How do I prepare this area for toilet installation?

House Repair Talk

Help Support House Repair Talk:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
looks like the flange is broken. Start by cleaning up all the debris around it and then if the flange is broken get a repair flange and install it.
 
Along with a new wax ring. Don't forget new flange bolts. By the looks of the photo the flange bolts probably didn't survive.
 
looks like the flange is broken. Start by cleaning up all the debris around it and then if the flange is broken get a repair flange and install it.

This flange is intact. Do I need to chip the tile back to expose all the 4 corners of the flange?

I think the bolts are intact also. Do they look long enough?
 

Attachments

  • 0323181224.jpg
    0323181224.jpg
    53.8 KB · Views: 6
The flange does not need to be exposed. The bolts need to be good and then you apply a wax ring for the seal.
 
I would straight out the lead stub . and remove old flange, solder on a repair lead, fill in the area that is low around the lead with cement or grout or quick plug . the install new flange , hammer down the lead stub .
 
Which of these do you recommend around a toilet? I have heard terrible things about silicone on this forum, so I'm guessing not that one? Would it be a bad idea to use Painter's caulk around a toilet.
 

Attachments

  • 0324182025.jpg
    0324182025.jpg
    51.5 KB · Views: 5
Neither. there is no need to caulk the toilet to the floor.
 
2X on the no caulk. That way in the event the wax ring does fail at some point down the road, you'll know about it, maybe, before it damages the floor.
 
2X on the no caulk. That way in the event the wax ring does fail at some point down the road, you'll know about it, maybe, before it damages the floor.

I was told to leave the back uncaulked for that purpose.

Does that change your opinion?
 
Neither. there is no need to caulk the toilet to the floor.
I said that a few years ago and Frodo corrected me. It is actually in the code to caulk the toilet and the base of a pedestal sink, who knew, I have ever seen it.
 
How would you ever know if the toilet seal was leaking when you caulk the toilet to the floor. It will keep all the water under the toilet and rot your flooring.
 
How would you ever know if the toilet seal was leaking when you caulk the toilet to the floor. It will keep all the water under the toilet and rot your flooring.
They leave an inch in the back unsealed. But the leak usually shows up in the lower ceiling even with out caulk.
 
How would you ever know if the toilet seal was leaking when you caulk the toilet to the floor. It will keep all the water under the toilet and rot your flooring.

Leave the back uncaulked.
 
The instructions said I need a "plastic retainer washer" that is not included. This goes over the toilet bolts and on top of the flange. The purpose is to help keep the bolt vertical for installation. I cannot buy these individually at Lowe's (haven't tried HD yet), but the employee at Lowe's told me they are unnecessary, and I've been reading the same thing online.

So should I skip these plastic retainer washers?
 
If you can get the bolts to stand up you don't need them. It is just to get the bolts to align with the holes in the toilet. Usually the wax ring does that job.
 
If you can get the bolts to stand up you don't need them. It is just to get the bolts to align with the holes in the toilet. Usually the wax ring does that job.

I found it extremely irritating that they wouldn't even include that part in the box if it was necessary. But now I know for next time so I won't get held up.
 
What went wrong here?

I put the wax ring (included with toilet) on the toilet while it was upside down. Then, I lowered it onto the bolts.

The bolts (new bolts that came with toilet) weren't long enough to get through the holes in the toilet, so I couldn't put washers, etc. on them. I have longer bolts that I bought separately.

I picked the toilet back up, expecting the wax ring to be flattened, but it wasn't. Does this mean that no seal was ever made? Should I put the wax ring on the ground and then lower the toilet over it, or put it on the toilet, then lower the toilet onto the ground? The instructions said the second one.

Also, what do you think of waxless rings?
 

Attachments

  • 0403180031.jpg
    0403180031.jpg
    26.7 KB · Views: 4
  • 0403180031a.jpg
    0403180031a.jpg
    25.3 KB · Views: 2

Latest posts

Back
Top