Caroma Liano II basins with overflow buying guide
This page holds the Caroma Liano II basins made with an overflow: the 580mm pill and the 440mm round, which can be fitted under or over the counter, and the hand wall basin with one tap hole. They come in white, matte white and matte black. Most Liano II basins have no overflow, so these are the ones to look at if you want one. The guide below covers what an overflow is and what it does, if you need one, and how the Liano II versions are built. It then gives each model with the numbers the maker publishes, the dress ring and waste that come with them, how they are fixed, and how to clean the overflow opening. Each fact below is attributed to a listing, a maker sheet or a guide, and conflicts between sources are stated.
What a basin overflow is
Plumbing and bathroom guides describe an overflow as a small opening near the top of a basin that drains excess water if the tap is left running. A bathroom manufacturer calls it a discreet opening just beneath the rim, with the main job of preventing accidental flooding, and says it is especially useful in family or busy households. Another guide says it helps drain water if the basin gets too full and that not every sink has one, which decides which waste you need. A New Zealand maker says it also helps hygiene by preventing stagnant water at the rim. That is a maker's claim and none of the guides gives a test.
The guides also say where overflows are common. Inset basins often include them because the concealed plumbing makes them easy to integrate, and vessel basins on top of the vanity typically do not, because an exposed channel would disrupt the shape. An Italian maker adds that traditional washbasins usually had three small overflow holes and later designs had one, and that many modern basins have none for a cleaner, more linear look, and because slim rims leave no room for an overflow chamber. The Liano II basins have a thin rim, so an overflow version is a design choice that works against that trend, and the sheets give the dimensions that make it work.
Do you need an overflow?
The sources do not agree on one answer, and they give the trade-off plainly. An overflow protects the bench and the floor if the tap is left running with the plug in. A basin without one has a cleaner line and one less opening to clean. A guide to basin wastes says an overflow adds a hidden drain path and a small opening that needs cleaning, while basins without one have fewer openings. The same sources say a built-in overflow waste, which opens automatically when the water passes a preset level, can give similar protection without a visible overflow hole. Ask a plumber whether that option suits your basin.
No guide gives a rule for bathrooms in Australia, and one article notes that a kitchen sink must have an overflow for safety reasons, which is a statement about kitchen sinks and not about basins. So the choice is yours and your plumber's. If the bathroom is used by children or you want protection against a tap left running, an overflow is a reasonable choice. If the look and the cleaning matter more, the Liano II range has plain versions without one on Caroma Liano II basins.
The Liano II range
The Caroma technical manuals describe the Liano II range as basins that let you choose a style and colour finish, in popular round and pill shapes with a contemporary thin rim design and a range of matte colour finishes. They say the basins suit general purpose, domestic and commercial applications. The listings describe the material as fine fire clay with a glazed finish and a smooth stain-resistant surface, with an elegant thin rim.
The listings carry a note that each Liano II basin has been hand cast and finished with the application of colour, so every basin is unique and colour appearance will vary from the images. That is worth reading before you match a basin to a tap, a tile or a second basin. Colour is a family match and not an exact one, and the matte finishes show it more than a gloss does. See Caroma basins for the brand.
The overflow models on this page
The Liano II 580 pill under or over counter basin is nominally 580mm by 400mm and 182mm high. The listing gives an inner bowl length of 510mm, an inner width of 330mm and a lip thickness of 12mm. The spec sheet gives a bowl capacity of 12 litres with no overflow, or 6.7 litres to the overflow, and says an overflow and a non-overflow version are both available. The 6.7 litre figure is the volume the basin holds before water reaches the overflow, so the usable bowl is smaller than the 12 litre figure suggests.
The Liano II 440 round under or over counter basin is 440mm in diameter and 182mm high, with an inner bowl diameter of 370mm and a lip thickness of 12mm. The spec sheet for the 440 gives 9 litres for a version listed without an overflow, and does not give the litres to the overflow for the overflow version, so ask the supplier for that figure. The Liano II hand wall basin is nominally 530mm by 280mm, with an overall height of 172mm and a basin height of 130mm, and it has one tap hole. See round basins, pill shape basins and small hand basins.
