Wood vs Plastic Toilet Seat

Wood vs Plastic Toilet Seat

Toilet seats are made out of plastic or wood – it’s as simple as that. So, between wood and plastic seats, which is the best choice? Which seats are more durable? Are plastic toilet seats sanitary? What about wooden toilet seats? Which toilet seats tend to be more comfortable?

In this article, we’ll be taking a closer look at the pros and cons of wood vs plastic toilet seats and try to answer all of the questions listed above. Take your time and have a look at our detailed comparison before making the decision.

Contents

Wood vs Plastic Toilet Seat – The Overview

Nowadays, toilets are sold separately from toilet seats. In addition, toilet seats tend to be the part that is most often replaced. After all, many people move them up and down dozens of times throughout the day. This constant movement comes with a consequence – the mountings, which are usually made out of plastic, tend to break down.

Furthermore, toilet seats, whether they’re made out of wood or plastic, are where we sit whenever nature’s calling. Being sandwiched between the toilet and our body weight, toilet seats are having their durability-tested every day. Slamming toilet seats is another issue – it’s something that should be avoided at all costs as it certainly won’t make your toilet seat last longer.

Plastic Toilet Seats – The Pros and Cons

As their name suggests, plastic toilet seats are made from plastic. They are typically accompanied by mountings that are also plastic or, in some cases, metallic. So, what are the advantages that the plastic toilet seats have over their wooden counterparts?

In the battle of wood vs plastic toilet seats, which ones are more sanitary? Are plastic seats more prone to stains? Here are the pros and cons of opting for plastic toilet seats instead of wooden toilet seats:

The Pros:

  • They are versatile
  • They are durable
  • They are more hygienic
  • They are lightweight
  • They are scratch-resistant
  • They are usable in both private and public toilets

The Cons:

  • They are easily stained by urine
  • They have a lower weight tolerance
  • They aren’t as stylish
  • They can be very cold

Wooden Toilet Seats – The Pros and Cons

Typically, wooden toilet seats are available in two different variants. You can get yourself a wooden toilet seat made out of molded wood or a wooden toilet seat made out of solid wood.

The biggest difference between these two types is that a wooden toilet seat manufactured from solid wood will always be heavier and thicker. And, unlike a wooden toilet seat manufactured from molded wood, it retains the texture of the wood that was used for its construction. A molded wood seat, on the other hand, will typically be painted in white and look just like your regular plastic toilet seat.

The Pros:

  • They have a higher weight tolerance
  • They are more comfortable
  • They are more stylish
  • They are warmer

The Cons

  • You’ll never find one in a public bathroom
  • They aren’t as hygienic
  • They aren’t as durable
  • They can be heavy

Wooden toilet seats

Wood vs Plastic Toilet Seat – An In-Depth Comparison

In this part of the article, we’ll be analyzing the differences between wooden toilet seats and plastic toilet seats in great detail. Is a wooden toilet seat better than a plastic one? Or is it the other way around? Which type is a better option for your bathroom? Let’s find out!

Read also: Bathroom Upgrades

Toilet Seat Weight

When talking about the weight of these things, one thing is clear – wood is heavier than plastic. For that matter, wood seats will always be heavier than plastic seats.

You may be wondering – in what way does the toilet seat weight affect the user? Once the toilet seat is installed, does its weight really matter that much? Don’t forget that both wood and plastic seats are hinged – moving them up and down is as easy as it gets.

However, the weight of a toilet seat is important, but not because of the effort you’ll have to put into lifting it up and placing it down. Imagine a plastic seat and a wood seat both being open. Now imagine how different it would feel and sound to slam them down.

This is precisely where the weight comes into play – the plastic toilet seat won’t hit the bowl as nearly as hard as the wooden toilet seat will. Slamming down wood seats is bound to cause damage to the bowl much sooner than slamming down plastic toilet seats.

Toilet Seat Style

Rare are the materials that are beloved as wood is. Items made out of wood look stylish, sleek, and elegant – there’s no doubt about that. The same can be said for the wood toilet seats, some of which can look genuinely aesthetic and attractive.

