Turner Hastings Wastes & Traps

Turner Hastings Wastes: The Guide to Getting it Right

Alright, let's talk about the least glamorous part of your new bathroom. The humble plug hole. You've spent a fortune on that freestanding bath and those perfect tiles, but the bit that lets the water out? It’s probably an afterthought. Here’s the problem: that little fitting can make or break your bathroom's function and finish. A cheap one will leak, jam up, or the shiny coating will flake off, looking awful in six months. A good one, though, just works. It feels solid, looks fantastic, and ties all your other expensive bits together. That's why we point people towards Turner Hastings stuff. They sweat the small stuff. We at The Blue Space have seen it all, so let’s get you sorted.

What on Earth is a Waste?

Think of it like a bouncer for your plumbing. Its job is to let the good stuff (water) out, and keep the troublemakers (your wedding ring, gobs of toothpaste, Lego) from getting in and causing chaos in the pipes. It's the whole assembly—the shiny bit you see in the sink and the threaded pipe bit underneath. So yes, it has to work. But it also has to look the part, because it’s sitting right there in your beautiful new basin. It’s a tiny detail that says a lot about the quality of the whole room.

Where Do I Need One?

Anywhere water needs to drain, you need a waste. It’s that simple. Pop your head in and you’ll find one in the bathroom basin, the kitchen sink, your laundry tub, the bathtub, and sitting in the floor of your shower. Each spot has its own demands. The kitchen sink waste, for instance, has to deal with a lot more grease and food scraps than the one in the rarely used guest loo. A shower floor waste needs to shift a lot of water quickly. One size does not fit all.

Let's Look at the Turner Hastings Line-Up

Turner Hastings make a whole family of wastes, traps, and grates. They don't mess around with flimsy materials; this is proper stuff designed to last and look good doing it. Let's pull them apart.

Basin Wastes

The waste in your bathroom sink is a high-traffic item. It needs to feel solid every time you use it. The Turner Hastings basin wastes have you covered.

But first, you have one job. Look at your basin. See a little hole near the top rim? That's an overflow. It's a safety feature. If your kid leaves the tap running, the water goes in that hole instead of all over your floor.

• If you have that hole, you need a slotted waste. It’s just a waste with a cut-out in the side that lets the water from the overflow escape down the drain. Simple.

• If you don't have that hole (common with sinks that sit on top of a counter), you need an unslotted waste. Don't mix them up. If you put a slotted waste in a basin with no overflow, you're building a leak directly into your vanity. It's a bad day.

Okay, decision one is over. Now, how do you want it to work?

• Pop-Up: This is the modern standard. Push it to close, push it to open. You know the drill. A good pop-up waste has a satisfying, solid click to it. No rattles.

• Pop-Down: A really clever design. When it's open, the pop-down waste sits completely flat with the basin. Water flows away faster and there’s no raised edge for grime to build up on. Push it down, and it springs up to seal. Very neat.

• Plug on a Chain: Don't knock the classic. For a country or heritage style bathroom, a solid metal plug on a chain just looks right. It’s mechanically simple and will literally never break.

Kitchen Sink Wastes

The poor kitchen sink. It cops a beating. Last night's curry, coffee grounds, the cement-like substance that is Weet-Bix. A standard sink waste has to be tough. The key feature on a Turner Hastings model is the strainer basket. It's a little metal basket that catches all the lumpy stuff. Instead of shoving potato peels down the drain and hoping for the best, you just lift the basket out and tip it in the compost. It will save you a fortune in plumber callouts.

Bath Wastes

There is nothing more annoying than a bath that slowly drains while you're in it. Or one that takes ten minutes to empty when you're cold and wrinkly. A good bath waste is non-negotiable. Again, check for an overflow—that little chrome plate on the side of the tub.

• Most baths have an overflow. You'll need a proper kit with the waste and overflow all connected by a pipe that gets hidden behind the tub wall.

• Some fancy freestanding tubs don't. For these, you just need a simple waste for the bottom, no extra pipes.

The styles mirror what you find for basins.

