17th Sep 2009
How To Plumb A Toilet in 10 Easy Steps
One of the key areas that people have problems with over and over again in home is the toilet. Many times we want to replace a toilet due to its looks, but perhaps it is just leaking and causing a general plumbing emergency. It seems like a daunting task, but really replacing a toilet can be a relatively simple home project. Here are step by step instructions for how to plumb a toilet.
1. Turn off the water, flush the toilet, and then use a sponge or similar to remove all the remaining water.
The premise here is to basically get the toilet ready for removal. Any precautions you take here will pay off later in less messes, so I would suggest not skimping.
2. Remove the nuts on the bolts and the supply line that attach the tank to the base and then remove the tank.
A socket set or a wrench will work just fine. Simply remove the nuts from these bolts, use the wrench to remove the water supply line and then grab the tank firmly and move it to a place out of your way.
3. Remove the nuts that hold the base to the floor flange and remove the base.
Sometimes there are decorative covers above these nuts. If so remove them by tapping lightly with your wrench or similar and then use your socket set or wrench to remove the nuts. This could be a little different if this is an toilet. From here a little elbow grease is all that is required to get the bowl off the floor and away from the area.
4. Clean up the flange and stop up the pipe to make it ready for your new toilet.
The wax ring will invariably still be a part of the flange and can be removed using a putty knife. Don’t kill yourself getting 100% of it off, but make sure you do get as much as you can. Place a rag in the pipe to prevent the sewer gasses from wafting up into your home.
5. Place the wax ring on the new toilet
Flip the new toilet base over and place your new wax ring over the hole that will go into the floor. Ensure that it is firmly stuck to the base.
6. Place the toilet base with wax ring onto the toilet flange over the flange bolts
Ensure that everything is in alignment and then place the base over the flange bolts. Slowly rock the toilet back and forth until it is firmly even with the floor.
7. Tighten the nuts on the flange bolts
At first hand tighten. Use a level and shim where necessary. Once shimmed level with the ground, tighten the bolts with a wrench or socket set. Don’t over tighten or you will often times crack the porcelain.
8. Place the tank on the base, attach the supply line and tighten the nuts on the bolts.
Guide the tank bolts into the grooves in the base and tighten the bolts. Attach the supply line.
9. Caulk around the base
Using bathroom caulk, apply the caulk around the base and smooth with your finger. This step is simply to make the base look nice when against the floor.
10. Turn on the water supply and happy flushing!
Here is a video that shows the entire process:
One of the key areas that people have problems with over and over again in home is the toilet. Many times we want to replace a toilet due to its looks, but perhaps it is just leaking and causing a general plumbing emergency. It seems like a daunting task, but really replacing a toilet can be a relatively simple home project. Here are step by step instructions for how to plumb a toilet.
1. Turn off the water, flush the toilet, and then use a sponge or similar to remove all the remaining water.
The premise here is to basically get the toilet ready for removal. Any precautions you take here will pay off later in less messes, so I would suggest not skimping.
2. Remove the nuts on the bolts and the supply line that attach the tank to the base and then remove the tank.
A socket set or a wrench will work just fine. Simply remove the nuts from these bolts, use the wrench to remove the water supply line and then grab the tank firmly and move it to a place out of your way.
3. Remove the nuts that hold the base to the floor flange and remove the base.
Sometimes there are decorative covers above these nuts. If so remove them by tapping lightly with your wrench or similar and then use your socket set or wrench to remove the nuts. This could be a little different if this is an toilet. From here a little elbow grease is all that is required to get the bowl off the floor and away from the area.
4. Clean up the flange and stop up the pipe to make it ready for your new toilet.
The wax ring will invariably still be a part of the flange and can be removed using a putty knife. Don’t kill yourself getting 100% of it off, but make sure you do get as much as you can. Place a rag in the pipe to prevent the sewer gasses from wafting up into your home.
5. Place the wax ring on the new toilet
Flip the new toilet base over and place your new wax ring over the hole that will go into the floor. Ensure that it is firmly stuck to the base.
6. Place the toilet base with wax ring onto the toilet flange over the flange bolts
Ensure that everything is in alignment and then place the base over the flange bolts. Slowly rock the toilet back and forth until it is firmly even with the floor.
7. Tighten the nuts on the flange bolts
At first hand tighten. Use a level and shim where necessary. Once shimmed level with the ground, tighten the bolts with a wrench or socket set. Don’t over tighten or you will often times crack the porcelain.
8. Place the tank on the base, attach the supply line and tighten the nuts on the bolts.
Guide the tank bolts into the grooves in the base and tighten the bolts. Attach the supply line.
9. Caulk around the base
Using bathroom caulk, apply the caulk around the base and smooth with your finger. This step is simply to make the base look nice when against the floor.
10. Turn on the water supply and happy flushing!
Here is a video that shows the entire process:
Posted by twincvplumber under 
General Plumbing 
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