Home Improvement Time

Posted on | September 22, 2008 |

Want to replace your toilet yourself? Got your hammer and nails? Wrong! Friend, you obviously don’t know what you’re doing. But don’t worry with a little guidance it’s an easy project that should only take you about half a day.
Big thing to know: Whatever kind of toilet you happen to be using as the replacement, follow the instructions given by the manufacturer.
Big Idea to Consider: Have you been thinking about redoing the bathroom floor? There’s no better time than now.

Getting Started:
Before you go out and get that shiny new toilet from Domestic Depot, make sure that you measure the distance from the wall to the rear bolts of the toilet. That’s what the pro’s call the rough-in. The average toilet has a 12″ rough-in.
Shut off the toilet’s water supply. Then flush to release the water from the tank, keeping that lever down until the water’s gone. Sponge out the rest of the water from the tank and bowl.

Out with old:
Unthread the nut between the tank and water supply with an adjustable wrench. You remembered to shut-off the water right? Oops. Better get the towel.
Remove all the bolts on the tank, and lift it off the bowl. Then remove the tank from wall. Lift with your legs! Now go for the toilet bowl. remove the bolts that fasten it to the floor. Rock the bowl back and forth to break the seal on the floor. Then carry it out of the house, making sure to keep the bowl level. Use rags, old shirts, or unwanted socks to stuff the flange opening closed while you install the shiny new toilet.

In with the new:
Cleanup the area to make way for the new toilet. Utilize a putty knife or screwdriver to scrape off the old putty from the floor. Get rid of the old bolts. You’ll want to use new ones. Consider repainting the wall behind the toilet. Set the new toilet in place over the flange to verify that it’s level. If not, use washers as shims. Install hold-down bolts, using putty to make them stand upright.
Remember when we took out the old toilet in pieces? Reverse that with the new. Remember that porcelain loves to chip and crack. Place the bowl upside down on the floor. Place a wax toilet ring gasket over the toilet bowl’s outlet and seal it to the pipe flange on the floor.
Take the rag/old shirt/wad of unwanted socks from the flange opening. Keeping the bowl upright, lower it carefully. All the pieces should meet together carefully. Place the bowl on the floor, rock it gently, but push it hard. This will get rid of the extra wax on the gasket. Check that everything is level and that the bowl is nice and square against the wall. Want a time saving tip? Don’t lift the bowl up at all while you adjust or you’ll have start all over with putting the waxing on and placing it down again.Place washers on the bolts and then place the nuts. Don’t tighten them too well or you can break the bowl.
Place the rubber spud washer on the bottom of the tank in the valve opening. The beveled side should face out. With that done, place the tank carefully on the bowl. Place the bolts to mount the tank from the inside and fit them through the holes.

The Big Finish:
Connect the water supply and secure with a coupling nut. Turn the H20 back on and watch it fill back to the proper level. Get the area around the base of the bowl cleaned up. Try a test flush. Go on, try it. Watch for leaks around the floor. Place on the brand new toilet seat and tank cover. You’re done! That wasn’t so hard was it?

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