Most of us think that replacing a toilet is something that's best left to a professional plumber. This is partially true- if you don't have the time or the know how then it's probably better to call in a professional plumbing contractor to do the job for you. But if you are willing to learn how to replace a toilet, have some time on your hands and ready to put in some effort, replacing an existing toilet with a new one is something you can do yourself. In fact, you can have a new toilet installed with a few easy steps.
What Tools and Materials Do You Need?
Before you commence work on the demolition and installation process you should get your tools and materials ready.
New toilets come in a range of sizes and styles so you will easily be able to select one to suit your application. The critical measurement to know when selecting your new toilet is the distance from the wall behind the toilet to the rearmost hold-down bolts on the toilet pan. This measurement is called the toilet’s rough-in. You must ensure the new toilet has the rough-in measurement and the existing toilet you are removing. Most toilets are designed with a 12 inch rough-in but it is very important to check. If you get this right the rest of the job should go smoothly.
The new toilet you select should come with all the parts you need- in any case; you'll require a toilet gasket as well as 5/16 inch bolts to lock the toilet down. You may also need some bathroom grade calking to finish off the joint between the toilet pan and the floor. You will also need an adjustable open ended wrench to disconnect the plumbing and bolts.
Removing of the Old Toilet
Ok so now its time to remove the old toilet. The first step is to shut off the toilet water supply and flushing the toilet to empty its tank. Make sure you hold down the flushing button or trip-lever to ensure all the water runs out. Remove any excess water with a bucket and a sponge to make sure they are both empty.
On the bottom of the tank on the left side, you'll find a nut that attaches the water line to the ball cock valve- remove this with an adjustable open ended wrench. You'll also need to remove the two bolts that lock the toilet to the floor. If you can’t unscrew them you may need to cut them off with a hacksaw.
Once this is done, you should be able to rock the toilet side to side to break the seal and simply lift the toilet up and remove it. If not, check that the tank is not fixed internally to the wall. If it is you will need to remove these fixings to allow the tank to be removed first before you can remove the bowl.
Once the toilet is removed, you'll notice a circular flange on the floor. This is where your new toilet will be mounted. It is important to clean up the existing flange and inspect it to confirm it is not damaged to ensure the new connection con be done properly. Remove any old caulking, putty and wax from both the floor and the toilet flange. Clean the floor thoroughly around the base of the toilet as the new toilet footprint may be different and not cover any marks etc. you may even want to consider painting the wall behind the toilet at this point while you have easy access.
Installing the Bowl
To install the new toilet bowl you pretty much do the reverse of what you did to remove the old toilet. First sit the toilet pan in position over the flange and check that is sits on the floor solidly without rocking. If it is not stable you may need to pack the bottom of the toilet with some non rusting washers. Once this is checked remove the pan again. Next put the 5/16 inch hold down bolts in the holes with the heads on the inside, so that they are straight and opposite of each other. Now place the new toilet gasket on the flange with the flat side pointing up. The toilet gasket should be at room temperature to ensure the seal is effective.
Now you just have to put the new toilet on the flange so the bolts come up at the right places, then lower the bowl gently into position. Apply some pressure so that the gasket makes a seal to mount the toilet on the floor. To set the bowl to the floor it is ok to rock it back and forth and side to side a couple of times while applying pressure towards the floor. This will force out excess wax from the gasket. Ensure the final position of the toilet is solid, doesn’t rock and is square to the rear wall. Be careful not to lift the bowl from the floor while making adjustments otherwise the seal may be broken and will need to be redone
The next part of your toilet installation is basically locking the toilet into place. You'll need to tighten the bolts with washers and nuts but be careful- over tightening will cause the bowl to crack. You should just get the bolts to be snugly tightened.
Installing The Tank
Now you'll need to install the tank. for this, you'll need to push in the mounting bolts at the bottom, like you did with the flange. In this case, you'll need to place rubber washers to ensure a tight fit. Place a sponge rubber gasket over the discharge tube- this is where the tank and the bowl meet.
Make sure the gasket is securely set and the bolts are threaded through the right holes. Tighten these with washers and bolts- if possible, get someone to hold the tank tightly down so you can bolt in snugly. Now you need to put in one of the most important parts of toilet installation- the toilet handle. Remember these are threaded in reverse. Next, connect the flapper and chain inside the tank.
Once this is done, you're ready to attach the toilet lid to the bowl. There should be a water line ready to go into the underside of the tank- connect this and then turn on the water. Keep an eye out for leaks, and then flush the toilet a few times. If the bowl retains water with no problems, you're ready to do the final tighten of the bowl to the floor.
If there are still some shakes with the toilet, you can use rubber shims to stabilize things. Now do up the bowl hold down bolts one turn beyond hand tight remembering that it is important not to over-tighten as you may crack the bowl.
Once you've bolted down the bowl, cut the ends of the bolts and put the plastic caps on them. Putting some caulking around the base of the bowl is also a good idea, as it offers an extra water-proof shield as well as extra stability.
The Celebration!
That's it! Your toilet replacement is now complete. As you can see, it really just requires a little patience, some very basic tools and a little bit of know-how.
Blake Maxted is an experienced construction manager, property developer and investor. He has extensive knowledge of all aspects of construction and knows exactly how to get projects done right for the lowest price possible without sacrificing style, function or quality.
Blake's other site, http://dreamhomedesignguide.com/ is dedicated to guiding you through every step of the design and construction of your new dream home ensuring that you get exactly what you want, at the best price possible, without sacrificing style, quality or function.
