DIYers are optimists but also realists. They know that stuff happens, so prepare for it but hope for the best. With toilet installations, that stuff includes: the broken floor flange; the bowl gasket that's too thick or thin to sustain a seal; the new toilet that rocks in place or fails to cover the old toilet's oh-so-ugly footprint; and the sub-floor that is spongy with rot.
That said, most installations are pretty straightforward, and even those with problems are manageable. Some problems are so common that the industry has developed quick fixes to help us out. You can even replace a rotted floor on a shoestring with household tools. It's all doable.
Why replace a toilet?
One reason is appearance. Old toilets usually have mineral and bacteria stains that can't be scoured out, or their color is outdated. Also, there may be tank or bowl cracks, or a flaw in the china, usually in the trapway, that causes frequent clogs.
Then there's the issue of water conservation. At 1.6 gallons per flush, modern toilets use substantially less water than toilets made just 15 years ago. Older toilets use 3.5-to-5 gallons, while very old toilets use up to 8 gallons. Toilets are the biggest water users in a home, so the savings can be significant. And because sewer rates are based on incoming volume through the water meter, wasted water comes with a hidden tax.
You may replace the toilet as part of a general remodel, which means you'll likely replace the floor covering as well with either vinyl or tile (codes don't allow carpeted floors). You'd replace any sub-floor rot at the time and build up the floor flange to accommodate for the added flooring thickness created by stone or earthen tiles. For appearance's sake, you might replace the shut-off valve was well. It can also happen the other way around, that you'd replace the flooring when taking up a toilet to fix a leak. Either way, upgrading flooring can solve a lot of problems.
A basic change-out
Taking up an old toilet is fairly simple. (If you're installing a new toilet in a new space, disregard the take-up steps.) Begin by shutting off the water under the tank and flushing the toilet. If the valve won't shut off because of internal calcification, carefully tighten the valve handle a bit more with pliers. If this doesn't stop the flow, shut off the water at the meter or pressure tank and replace the shut-off valve.
Next, dip out the remaining water from the tank and bowl. A Styrofoam cup works best in the bowl, and a large sponge in the tank. Then loosen the supply riser nut at the shut-off valve (photo 1). Wipe up the water that spills from supply tube. Loosen the two closet bolts that fasten the bowl to the piping flange. These are located at the base of the toilet. With a screwdriver, pry up plastic bolt caps (if any) concealing the nuts.
The brass closet bolts and nuts used in most installations separate easily, but those containing other metals can be stubborn. If a closet bolt begins to spin in place because its threads are damaged or the nuts corroded, slip a screwdriver through the base hole in the bowl. Jamb the bolt sideways, and then back off the nuts with a small wrench.
If this doesn't work and if the bolts protrude through the tops of the nuts (they're usually cut so the caps will fit), grip the bolts from above with pliers. If the bolts begin to spin only after the nuts are threaded part way up the bolt, use needle-nose pliers to grip the bolt under the nut (photo 2). If none of these remedies work, saw through the bolts just under the nuts with a hacksaw. Don't try sawing between the toilet and the floor, because closet bolts don't extend down that far.
With bolts removed, check if the toilet bowl has been caulked to the floor. Many codes require caulking for sanitation purposes. Use a utility knife to carefully cut through the caulk. Place newspapers on the floor nearby. Straddle the bowl and grip it near the seat hinges. Rock the bowl side-to-side. When it breaks free, carefully lift the toilet and set it on the newspapers (photo 3)
If you will reuse the toilet, tip it over and scrape away the excess bowl wax (photo 4). If not, carry it outdoors for disposal. Toilets are not that heavy, but to reduce the weight, separate the tank from the bowl before carrying it out. Just undo the two or three brass tank bolts.
Setting the new bowl
Toilet bowls and tanks come packaged separately, but open both packages to set the bowl. The reason is the closet bolt trim caps and washers come in the tank packaging.
With the toilet removed, use a putty knife to scrape the old bowl wax from the closet flange. Slide the old closet bolts out of their flange slots. Closet bolts are always damaged in installation, so don't plan to reuse them. Buy new bolts to go with the new bowl wax. Some bolts are heavier than others, so if your toilet flange is made of cast iron, which has wider bolt slots, buy the heavier bolts. Either size will work, however.
