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How to Replace a Toilet

Replacing a toilet is an easy job that requires basic tools and skills and can usually be accomplished in under an hour.

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Adjustable wrench Bucket Caulk Commercial portland cement grout Gloves Goggles Hacksaw Putty knife Rag Socket set Sponge Toilet Wet and dry vacuum

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How to Replace a Toilet

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" How to replace the toilet? To begin, turn off the toilet water supply valve just below the tank. Flush the toilet to empty the tank. Hold down the lever to allow most of the water to run out of the tank. Remove the tank lid and suck out all the remaining water in both the tank and the bowl with a wet dry vacuum cleaner. This is much faster, neater, and easier than using a sponge and bucket. Disconnect the line between the toilet tank and the water supply just below the tank. With some tanks, you will be able to do this by hand. Others will require an adjustable wrench. Now you're ready to remove the tank. Most water tanks are held to the bowl by nuts and bolts. Using a wrench, remove the nuts located beneath the tank at the rear of the toilet bowl. You may have to keep the head of the bolt inside the tank from turning by using a screwdriver. If they are frozen, you might have to cut them off with a hacksaw. Once you remove all the bolts, lift the tank straight up to clear the bowl. Have a rag ready to catch any remaining water. Typically, the bowl is fastened to the floor with 2 nuts on either side of the bowl. The nuts are hidden under trim caps along the bottom of the bowl. Pry or snap off the trim caps to expose the nuts, and using a socket wrench, remove the nuts and washers, holding the bowl to the floor. Again, resort to a hacksaw and cut them off if they are frozen. Check to make sure there's no plaster, caulking, or grout holding the toilet to the floor. If there is, break it free by cutting gently, but firmly with a utility knife. Once you have removed the 2 nuts and washes, loosen the bowl by gently rocking it back and forth to break the seal between the bowl and the toilet flange. Once broken free, you can lift the bowl clear of the drainpipe. The bowl is heavy. Use care when lifting. Be sure to hold the bowl level to avoid spilling. While you're preparing for the new toilet, temporarily stuff a ball of newspaper in the toilet drain opening to keep the sewer gases from coming into the room. Wearing nitro gloves and goggles, use a putty knife to remove the old wax ring and the rubber or plastic flange that was part of the old wax ring. Scrape and clean the floor thoroughly. Remove the old toilet flange bolts by sliding each bolt along the slot to the opening in the flange and lifting it out. Insert the new flange bolt into the slot and slide it into place. Line up to 2 bolts so that they are evenly spaced from the back wall. Check the alignment with a measuring tape. Remove and dispose of the wad of newspaper covering the waste hole. Open and remove the new wax ring from the packaging. You may find it easier to place the new ring on the floor flange over the waste hole as you now have the bowl set at the proper roughing measurements. Press the new wax toilet ring onto the flange over the waste hole between the flange bolts. The plastic or rubber sleeve should face down into the waste hole. Hold the bowl several inches off the floor so its outlet horn is directly above the flange and the new wax ring and align the holes in the flange with the bolts so that they pass through the toilet bowl openings in the base. The wax gasket and toilet flange around the soil pipe should line up exactly. Press down gently until the bowl is both seated and level. Check with the Spirit level. Here's an important tip. The base of the plastic trim cap needs to be placed on the flange so that the ridge that clips into the cap is facing up. Otherwise, that cap will not snap into the base. Place the trim cap base facing up, the washer and the nuts on the flange bolt, and gently tighten the bolts, alternating 1 and then the other until snug. Using a Spirit level, check that the bowl is level. Be careful not to over tighten as you can crack the bowl. Cut the retaining bolts with a hacksaw just above the nuts. Stamp on the trim covers. Following the instructions included with the new toilet, insert the rubber washers around the flush valve opening and bolts, which are inserted through the holes in the tank. Often, these have already been installed. Gently lower the tank into place, and while holding the tank, tighten the washers and nuts, alternating from 1 side to the other, until the tank is firmly seated on the rubber washers and level. Be careful not to over tighten these nuts as it is the rubber washers that create the water tight seal. Place the cover on the tank and then attach the seat to the toilet by inserting the bolts into the holes at the back of the seat through the bowl. Holding the nut, tighten the bolts with a screwdriver. Reattach the water supply line to the new tank. If the new tank is higher than the old tank, you may want to replace the old feed line with a new flexible feed line. Tighten by hand until snug. Slowly turn on the water and look for leaks. If you wish, you can finish the appearance along the floor by using plaster of Paris, grout, or caulking, depending on the type of floor. With this last touch, the new toilet is installed."

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