The overflow dress ring and the waste
Each overflow listing says the basin is provided with a chrome overflow dress ring, and that coloured dress rings are available, sold separately. The listings say metal dress rings in finishes to match tapware are also sold separately. The dress ring is the cover that finishes the overflow opening on the inside of the bowl, so the choice of finish is a matter of matching the tap, the waste cap and the ring. A New Zealand maker sells overflow covers in push-fit and screw-in styles in chrome, brushed brass, gunmetal and matte black.
The basins are supplied with a ceramic pop-up waste plug in a matching colour, and the listings say it is also compatible with the Urbane II metallic basin pop-up plugs and wastes. The spec sheets list optional ceramic waste caps in a range of colours and brass caps in five finishes, Black, Brushed Brass, Brushed Nickel, Chrome and Gunmetal Grey. Because the basin has an overflow, it needs a slotted waste. A slotted waste drains overflow water whether the waste is open or closed, and an unslotted waste is watertight so overflow water cannot reach the pipe. A bathroom guide warns that choosing the wrong type can damage the sink and risk flooding. The supplied waste is the matching one, and if you change it, change to a slotted one. See basin wastes.
The maximum tap flow
The listings and the 580 spec sheet say the overflow is designed for a maximum tap flow rate of 15 litres a minute. That is a limit on how fast water can come in before the overflow is overwhelmed. A tap guide says most Australian bathroom taps run at 5 to 6 litres a minute under the water efficiency rating, so a standard basin tap is well inside the limit. If you are choosing an unusual tap, check its flow rate against 15 litres a minute.
Cutting the bench for an over counter basin
The 440 round installation instructions, issue 0 dated 06.08.21, set out the over counter fit. Position the template over the countertop, attach the cut-out guide with adhesive tape or transfer the cut-out line, and drill 20mm holes at the template corners to use as jigsaw starters. Fit the waste assembly to the basin. Clean the underside of the sealing rim and the fitting face of the basin so both are free of dust, dirt and grease, and apply a layer of acetic cured silicone sealant around them. The sheet says do not use epoxy sealants.
The spec sheets repeat the rule: use only acetic cured silicone sealant, and epoxy type glues must not be used. Other makers specify non-acidic silicone with a few dots under the basin so it can be lifted out later, or neutral cure silicone, and those are for other basins, so follow the Liano II sheet for a Liano II basin. A guide for fireclay sinks says to wipe excess silicone away before it dries and to hand-tighten fittings, because over-tightening can crack a glazed basin.
Fitting an under counter basin
The 440 sheet says the basin can be installed under a conventional laminated timber or marble countertop. The steps follow, and the wooden blocks are the unusual part.
- Position the template over the countertop, mark the cut-out and cut out the countertop with care.
- Fit the waste assembly to the basin.
- Clean the underside of the sealing rim and the fitting face, then apply a layer of acetic cured silicone sealant around the sealing rim and the fitting face. Do not use epoxy sealants.
- Four wooden blocks should be permanently pre-fitted to the marble or laminated timber top before the basin is fixed, with two part epoxy, because the clips screw into the blocks.
- Screw the basin to the underside of the countertop with four aluminium clips evenly spaced around it, using 20mm pan head screws, and keep the brackets clear of the bowl.
- Connect an approved trap, for example a polypropylene combination S and P compression joint waste trap, and use a trap adaptor if the waste outlet is 32mm.
The epoxy is for the blocks and not for the basin. A stone fabricator should do the work on a stone top, and the fabricator should confirm the tap hole position before the bench is cut, because the tap sits on the bench above an under counter basin. See undermount basins and above counter basins.
