The waste is the smallest part of a basin, and the one people remember last. It still has to suit the basin's hole, the basin's overflow (or lack of one) and the drain in your wall or floor. Get it wrong and the plumber leaves with a part that doesn't fit.
This guide explains each choice in plain terms, with the measurements printed on our own products, so you can order the right waste once.
- Basin without an overflow hole (many vessel basins): a pop-up waste made for no-overflow basins, such as our Lisbon. It needs a Ø45 mm basin hole, clamps a basin 25–50 mm thick and has a 32 mm (1¼″ BSP) outlet.
- Basin with an overflow hole: you need a slotted overflow waste. Our range doesn't include one, so ask us before you order.
- Pipework on show (wall-hung basin or open vanity): an exposed bottle trap with a wall arm, such as the Firenze. The basin waste must sit 65–300 mm out from the wall, and the wall drain's centre 45–135 mm below the bottom of the waste's thread.
- Shower floor: a tile insert floor waste, such as the Granada, over a Ø80–100 mm floor drain, with the floor falling to it.
- All three are WaterMark certified (WM-040211 · AS 1589) and come in the same six finishes as our taps.
The three parts under a basin
Water leaves a basin through three parts, top to bottom:
- The waste. The fitting in the basin's hole. It holds the plug (or pop-up cap) and has a threaded outlet underneath.
- The trap. A bend or bottle that holds a little water. That water seal stops drain smells coming back into the room.
- The drain. The pipe in the wall or floor that your plumber connects the trap to.
Inside a closed vanity, nobody sees the trap, so your plumber can fit a standard one. Under a wall-hung basin or an open shelf, the trap is on show, which is why a finished bottle trap matters.
Overflow or no overflow?
Look inside your basin, just under the rim. If there is a small hole or slot, the basin has an overflow. Water that reaches it runs down a channel inside the basin and into the waste.
- Basin has an overflow: use a slotted waste, so the overflow channel can drain.
- Basin has no overflow: use an unslotted waste. Many vessel and stone basins are made this way, but always check yours.
Our Lisbon waste is for basins without an overflow, as its specification states. If your basin has an overflow hole, send us a photo before you order and we'll tell you what to look for. If you're pairing it with a wall spout, our wall mixer rough-in guide shows where the waste should sit.
Pop-up waste or plug and chain
A pop-up waste has a cap that sits in the basin. Press it to close and hold water; press again to let it drain. There is no loose plug to lose, and the cap reads as a neat metal disc in the bowl. That's why pop-ups suit open vessel basins, where the waste is on show.
A plug and chain is the traditional option: a rubber or metal plug on a chain. It's simple, but the chain is always visible.
The Lisbon is a push-to-open pop-up. Here it is in section, with the measurements from its specification:
Outlet size: 32 mm (1¼″ BSP)
Basin wastes are sold by the size of their threaded outlet, written in millimetres and often as a BSP thread size too. Our Lisbon has a 32 mm (1¼″ BSP) outlet, and the Firenze bottle trap takes the same 1¼″ thread, so the two connect directly.
Three other numbers matter as much as the outlet:
- The hole in the basin. The Lisbon needs a Ø45 mm basin hole. Measure the hole in your basin, not the old waste.
- The basin's thickness at the hole. The Lisbon clamps a basin 25–50 mm thick. Thick stone or concrete basins can exceed that, so measure it.
- The cap. At Ø66 mm, the Lisbon cap covers the edge of the hole.
Beyond the trap, the drain pipe is your plumber's job. In New Zealand, the Building Code's Acceptable Solution G13/AS1 (Table 2) gives 32 mm as the minimum trap and discharge pipe size for a basin. Your plumber chooses the pipe and fittings in the wall to suit.
Bottle traps and where the waste must sit
A bottle trap is a compact cylinder that holds the water seal. A wall arm runs from the trap into the drain in the wall. It suits wall-hung basins and open vanities, where a finished trap looks intentional rather than like plumbing.
It only works if the basin waste and the wall drain line up with it. The Firenze installation guide gives two measurements:
- X = 65–300 mm: from the finished wall to the centre of the basin waste.
- Y = 45–135 mm: from the bottom of the waste's threaded pipe down to the centre of the drain outlet in the wall.
Before you order a Firenze, check three things:
- Measure from the wall to the centre of your basin's waste hole. It must be 65–300 mm.
- Check the drain is in the wall, not the floor. The Firenze runs into a wall drain through its wall arm.
- Ask your plumber to set the wall drain 45–135 mm below the bottom of the waste's thread, directly behind the trap. The wall flange is Ø70 mm.
Floor wastes for showers
A shower floor needs its own waste. A tile insert waste has a tray that takes a piece of your floor tile, so the tile pattern carries across the drain and only a thin metal frame shows.
The shower floor has to fall to the waste. Your plumber and waterproofer set the fall to meet the New Zealand Building Code, and decide how the membrane meets the waste. Plan it before the floor is screeded: the drain position is hard to move later.
