Tips

Rock Solid Toilet Bowl Installation

One task that many homeowners dread is the replacement of their toilet bowl. Maybe it's the stigma of "plumbing" work that deters them or that it's something which they believe is beyond their scope that prevents them from doing it themselves. Well, with just a little insight you can easily install a new toilet bowl to change the look of your existing bathroom or make a needed repair.

For the sake of simplicity I'll assume you have a completed bathroom and you are ready to install the bowl because you want to update the look or it's a needed repair. This means that you will have a new wax ring and anchors (Johnny Bolts) and your flange is in good shape and it's at the correct height. The picture to the left shows a flange with two Johnny bolts held into position with the plastic washers that are supplied with the bolts. I remember the days when those bolts came with no such washers ;-(

My technique for installing toilets is to use Plaster of Paris as a setting bed. I knew a very good plumber 27 years ago and he showed me this and every bowl I have ever set since then as been in a plaster bed. The plaster provides the best shims for any irregularities in the floor or base of the bowl by filling them. This makes it very easy to level the bowl and makes the connect rock solid so your bowl will never rock.
The first step is to dry fit the bowl and trace its foot print on the tile floor. Then place some blue tape over the grout lines in the tile so that the plaster will not flow into them. This makes the clean up of the plaster much easier.

Once the bowl is traced out on the tile and all the grout lines are covered with tape, place the new wax ring on the flange (I would usually put the ring on the bowl but in this case the toilet was a one piece) and start mixing the plaster. Mix the plaster to a peanut butter consistency and spread it to fill the area inside the traced lines of the bowl. Be careful not to get to much of it on the bolts as it will make it more difficult to put the nuts on. This is one case where more is better then less, but try and be neat about it.

Carefully place your new bowl over the flange and line up the bolts with the mounting holes in the bottom of the bowl. Slide the bowl down onto the bolts and wax ring applying pressure with a slight twist. This will seat the bowl on the ring, now adjust the bowl to be square with the back wall and as level as you can make it.
Try and do this a quickly as you can and while the plaster is still pliable. Allow the plaster to set and then install the nuts tightening them and being careful not to crack the bowl! Once you feel the nut become taught, make 1/4 turns to sung the nut.

Now it's just a matter of cleaning the plaster from around the bowl, a few sponges and a pail of clean water is all you'd need. Take care in removing the tape and clean the grout joints well.
You will now have a rock steady bowl that will stand up to years of vigorous use.

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	One task that many homeowners dread is the replacement of their toilet bowl. Maybe it's the stigma of "plumbing" work that deters them or that it's something which they believe is beyond their scope that prevents them from doing it themselves. Well, with just a little insight you can easily install a new toilet bowl to change the look of your existing bathroom or make a needed repair.
	For the sake of simplicity I'll assume you have a completed bathroom and you are ready to install the bowl because you want to update the look or it's a needed repair. This means that you will have a new wax ring and anchors (Johnny Bolts) and your flange is in good shape and it's at the correct height. The picture to the left shows a flange with two Johnny bolts held into position with the plastic washers that are supplied with the bolts. I remember the days when those bolts came with no such washers ;-(
	My technique for installing toilets is to use Plaster of Paris as a setting bed. I knew a very good plumber 27 years ago and he showed me this and every bowl I have ever set since then as been in a plaster bed. The plaster provides the best shims for any irregularities in the floor or base of the bowl by filling them. This makes it very easy to level the bowl and makes the connect rock solid so your bowl will never rock. The first step is to dry fit the bowl and trace its foot print on the tile floor. Then place some blue tape over the grout lines in the tile so that the plaster will not flow into them. This makes the clean up of the plaster much easier.
	Once the bowl is traced out on the tile and all the grout lines are covered with tape, place the new wax ring on the flange (I would usually put the ring on the bowl but in this case the toilet was a one piece) and start mixing the plaster. Mix the plaster to a peanut butter consistency and spread it to fill the area inside the traced lines of the bowl. Be careful not to get to much of it on the bolts as it will make it more difficult to put the nuts on. This is one case where more is better then less, but try and be neat about it.
	Carefully place your new bowl over the flange and line up the bolts with the mounting holes in the bottom of the bowl. Slide the bowl down onto the bolts and wax ring applying pressure with a slight twist. This will seat the bowl on the ring, now adjust the bowl to be square with the back wall and as level as you can make it. Try and do this a quickly as you can and while the plaster is still pliable. Allow the plaster to set and then install the nuts tightening them and being careful not to crack the bowl! Once you feel the nut become taught, make 1/4 turns to sung the nut.
	Now it's just a matter of cleaning the plaster from around the bowl, a few sponges and a pail of clean water is all you'd need. Take care in removing the tape and clean the grout joints well. You will now have a rock steady bowl that will stand up to years of vigorous use.