Slide the new bolts into the floor flange until both are centered and are an equal distance from the wall behind the flange, typically 12 in (photo 5). Press a new bowl wax onto the flange, taking care to center it (photo 6). A standard-size wax ring works well in most cases.
With the bowl wax in place and the bolts standing up straight, carefully lift the new toilet bowl and set it down onto the flange (photo 7). You'll need to center the bowl outlet perfectly over the wax ring, and the best way to do this is to let the closet bolts be your guide. Just lower the bowl until the bolts appear through the holes in the toilet base, then press down on the bowl. Rotate the bowl slightly if it's not quite straight, then install the closet washers and nuts. Start with the plastic washers that will hold the trim caps in place, followed by the metal washers and nuts.
Tightening closet bolts can be tricky because over-tightening can easily break the china base. On other hand, if you don't tighten them enough, the seal won't hold, which can cause floor damage. My best advice is to tighten closest bolts snug, but not tight. Use a small wrench to better feel the resistance; a 6-in. wrench is best. Begin by sitting on the bowl to compress the wax as much as possible, then tighten the bolts alternately, at little at a time (photo 8). When the nuts begin to feel snug, press firmly on the bowl again, maybe even bounce on it. If this loosens the nuts, tighten them again until snug. When putting full weight on the bowl no longer loosens the nuts, you've got it. Finally, saw off the bolts above the nuts so the trim caps fit (photo 9). This usually loosens the nuts a little, so retighten before snapping the caps in place.
Installing the tank
Tanks come with the ballcock and flush valve installed, so all you'll need to do is install the tank bolts and the flush valve's large spud washer.
Begin by turning the tank upside down and pressing the spud washer onto the threaded spud. Next, press rubber washers onto the two tank bolts and coat each washer with compound (photo 10). Right the tank and insert the bolts through the tank holes. Then set the tank onto the bowl (11). Slide washers and nuts onto the bolts from under the bowl's deck, then tighten the bolts alternately until snug. Again, this shouldn't be a tight fit. In fact, the tank should remain wobbly on the bowl. It will settle when filled with water, so don't keep cranking on the nuts. When you get close, check the tank for level. Tighten one tank nut or the other to level things out.
Install the seat
Seats are easy to install. Just flip open the hinge caps and insert the large plastic bolts through the hinges and bowl. Thread the friction nuts onto the bolts, and tighten the bolts with a large screwdriver. In this case, a tight fit is desirable, so really snug them down. Finish by snapping the caps over the bolt heads.
Making the water connection
There are several ways to pipe water into the tank, but the easiest is to use a pre-fitted, braided-stainless steel supply tube. Similar tubes made of nylon-reinforced plastic are also available, but usually these don't meet code.
The only problem with stainless tubes is they occasionally bind when you tighten the final round or so of the chrome compression nut. In other words, they twist with the nut and become distorted. To avoid this, attach and tighten the compression nut on the shut-off valve first (photo 12) then fasten the upper nut to the ballcock shank (photo 13). In both cases, snug the nut until you feel steady resistance.
Testing and caulking
Before turning on the water, check to make sure the ballcock's plastic fill tube is connected to the flush valve's overflow tube. If not, insert the loose end of the tube into its overflow fitting, then slowly turn on the water. Watch the action in the tank through several flushes. Everything should be preset at the factory, but make sure the water rises to the marked line in the tank and that the flapper doesn't hang up. If needed, adjust the chain length. It should have about ½ in. of lateral slack.
If you notice a tank or supply-tube leak, tighten the offending nut a little more to stop the leak, then use the toilet for a week or so before caulking the base. Also before caulking, pop the caps off the closet bolts and check the nuts again. If they've loosened a little, tighten them one last time and replace the caps.
If your codes require silicone caulk, use that. If not, use latex tub-and-tile caulk, and leave a 3-in. opening at the back of the bowl so a bowl-wax leak can reveal itself on top of the flooring, instead of under it, where the damage will be more severe. Latex caulk is easy to use; just wet the area, apply a liberal bead of caulk to the seam and wipe away the excess with a damp sponge (photo 14).
Congratulations on installing your own toilet!
Club Member Merle Henkenius is a master plumber and author of Plumbing: Basic, Intermediate & Advanced Projects.