Hanging the hand wall basin
The hand wall basin hangs from the wall. The spec sheet says a D.200 basin fixing kit is included with the basin and bolts directly to the finished wall. The drawing shows a recommended height of 865mm above the finished floor and about 815mm between fixing centres, and gives a 40mm Caroma plastic short P-trap or a Vogue bottle trap, neither supplied. Maker guides for wall basins say reinforcement must be provided behind the finished wall, with noggins and studs placed to suit the fasteners in a timber stud wall, and that a qualified plumber should do the work. A bottle trap covers the waste pipe, and the listings suggest one for a finished look. See wall hung basins.
Tap holes and taps
The 580 and the 440 have no tap holes, per the spec sheets, so the tap goes on the wall or on the bench. The hand wall basin has one tap hole for a mixer. One stockist says an above counter basin pairs best with wall taps or an extended basin mixer because of its height, and a mixer guide says a tall mixer with a standard basin is not recommended because of splash risk. Two tall mixers on the store give figures. The Kaya Tall has a spout height of 216mm and a reach of 170mm, and the Empire Slim Tall has a spout height of 244mm and a reach of 180mm. On the 370mm inner bowl of the 440 the centre is 185mm from the inside edge if the drain is central, so a 170mm reach from a tap at the edge falls 15mm short. See basin mixers.
Rim height and bench depth
An over counter basin adds its height to the bench. The sheets give 182mm overall, but how much of that stands above the bench depends on the fixing, so use the supplier's drawing. A vanity guide from a stockist gives a floor-mounted vanity at 850 to 900mm and a wall-hung vanity at 800 to 900mm, with a vanity depth of 460 to 550mm and an accessible rim at 800 to 830mm. A UK guide puts the rim at 800 to 850mm. A 400mm deep basin leaves 60 to 150mm behind it on a 460 to 550mm vanity.
Cleaning the basin and the overflow
A care sheet for vitreous china says day-to-day care needs only water and a damp cloth. It names a proprietary bathroom cleaner for water marks, grease and soap scum, and household vinegar for limescale, with a vinegar-soaked piece of kitchen paper left on stubborn deposits for 30 minutes. It warns about fluoride products and says cream cleaners can dull the surface if overused. It says not to use harsh chemicals such as Domestos, which can destroy chrome from overflow caps and the rubber seals in wastes, and to rinse well so residue does not damage the seals.
An overflow adds an opening that needs cleaning. A stockist guide for freestanding and pedestal basins says to clean the overflow opening with a soft brush, to keep hair, soap scum and debris out of the bowl and overflow, and to flush occasionally with hot water to keep internal passages clear. Wipe the dress ring with a soft cloth, because the care sheet's warning about harsh chemicals names the chrome of overflow caps. The matte finishes are a hand-applied colour over a glazed body, and no source gives a matte-specific routine, so test a stronger product on a hidden area first.
Choosing between the overflow models
Choose the 580 pill if you want a long bowl with an overflow and a choice of fixing under or over the counter. Choose the 440 round for a smaller bench with the same choice. Choose the hand wall basin if you want a small overflow basin on the wall and a one-hole mixer. Then choose the finish, knowing the colour varies, and the dress ring finish to match the tap.
After that, settle the tap and check its flow against 15 litres a minute, and keep the supplied slotted waste. Plan the fixing with the sheet for your model, and confirm the litres to overflow where the sheet leaves it open. That order puts the difference this page is about, the overflow, first and the finish last. For a vanity to carry the basin, see bathroom vanities, and for other options, bathroom basins.
What the sources do not say
The sources leave some gaps. The SERP tool returned nothing for the keyword and Google Search Console has no rows for the page. The guides on overflows are UK, New Zealand and Italian, and none gives an Australian rule. The 440 sheet lists no overflow and gives no litres to overflow for the overflow version, and the hand wall basin sheet gives no confirmed capacity. No source gives a matte-specific care routine. No independent review of these basins, and none of the pages ranks Caroma models turned up.
