Recently I was at a friend’s house and a conversation came up about their toilet. My buddy was complaining that his wife wanted a modern looking toilet and she had been shopping for toilets.
I understood his pain. Toilets can be expensive and range from $150 to over $1000. The most basic toilets run a few hundred dollars, but you can double the cost if you have a plumber install the toilet.
When my friend mentioned using a plumber I immediately jumped into the conversation. “A plumber? You don’t need a plumber to install a toilet!”
I went on to clarify my comment.
“Plumbers are essential for solving problems with your pipes. In fact, it’s a good idea to call one if you have leaks or clogs that won’t go away. However, installing a toilet doesn’t take a professional and it can be done for free if you’re willing to put in a few hours work. Doing it yourself can save a few hundred dollars!”
My friend’s agreed that plumbers were important, although expensive, and I explained that they didn’t even need many tools.
Is Installing A Toilet Is Easy
Although toilets may look complicated, they are a relatively simple technology. Other than style changes and newly established water efficiency regulations, little has changed in the last 50 years.
Most homes will have the same size pipe in the floor and this makes installing a toilet easy. In a few hours, you can remove your old toilet and have your new toilet in the same place, ready to use.
There are a few caveats.
- If you’re moving the location of your toilet, you’ll probably want to call a plumber. Moving the toilet means you’ll need to add or remove pipes and work on the floor.
- If your new toilet has a different “rough in” it won’t fit properly (we’ll discuss the rough in more below).
What You’ll Need To Install A New Toilet
You won’t need much to install your toilet. More than likely, you’ll need to buy 2 inexpensive items.
A wax ring is essential and it forms the seal between the toilet and the pipe in the floor. They are only a few bucks (check out my article on the best wax rings) and it will likely last the lifetime of the toilet.
Some people opt for a non-wax ring but I’d stick with the wax as it’s a tried and true method to create the seal.
You’ll also want caulking to seal around the edge of the toilet. It’s best to wait a few days, up to a week, before making the seal. A few days of observation will let you know if the wax seal is doing it’s job, then you can seal.
- Measuring tape
- Painters tape or masking tape
- Adjustable wrench
- New wax ring
- Caulking
How To Install A New Toilet
Step 1: Measure the “Rough In” Before Shopping
Before you begin looking for toilets, make sure you know your toilet’s “rough in” measurement. The majority of homes across the U.S. have a 12” rough in, however, there are toilets that are made for a 10” and 14” rough in.
Measuring the rough in is easy and can be done with or without a toilet. The rough in refers to the distance from the wall, to the middle of the pipe into the floor.
If your old toilet is still in use, measure the distance from the wall to the bolts on either side of the toilet that hold the toilet to the floor. The distance will be the same on either side of the toilet (my detailed article with pictures about measuring the rough in)
If the toilet has been removed, the measurement will be from the wall to the center of the pipe in the floor (measuring to the center of the pipe is an important detail).
More than likely your rough in will be 12” and you can take that information with you as you shop.
Step 2: Turn the Water Off, Flush Toilet, Wipe Up Water, and Remove Old Toilet
Once you have your new toilet, wax ring, wrench, tape, and caulking, you’re ready to get your hands dirty (and it’s not even a dirty job).
Turn off the water valve in the back of the toilet by turning it to the right (tighten). Once the water to the toilet is turned off, flush the toilet and hold down the handle so the majority of water empties from the tank.
There will be a little water left in the tank, water line, and trap of the toilet so use an old towel to soak up the extra water.
Use the wrench to remove the water line and the bolts on the bottom of the toilet. Most bolts will have white caps over them, so use a screwdriver to pop off the caps, then unscrew the bolt.
Your old toilet is ready to remove (learn how to properly remove a toilet)! If there is caulking around the base, you can cut it with a knife or just let it rip off when you move the toilet. Two people will be able to move the toilet much easier than one person.
Step 3: Clean and Scrape Off The Old Wax Ring
Once you’ve removed the old toilet and cleaned up the extra water, you’ll want to clean the floor and area around the pipe.
Pieces of your old wax ring will be stuck to the floor and flange. Scrape up the excess wax and use a rag to clean up the area around the pipe.
There’s one more thing to do before installing the new toilet (want to save water and money..check out my review of the best dual flush toilets).
Step 4: Trial Run With The Toilet In Place: Use Tape To Outline The Toilet
Marking the correct position of the new toilet will help make sure the toilet is placed on the wax ring correctly.
Without the wax ring, set the new toilet in its correct position and outline the toilet with tape.
Again, remove the toilet.
Step 5: Set The New Wax Ring And Insert The Bolts Into The Flange
The new wax ring will fit over the pipe in the floor and on the flange. If the wax ring has a funnel, make sure it is pointing down. The wax ring is important so water doesn’t leak from the toilet onto your floor.
Put the bolts in place on the flange so they are pointing up.
Now you’ll need precision and set the toilet properly. It must be done properly on 1st try; you only get one try with a wax ring.
Use the tape to position the front of the toilet and slowly lower the back end of the toilet over the bolts and onto the wax ring.
Push down on the toilet and it will smash the wax ring (do not pull up on the toilet). The wax should be set once the back of the toilet is resting against the floor.
Step 6: Tighten Bolts and Let Set (2 hours)
Use the bolts to further secure the toilet then let sit for at least two hours before flushing. The 2 hours will give the wax a chance to harden and set.
Step 7: Connect Water Line
While you’re waiting the 2 hours you can reattach the water line and turn on the water.
The toilet can be used, but be aware there will always be a possibility of a leak. For one week, keep an eye on the flooring around the toilet. Look for dampness on the floor and visible leaking.
Step 8: After 1 Week, Finish With Caulking Around the Edge of Toilet
If 5-7 days go by and the wax ring is doing its job, you can complete the job by caulking the base of the toilet to the floor.
Caulking will help keep insects and dust from finding their way under the toilet. It may help with smells coming from the pipes as well.
Conclusion
Believe it or not, toilets are easy to install. Getting a new toilet may be exciting or it may feel like a hassle. Either way, they aren’t cheap.
A new toilet will set you back anywhere from $150-1000 and that’s not including the cost to install it. If you’re like me and prefer to save a few bucks, you can install your new toilets yourself.
The most important thing is to know the “rough-in” measurement. Once you have this piece of information you can begin shopping. While choosing your toilet, make sure to pick up a few more items, namely:
- Wax ring
- Caulking
- Painters tape
Other than a few household tools, these are all you’ll need.
The 8 steps I’ve outlined will help make sure you remove and replace your toilet in an easy and efficient way.
Two people are ideal for picking up and moving the old and new toilets, however, one strong person can do it alone. Also, if you’re moving the location of the toilet it will require work on the pipes and floor (in this case I think its best to go with a plumber).
After you’ve installed the toilet make sure you keep an eye on the floor around the base of the toilet because the wax ring could leak. Hopefully, it won’t because you installed it correctly.
Installing your new toilet is easy and should be considered. After all, who doesn’t like to save a few hundred dollars? Thanks for reading another Toilet Travels article. Check out the blog for all toilet-related questions!