Choosing a Bowl Gasket
Standard wax rings work in most cases. For added security, try a wax ring with a plastic collar, which extends into the drain pipe a couple of inches. If using one of these on a 4-in. cast-iron flange, however, make sure you buy a 4-in. model; 3-in. models tend to drop the collar into the pipe in time.
Foam rubber (neoprene) gaskets have been around for years but have not been popular because you need to buy just the right size. Because they can be jarred repeatedly and still hold a seal, they are best installed on toilets used by the obese or those with physical handicaps. Wax rings tend to leak when disturbed. To determine the correct size, measure the depth of the bowl's outlet horn, using a straight edge and tape measure (photo 15). Then add or subtract the flange height above or below the floor.
A good alternative is a wax-coated rubber ring, which come in several sizes. If you raise the floor with underlayment and tile, you'll need to install a thicker ring to fill the gap. Plastic flange extenders are also available, which you'll screw directly over the existing flange (photo 16). — M.H.
Dealing With a Broken Flange
One of the worst problems you can encounter is a broken cast-iron or cast-bronze toilet flange. It's common for these to break along one of the bolts slots. This used to mean replacing the flange, which can be a big hassle, but now you can buy a thin repair strap that fits under the flange on the broken side. You'll just insert a bolt into the strap (photo 17) and center the strap under the flange (photo 18). It's a neat trick.
A better solution is to replace the broken flange entirely, using a PVC repair flange. Just unscrew the old flange and dig the lead and oakum from the gap between the soil pipe and the flange collar. Pry up the old flange and insert the new flange into the soil pipe (photo 19). Screw the new flange to the floor, then tighten the integral bolts to expand the neoprene seal against the inner surface of the soil pipe. That's all there is to it. — M.H.
Replacing Rotted Flooring
Old bathroom floors tend to be rotted around the toilet, owing to years of minor toilet leaks. Cut out this rot and fill the recess with ¾-in. plywood. Cut the plywood to size and trim out the opening for the soil pipe. This opening should be an inch smaller than the diameter of the flange all the way around so the plywood can slide under the flange rim. When the sizing is complete, cut the plywood in half and slide each half under the flange. Nail the plywood in place and cover the entire floor with underlayment or tile backer board (photo 20). — M.H.
Watch Club Member Bill Miller install a toilet for the first time:
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
1. Use a 6-in. adjustable wrench to loosen the chrome compression nut, then pull the supply tube out of the shut-off valve.
2. If the nut on the closet bolt hangs up as it reaches the damaged threads, grip the bolt with needle-nose pliers.
3. Grip the old toilet near the seat hinges and lift straight up. Set the toilet on newspaper.
4. If reusing the toilet, use a putty knife to scrape the wax from bottom of the bowl.
5. Slide new closet bolts into the slots in the flange so they're centered and an equal distance from the back wall.
6. Press a new wax ring onto the flange. If using a neoprene or wax-covered neoprene ring, it's best to measure first.
7. Set the bowl using the closet bolts as your guide. You'll be able to see the bolts coming through the toilet base.
8. Use a 6-in. wrench to tighten the nuts on the closet bolts. It's best to alternate side-to-side.
9. Saw off the tops of the closet bolts with a small hacksaw, then retighten and snap the trim caps in place.
10. Place washers on the tank bolts and feed the bolts through the bottom of the tank.
11. Set the tank onto the bowl and tighten the tank bolts from below. Don't over tighten. Use the bolts to level the tank.
12. To plumb water into the tank, use a braded stainless steel supply riser. Back hold the valve when securing the nut.
13. Finish by attaching the coupling nut to the ballcock shank. Tighten with pliers until snug.
14. Use latex tub-and-tile caulk to seal between the bowl and floor. Wipe away excess caulk with a sponge.
15. To measure for the exact bowl-gasket depth, use a straight edge and tape measure.
16. Four types of bowl gaskets, left to right: Standard bee's wax, wax with an insert collar, foam rubber and wax-coated rubber.
17. Insert a standard closet bolt into a flange-repair strap before inserting under the flange.
18. Pry the flange up slightly and slide the repair strap in place. Position the bolt to match its partner across the flange.
19. To replace a broken flange, remove its packing and pry up. Insert a PVC replacement flange into the soil pipe.
20. Cut out any floor rot and replace it with ¾-in. plywood. Cut the plywood in half to install it.