A honed finish is a satin surface with relatively little light reflection. It is specified for floors, thresholds and other locations where presence of water might make a polished finish slippery, or where heavy traffic would wear off polished finish.

As a rule, honed finishes are more susceptible to soiling than polished finishes, because a honed surface is slightly more porous and absorptive than polished finish. However, honed finish is easier to restore because it will sustain harsher cleaning efforts.

Normal maintenance of honed finishes involves as-needed washing with clean water and mildly abrasive cleaners, which retain a pumice-type finish, while cleaners remove soils. There are thick liquid cleaners and chlorine-bleach type scouring powders commercially available.

If your toilet is old and in need of repairs, it is cheaper to replace it by installing a new one. This is quite easy to do and can be completed in an afternoon. However, if you plan to install a toilet in a new location, you will have to extend supply pipes and drainpipes to desired spot, a job you may want to leave to a plumbing contractor.

Most toilets are sold with necessary gaskets, washers, and hardware for fitting tank to bowl. However you might need to buy a few parts. Here is a list of what you need to complete this task:

- Toilet bowl - Toilet tank - Toilet seat - Two 1/4" bolts for bowl to flange - Wax ring - 20" water supply with fitting at valve or floor connection Tools: Pair of channel pliers, bucket, screw driver.

(Many of these can be ordered online at any DIY website such as DIY Tips UK: http://www.diy-tips-uk.com/plumbing/)

1. Shut off water to toilet, use a bucket and a cloth or a sponge to remove water left in tank and bowl after you flush toilet.

2. Using a pair of channel pliers, or a small pipe wrench (8"), remove nut where water line fastens to ballcock valve under left side of bottom of tank. Next use a small crescent wrench, remove two 1/4" nuts holding bowl to floor flange. Remove old toilet. Remove water line from valve or fitting at floor or wall.