. It is easy to install and they offer more comfort, especially in cold weather.
• The seats support up to 300 pounds of weight. You can almost be sure of few breakages when using them.
• The seats are easy to clean and change since most of them have hinges that allow twisting. This makes it easy to remove and clean. It also facilitates faster replacement of the seats.
• They can easily adjust to a variety of toilet bowl sizes

Overall, these seats are perfect if you are looking for furniture that is tough to break.

The seats come in a variety of designs ranging from simple borders, floral motifs, and others with classic patterns. They also have disadvantages. Following are the advantages and disadvantages of these seats

Pros

• They are sturdier compared to seats made from other materials.
• They are warmer and offer great comfort compared to other seats
• During construction, wood can easily be chipped and pilled. This is a simpler process as compared to the effort placed in manufacturing other seats like those made from plastic.
• Some wooden seats are stain proof considering that wood hardly gets stained and that it is easier to clean.
• They are generally heavier than other toilet material such as plastic. This reduces the probability of breaking.
• They come in various attractive colors and styles to fit your home décor.
• They are always easy to install
• They employ a slow closing mechanism, therefore, make minimum noise
• Most of these seats have high-quality hinges that happen to be heavy-duty, therefore last longer.
• Most of the wooden seats are rigid, therefore won’t shift when you sit on them
• The seats employ hinges that enable easy removal thus cleaning is made easier.
• The seats are all-natural and firm, therefore, offer value for your money
• They are easy to maintain since they are easier to clean and the spare parts can easily be found at convenient stores.
• They are suitable for themed bathrooms since they come in various sculptured designs that enhance your personality and complements your home décor.
• Most wooden seats are designed to fit the standard sized toilet bowl. They have a five and a half bolt spread. You are almost assured that the eat will fit your toilet when you purchase it.

Cons

• Most of the seats have a shorter lifespan as compared to plastic seats.
• They are expensive compared to seats made from other materials such as plastic.
• Some seats are hard to install. They come with manuals on how to install but the process is hectic for some people.
• Insects such as termites easily attack the seats; therefore, they are worn out fast.
• If not well maintained, they easily get damaged. There are reported cases of soaked toilet seats. Water sips through the wood and causes rotting, generally deteriorating the seat quality. This weakens the seats, thus easily damaging them.
• Some wooden seats have  hinges that are of low quality
• In a few cases, seats fail to match the bowl.
• There have been complains about the bolts in some seats. They are cold when sat on.
• For some wooden seats, there have been some reports of defects after purchased.

Best Wooden Toilet Seats

Sanilo Elongated Toilet Seat

These are made from bamboo trees. They are molded wooden seats that are never cushioned but are very comfortable. They are easy to install and employ a no noise slamming mechanism. Here are a few pros and cons of the seats:

Pros

• They come in various attractive colors and styles
• They are always easy to install
• They employ a slow closing mechanism, therefore, make minimum noise
• They have high-quality hinges that happen to be heavy duty
• They can easily adjust to a variety of toilet bowl sizes

Cons

• They are more expensive compared to other toilet seats made from the same material
• They easily get damaged.

Bamboo Elongated Toilet Seat with Nickel Hinges

This seat is environmentally friendly and offers you a pleasant finish that highlights the bamboo grains. It is easy to install and offers more comfort, especially in cold weather.

Pros

• It adds elegance to the bathroom décor
• It comes with attractive nickel hinges
• They are cheaper than other wooden seats, hence will save you money
• It is rigid, therefore won’t shift when you sit on them

Cons

• There have been complains about the bolts. They are cold when sat on.
• The hinges are of low quality
• In a few cases, the seat fails to match the bowl.

Mayfair whisper close Molded Wood

The seat acquires its name from the little noise it generates when closing. It has hinges that easily allows removal of the seat without employing tools. You can easily rotate the latches covering the bolt heads to remove the seats.

It is made from molded wood and has a nice finish and has solid hinges

Pros

• The seat fits both round toilet and elongated bowls
• It is sturdy
• It produces very little noise when closing
• The hinges enable easy removal thus cleaning is made easier.

Cons

• It is hard to install for first-timers.

Mayfair Bamboo Toilet Seat

The seat is all-natural and firm offering value for your money. It is easy to install, therefore you can do it yourself.

Pros

• It has high-quality hinges that offer a perfect finish
• They can easily be installed
• They are cheap
• They are environmental friendly.

Cons

• They have a small toilet hole
• They have been complaints about the quality of material used to make the seats.

Luxury Oak Veneer Toilet Seat

This is a perfect seat if you are looking one that is almost unbreakable. It has a pleasant appearance and is robust. They are constructed using medium-density fiberboard and have a smooth teak or oak veneer finishing.

They have heavy-duty hinges that provide sufficient support and minimize breaking.

Pros

• It is reasonably priced
• They offer great comfort when sat on
• The seat has a natural veneer finish
• It has long-lasting hinges
• The seats require minimum effort to install
• They are easy to maintain

Cons

• The seat fails to fit the bowl at times
• They have been some reports of defects when purchased.

Hard Round Toilet Seat

It is purely natural and has hinges made from zinc alloy. The hinges have an adjustable width of up to 20 cm.

Pros

• The seat fits most toilet bowls
• It has long-lasting hinges
• It is sturdy

Cons

• In a few cases, the seat fails to match the bowl.

Bamboo Wood Grain Toilet Seat

This seat is specially designed to fit elongated toilet bowls that measure 18.5 inches and are natural. The hinges are made from brushed nickel.

Pros

• They offer great comfort when sat on
• The hinges are sturdy and elegant
• It is sturdy
• It produces very little noise when closing

Cons

• They are more expensive compared to other toilet seats made from the same material
• The seat fails to fit the bowl at times

Frequently Asked Questions

Are wooden toilets Sanitary?

The seats can be sanitary if you clean them regularly. In case you leave the seats without proper maintenance, rest assured that, it forms, a breeding ground for harmful bacteria.

How do you disinfect a wooden toilet seat?

Begin by using a wet textured sponge and warm water. Using dish soap and the wet sponge, scrub the toilet seat in a circular motion, such that you penetrate the wood. Upon covering a few inches, rinse the sponge until you have covered the entire seat.

Rinse the seat using clean water then spray down the entire toilet seat using disinfecting spray. Give the disinfectant spray time to air dry.