Franke Wash Troughs at Bella Bathrooms
Seven models, supplied by Franke South Africa. A wash trough is a communal stainless basin sized for several people at once, which is why they land in school ablution blocks, factory change rooms and workshops, not houses. Sizes sit in the titles: the ET101 single at 540 by 430mm, the ET102 double at 1030mm, the ET103 mini at 540 by 370mm, the Luxtub LDL and DLT at 600 by 500 by 257mm, the SIRX342 at 500 by 450 by 240mm, plus the DLX101.
Two Tiers, and the Difference Is Real
The Luxtub models and SIRX342 are the heavier end. Franke lists the LDL as wall mounted or drop-on and supplies it with a 90mm designer waste fitting, and the DLT is the inset version of the same bowl, listed with waste. The SIRX342 can be inset or wall hung. The ET troughs are Franke's economy fabrication, specified as Grade 430 stainless at 0,8mm gauge with a sloped front and supplied with fixing lugs for wall mounting.
Where the ET Troughs Fit and Where They Do Not
Franke is direct about this and so are we: it states the economy type is not recommended for coastal, heavy duty or corrosive applications. That single line settles most of the specification. An inland school or office change room is what the ET range is for. A coastal site, a wash down bay handling chemicals, or a laundry running hot detergent all day is where the heavier Luxtub and SIRX bodies earn their price.
Check the Waste and the Brackets Before You Order
This is the trap on this category, and the titles carry it. The DLT is listed with waste, while the SIRX342 title states plainly that the waste fitting is excluded. Franke lists the waste fitting for the ET troughs as sold separately too, with the fixing bolts. Wall support is its own line item: Falcon, gallows and SIRX wall fixing brackets are ordered on their own. Price a trough as a bowl plus a waste plus a bracket set, and read the title before buying. The waste kits and brackets are listed separately.
The three Luxtub models are grouped under Franke Luxtub. Dispensers, hand dryers and bins for the wall above the trough are under Franke commercial washroom, and support rails under Franke grab rails. The full catalogue is at Franke.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a wash trough used for?
A wash trough is a communal stainless steel basin built for several people washing at once, so it turns up in school ablution blocks, factory and workshop change rooms, sports facilities and laundries. It is a fabricated stainless bowl rather than a moulded domestic basin, which is what suits it to hard use and frequent cleaning. Franke lists single, double and mini formats, so the trough can be matched to the number of users and the length of wall available.
What is the difference between the Luxtub and the ET economy troughs?
The ET101, ET102 and ET103 are Franke's economy fabrication, specified as Grade 430 stainless steel at 0,8mm gauge with a sloped front and supplied with fixing lugs for wall mounting. Franke states that the economy type is not recommended for coastal, heavy duty or corrosive applications. The Luxtub models and the SIRX342 are the heavier end of the range and are the ones to specify where the trough will be worked hard.
Does a Franke wash trough come with a waste fitting?
Not always, and it is the most common mistake on this category. Franke supplies the Luxtub LDL with a 90mm designer waste fitting, and the DLT is listed as coming with waste. The SIRX342 title states plainly that the waste fitting is excluded, and Franke lists the waste fitting for the ET troughs as sold separately. Read the product title before ordering, or ask us to confirm what is in the box.
Do I need brackets to mount a wash trough?
Usually, and they are ordered separately. Franke lists Falcon brackets, gallows brackets and SIRX wall fixing brackets as their own items rather than bundling them, and the ET troughs come with fixing lugs but not the bolts. Which support you need depends on whether the trough is wall hung, drop-on or inset, and on what the wall is built from. Budget for the bracket set at the same time as the trough.
What sizes do Franke wash troughs come in?
The dimensions are in the product titles. The ET101 single is 540 by 430mm, the ET102 double is 1030mm wide, and the ET103 mini is 540 by 370mm for a tight space. The Luxtub LDL and DLT are 600 by 500 by 257mm, and the SIRX342 is 500 by 450 by 240mm. The DLX101 is a single fabricated trough. Check the stated size against the wall run before ordering.
