Replacing 1975 Toilet

After and Before. Thanks Again!

We found 10" toilet at a local retailer but the foot looked too small to cover the missing flooring. A local plumbing supplier also had some 10" models. nealtw's suggested toilets looked good but we went local as i needed to install it before Christmas and couldn't wait for one to be shipped.

We ultimately went with the 12" because it had a very rectangular foot that covers the missing flooring. A very helpful big box employer pulled a mobile stairway up to the toilet display so I could measure the toilet. Since our measurement from back wall to center of drain was 10.5" I wanted to make sure we had enough room.

As you can see from the pic, it sits very close to the back wall. This was not a problem for us since the 1970's yellow that came out of the space was touching the wall. When we pulled it there were two different layers of wallpaper and paint that had been installed around the toilet. They didn't even bother to remove the toilet for those jobs.

I changed the leaking angle stop, then started steaming and removing the wall paper that remained on the wall behind the toilet. After some research, I figured it might contain asbestos, so decided to leave the the rest of the well attached wallpaper intact. I repaired the drywall where I'd removed the paper, skim coated then primed the whole wall, wet sponged to sand, then painted. Thankfully, you can't tell where the wallpaper ends and the drywall begins. Still need to paint the trim, but had to get this thing in as we'll have a full house for Christmas.

Would you be so kind to discuss the flush mechanism on this WC, the choice for an elongated bowl and if the WC is a "right height" or standard.

By the way, nice job, and I like the sponge sanding, neat trick.

OK. Sorry about taking so long to respond. Busy Christmas and post Christmas return to work.

The flush mechanism can be seen in the photo. This is new to me as all the toilets in the house except for this one are circa 1975. Seems to work well and use less water too.

The elongated seat was not a special choice....it was the option that came with this toilet that looked like it would fit our tight space. Has worked well.

Another surprise option was the toilet height. The old toilet bowl sat at 14.5 inches from the floor. This one sits at 16.5". A more comfortable height. Again, just happened to be the height that came with the toilet that fit the space.

One other update. After the install, all seemed well until the next day when the bathroom floor once again filled with water. Seemed to be another clog and wax ring fail. This was the exact same scenario that caused me to pull the original toilet in the first place. Aaarghh, and as Yogi Berra once said, "deja vu all over again"!!!

Not only did the bathroom floor fill, but once again water spilled into the sunken floor in the adjacent living room causing furniture removal, etc., etc., etc!!!!

I removed the toilet, but this time snaked the drain line instead of using "chemical" uncloggers(beginners mistake) I ran into a blockage at about 12' and cleared it. I reset the toilet but used this gizmo instead of wax rings. I was able to cut away some of the foam on one side of the gray extender to correct some of the flange slant discussed previously.

It has been reinstalled since 12/24 and all is well.....knock on wood.

Thanks again for all the help with this project. I really appreciate it.

Thanks for that one, it is a reminder to always check for blockage down stream when you have a leak at the wax ring.

Point well taken. When I first pulled the original toilet in October, I poured lye down the pipe to clean out any clogs.

Well, the bathroom sat un-toileted for nearly 2 months before I was able to start the project.

I wrongly figured the clog was gone because if I turned on the bathroom sink full blast the water drained with out rising up to floor level at the toilet pipe.

Surprise , Surprise. Should've snaked it the first time.

We all got distracted by the shinny object. The ugly flange.

The new WC is an elongated bowl, right height model.

In public restrooms these are mandatory in handicapped stalls, the difference between residential and commercial, is in commercial the seat must be split.

We all know public toilet seats are U shaped and called a split front, but how many of you know why they are required to be that way?

No fare asking your smart phone or doing google.

They also do not have a seat cover.

bud16415 said:

We all know public toilet seats are U shaped and called a split front, but how many of you know why they are required to be that way?

No fare asking your smart phone or doing google.

Click to expand...

There not called split front there called open front and the round ones are called closed front.

The term "open front" is an evolution from the original reference, split front.

you can get them with and without a lid / seat cover. johnjh2o is correct the most common name they go under is open front.

Not to divert the OP, but why are these open fronts (split fronts) required in commercial settings? Are they considered better for handicapped?

havasu said:

Not to divert the OP, but why are these open fronts (split fronts) required in commercial settings? Are they considered better for handicapped?

Click to expand...

nope guess again :rofl:

It has to do with "draping rods".

Snoonyb said:

The term "open front" is an evolution from the original reference, split front.

Click to expand...

That must have been quite some time ago seeing as I have been in the plumbing business since the late 50's and have always called them open front.

We bought our from Goldenwest Pipe and Supply in SoCa and asked split front seats, took the box and installed them, for over 40yrs.

It's terminology.

I googled split front and open front came up, must be a local thing.
https://www.google.ca/?gws_rd=cr&ei=kEPrUr33HsyFogSg2IKIDA#q=split+front+toilet+seat

I get the obvious benefits of the "U" shaped seat, but if our government feels they are better for commercial applications, why has it not worked in homes? I have never seen a "U" shaped seat in someone's home??