shoddy workmanship

[madbaker]

I have to hit the Home Despot on the way back from work today. Our oak toilet seat, which I bought from a different chain store about six months ago, is breaking apart.

Before you start screaming "TMI! Don't tell us about your toilet use!" - the plastic bits cushioning the underside started breaking the night of our housewarming. What that says, other than "cheap plastic", isn't worth contemplating. But the wood itself is splitting apart now.

Didn't these things use to last for generations? 'Course, then they were hand-carved out of quarter-sawn oak. And cost a lot more.

Comments

Seats

[cvirtue.livejournal.com]

The plastic bits splitting doesn't help, but ours kept splitting until I actually read the instructions. (Oy! Instructions for a toilet seat?!) It says not to let it close/slam on its own. Stopping doing that has made them last a long time. (Note for the squeamish: you picked it up before using it, what's the problem putting it down? You wash afterwards either way, right?)

I think the real problem is the oak, though. The ones I've bought are glued together from sections not more than two or three inches wide -- lots of potential for splitting. If you wanted one from one piece of oak, I expect it would cost a lot of money. Maybe next time I'll get one of those lucite ones with the pennies in, that I wanted when I was 8 years old!

Re: Seats

[maestrateresa.livejournal.com]

You *could* get one of the ones that is self warming, with a bidet attachment....

Yes, folks, they *do* make electric toilet seats :)

Teresa, former "bathroom professional"...er...Occupational Therapist

Re: Seats

[madbaker.livejournal.com]

So I was comparing the (sigh, only two) varieties they offered at Home Despot. One, "environmentally friendly! Recycled wood chips molded for strength with an oak veneer!"; and the other, real wood and twice the price.

I went with the real maple one. I suspect the old one is the toilet seat equivalent of particle board.

Re: Seats

[cvirtue.livejournal.com]

If it was really "chips" then it's probably more like chipboard or oriented strand board -- and thus probably much stronger than glued maple strips. However, no idea how long it would take for the oak to delaminate from it!

You could try to commission a real one from an SCA woodworker! ("You want a laurel wreath carved in a *what*?!")

Re: Seats

[patsmor.livejournal.com]

Lots of "regular" toilet seats are made of hardwood, but laminated with the colored plastic veneer, which seems to hold it together better.

The other thing That I found with our oak seats in Michigan is that when I sealed it with poly finish before use, and then used something gentle like vinegar to clean it and then using murphy's oil soap once a month or so on it kept it nicer longer. I never had one split on me (owwww!) but they have been known to get completely grey from water damage.

Re: Seats

[madbaker.livejournal.com]

That is so wrong, on so many levels. 8)