This is particularly true for the wood toilet seats manufactured from solid wood. A lot of homeowners who love the look and feel of a farmhouse or rustic-themed bathroom will agree that the toilet seats manufactured from this material look the best.

Even though plastic toilet seats can certainly look stylish, the elegance of wooden seats is very hard to match. However, there’s a catch – you can purchase a plastic seat in any color you can imagine, which can’t really be said for the wood toilet seats.

But, if you already have a wood toilet seat, you can paint it almost any color you want. Check out this guide on how to paint a toilet seat.

Toilet Seat Warmth

The next category in which we’ll compare wood vs plastic toilet seats is warmth.

For this, you’ll want to imagine two people having to visit the bathroom in the middle of the night. One of them will be using a plastic toilet seat, and the other a wood toilet seat. The answer is obvious, isn’t it? Folks using wood toilet seats will have a much better time.

This is because a plastic toilet seat can get really cold. While the same can be said for wood toilet seats, they never tend to get super-cold as their plastic counterparts usually do. So, those who really hate freezing their butts off when using the toilet in the winter may want to get themselves a wooden toilet seat.

Toilet Seat Durability

Durability is another important factor, a lot more so than weight or style. However, durability doesn’t really depend that much on the material – it all comes down to the user. A large family is far more likely to get their toilet seat broken than just one person living alone.

If we take that out of the equation, we can see that a plastic toilet seat is a winner in this category. This is because, unlike its wooden counterpart, a plastic toilet seat won’t be affected by moisture.

While a lot of wooden toilet seats come varnished, even the best of them will start to crack and peel due to frequent slamming and cleaning. And once we combine water/urine with wood, which is an organic substance, all we can get is rotting.

Toilet Seat Comfort

A plastic toilet seat is typically thin, and sometimes even flimsy. Its wooden counterpart, on the other hand, is significantly thicker and capable of taking more pounds. If you’re a heavy person, you may want to get yourself a toilet seat manufactured from wood.

An important thing to mention here is that comfort also depends on the manufacturer – one company will make a seat that feels very comfortable and another one will manufacture a model you’ll despise and regret buying. So, pay close attention to the material and style while shopping if you don’t want to end up with a seat that you’ll hate sitting on.

In summary, neither of these two options is genuinely better than the other in terms of comfort. In our opinion, this is a matter of personal preference (unless you’re a heavy person – if you are, make sure to get yourself a wooden toilet seat).

Toilet Seat Cleaning

Another important topic to discuss is the cleanliness of the toilet seats. Plastic toilet seats are a clear winner in this category – the material they’re made from makes them a lot easier to keep clean. To clean it, all you have to do is to wipe its surface with a sanitary wipe.

Wooden toilet seats, on the other hand, aren’t that easy to clean. Unlike plastic, wood is porous and has a slight texture that microbes and other elements can stick to and make it very hard to keep the seat clean.

So, if you do decide to get yourself a wooden seat, you may want to buy a model that’s coated with laminate or sealant – this coating won’t only protect the wood but also make it easier to keep clean.

Toilet Seat Cost

Wooden toilet seats are typically a lot more expensive than their plastic counterparts. However, that doesn’t mean that all plastic toilet seats come cheap – some of them can be quite pricey, too.

Besides the material, another thing that may affect the seat’s price is the features it may possess. For example, soft close toilet seats are always more expensive than the regular ones. After all, the soft close feature is one of those little things that make life easier – with it, you don’t have to deal with the irritating slamming sound.

Heated toilet seats can also be quite expensive. They are, however, a genuinely worthwhile purchase. You’ll be thanking yourself that you’ve bought a heated toilet seat every time you have to relieve yourself in the middle of a winter night.

If you are renovating a small bathroom, check out our post on the best exhaust fan for a small bathroom as well.

Wood vs Plastic Toilet Seat – The Verdict

As you can see, both options have their advantages and disadvantages.

If you want a toilet seat that won’t absorb moisture and which you’ll be able to keep clean without much effort, go for a plastic seat. On the other hand, if you’re looking for something warmer and more stylish, a wooden toilet seat is your best bet.

Read also: Wet Room Ideas – Advantages, Disadvantages

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