Which waste for your situation
| Your situation | What you need | Our pick |
|---|---|---|
| Vessel or above-counter basin, no overflow hole | Pop-up waste for no-overflow basins, 32 mm outlet | Lisbon pop-up waste |
| Basin with an overflow hole | Slotted overflow waste | Not in our range. Ask us |
| Wall-hung basin or open vanity, pipes on show | Exposed bottle trap with a wall arm | Firenze bottle trap (waste 65–300 mm from the wall) |
| Basin inside a closed vanity | Any compliant trap your plumber supplies | Waste: Lisbon (if no overflow) |
| Shower floor | Tile insert floor waste | Granada floor waste (Ø80–100 mm drain) |
Our three wastes side by side
Swipe the table sideways to see every column →
| Lisbon pop-up waste | Firenze bottle trap | Granada floor waste | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Use | Basin waste | Basin trap | Shower floor waste |
| Key size | Basin hole Ø45 mm · cap Ø66 mm · basin 25–50 mm thick | Trap body Ø50 × 125 mm | Grate 100 × 100 mm · tile insert 82 × 82 mm |
| Connection | Outlet 32 mm (1¼″ BSP) | 1¼″ inlet · wall arm 330 mm, Ø32 mm | Ø80 mm body · 56 mm deep |
| Fit rule | Basins without an overflow | Waste 65–300 mm from the wall; wall drain 45–135 mm below the waste's thread | Ø80–100 mm floor drain |
| Body | Brass | Brass | Brass |
| WaterMark | WM-040211 · AS 1589 | WM-040211 · AS 1589 | WM-040211 · AS 1589 |
| Price at writing | From NZ$39 | From NZ$169 | From NZ$139 |
Wastes and traps are plumbing products: in New Zealand, they must be installed by a person authorised under the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Act 2006, such as a licensed plumber. Our WELS and WaterMark guide explains what the licence numbers mean.
Our picks
Match the waste to your tap: each one comes in Antique Brass, Brushed Brass, Brushed Nickel, Brushed Gunmetal, Matte Black and Chrome.
Basin wasteLisbon Pop Up Basin WastePop-up for no-overflow basins · Ø45 mm hole · basin 25–50 mm thick · 32 mm (1¼″ BSP) outletAntique Brass NZ$109 · other finishes from NZ$39View details →
Bottle trapFirenze Basin Bottle TrapExposed bottle trap · waste 65–300 mm from the wallAntique Brass NZ$239 · other finishes from NZ$169View details →
Shower floorGranada Tile Insert Floor WasteTile insert 82 × 82 mm · Ø80–100 mm drainAntique Brass NZ$199 · other finishes from NZ$139View details →
Tap to matchVienna Tall Basin Mixer200 mm under the spout · 305 mm tallAntique Brass NZ$409 · other finishes from NZ$249View details →Prices at the time of writing. The product page always shows the current price.
Finish the basin in one metal
Waste, trap, tap and accessories in the same finish. Every model in our range comes in all six.
Choosing a basin mixer? Answer two questions and see which of our taps clear your basin.
Once the tap and waste are settled, choose the mirror above your basin to suit the vanity width.
FAQs
Will the Lisbon pop-up waste fit a basin with an overflow?
No. The Lisbon is specified for basins without an overflow. A basin with an overflow hole needs a slotted overflow waste.
What size hole does the Lisbon waste need?
A Ø45 mm hole in the basin, in a basin 25–50 mm thick at the hole. The pop-up cap is Ø66 mm and the outlet is 32 mm (1¼″ BSP).
Will the Firenze bottle trap fit my basin?
It fits when the basin waste sits 65–300 mm out from the wall, and the drain outlet in the wall is directly behind the trap, 45–135 mm below the bottom of the waste's threaded pipe.
Does the Firenze connect to a drain in the floor?
No. The Firenze has a 330 mm wall arm on Ø32 mm pipe that runs into a drain in the wall, with a Ø70 mm wall flange.
How high should the wall drain be for a bottle trap?
There is no standard height. It is set from the basin: for the Firenze, the drain centre goes 45–135 mm below the bottom of the basin waste's thread.
What drain does the Granada floor waste need?
A Ø80–100 mm floor drain at the waste position. The Granada's body is Ø80 mm and it is 56 mm deep overall.
How big is the tile piece for the Granada?
82 × 82 mm, cut from your own floor tile. The frame is 100 × 100 mm.
Are your wastes WaterMark certified?
Yes. The Lisbon, Firenze and Granada all carry WaterMark licence WM-040211 to AS 1589. In New Zealand, they must be installed by a person authorised under the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Act 2006, such as a licensed plumber.
Do the wastes match your taps?
Yes. All three come in the same six finishes as our tapware: Antique Brass, Brushed Brass, Brushed Nickel, Brushed Gunmetal, Matte Black and Chrome.
Need help? Ask us with a photo.
Send a photo of your basin, wall or plans and we will tell you what fits, or email info@invoguemirrors.co.nz.