• Pop-up bath wastes look clean and are easy to operate with your toe.

• The pop-down version is brilliant in a bath, as it sits flush when open. No awkward lump digging into your back.

• The classic plug and chain is a great look for a clawfoot tub, adding to that vintage charm.

Floor Wastes

A bad floor waste can ruin the look of a stunning tile job. It's the visual centre of the shower floor. Turner Hastings makes options that look like they belong.

• Grates: You can get standard square or round grates in a bunch of nice patterns. But the best trick is the 'tile insert' model. Your tiler sets a piece of your actual floor tile into the grate. The drain practically disappears. It's a high-end look.

• Channel Drains: These long, skinny channel wastes are awesome for walk-in showers. They can handle a ton of water and, because they can be put against a wall, your tiler can slope the whole floor just one way. This means you can use massive tiles on the floor for a super clean, hotel-vibe.

Exposed Plumbing? Get a Bottle Trap

Under every sink, a pipe has to bend to hold water. This water stops sewer smells from coming into your house. Normally, it's a cheap bit of white plastic hidden in a cupboard. But if you have a wall-hung basin, that ugly pipe is right there for everyone to see. This is where you use what's called a bottle trap. It does the same job but looks like a beautiful piece of chrome or brass. It's like jewellery for your plumbing.

So, Why Bother with Turner Hastings?

Look, you can buy a cheap waste from a hardware shed. But you'll be replacing it. Here’s why it’s worth spending a little more.

1. You Buy It Once

Turner Hastings wastes are made of solid brass. Not plastic with a shiny coating. They are heavy, solid, and built to handle water for decades without rusting or seizing up. You fit it, and you're done. No frantic calls to a plumber because your vanity is flooding.

2. It All Actually Matches

"Brushed Nickel" can mean ten different things to ten different brands. With Turner Hastings, their brushed nickel is the same across their taps, their showers, their towel rails, and their wastes. This is how you get that polished, pulled-together look.

3. They're Just Better Designed

Little things, like the flush-fitting pop-down waste, show they're thinking about how people actually use a bathroom. They aren't just churning out the same old designs. They're refining them.

Last Bits of Advice

Just a couple more things before you click 'add to cart'.

Picking Your Finish

This is the fun part. What's the vibe?

• Chrome: Your trusty old friend. Chrome is bulletproof, easy to clean, and goes with everything.

• Brass: This is for a warm, luxe feel. Brass can be kept polished and shiny, or you can let it age and develop a beautiful, deep patina.

• Bronze: It’s a bit more soulful than brass. Deeper, richer. Check out these bronze wastes for a sophisticated, almost historic look.

• Brushed Nickel: The clever choice. It's got the brightness of chrome but with a soft, satin finish that doesn't show every single fingerprint. Have a look at our brushed nickel range.

• Gunmetal: Dark and handsome. Gunmetal is a moody, dark grey that looks incredible in a modern, slightly industrial space.

• Stainless Steel: The undisputed king of the kitchen. Tough, hygienic, and practical. Our stainless steel wastes are built for hard work.

• Matte Black: The cool kid. Black wastes make a bold, graphic statement. It’s high-contrast and high-impact.

• Matte White: For the true minimalist. A white waste can disappear into a white basin for the cleanest look imaginable.

• Champagne: A soft, elegant gold. It's warm like brass but more subtle. Champagne is all class.

Sizes and Getting it Installed

Just check if you need a 32mm or 40mm waste pipe. And please, just get a plumber. We know it's tempting to save a few bucks and do it yourself, but a tiny, slow leak behind a cabinet can cause thousands in damage before you even know it's there. It's just not worth the risk.

Cleaning

Easy does it. No need to go nuclear with harsh chemicals. A soft cloth and some warm, soapy water is all you need. For pop-up wastes, the top cap usually unscrews so you can pull out any hair and gunk. Do that every now and then to keep it running smoothly.

So there you have it. The humble waste is a small hero. Choosing a good one from Turner Hastings is an investment in your peace of mind and in the final, polished look of your beautiful new room.