Toilet installation can seem intimidating, especially if you’re not particularly handy or have never done a plumbing job before. But fear not—installing a new toilet isn’t as hard as it seems. Unlike other plumbing jobs, there’s no soldering or complex pipe work involved with installing a toilet.
In fact, your toilet installation is likely to be one of the easier home improvement tasks you tackle. With a few basic tools and the right instructions, you can have your new toilet up and running in just a few hours. It doesn’t even require any specialized skill or experience.
In this article, we'll walk you through everything you need to know about how to install your new toilet like a pro. We'll cover everything from gathering the right supplies to using the correct tightening strategy so that your final product looks beautiful and functions perfectly.
What Materials You Need for Toilet Installation
So, the new toilet is on its way and you're ready to replace the old one.
But first, here are the materials you need for the job:
- Toilet mounting bolts
- Wax seal
- Teflon tape
- Porcelain thinset
- Pea gravel
- Elongated wax ring
Additionally, there are a few tools you'll need that you may have around your home, such as a putty knife, rubber gloves, pliers and screwdrivers. If you don't have them in your toolbox already don't worry—they can all be easily picked up at any hardware store. Once you've got all of your materials and tools together, you'll be ready to get started!
How to Locate the Waste Outlet and Water Supply Line
Installing a new toilet is much easier than you might think. You don't have to be a plumbing expert to get it done. All you need is the right tools, a few basic instructions, and a little bit of elbow grease.
First things first, you'll need to know where the waste outlet and the water supply line are. The waste outlet is where your toilet will attach to the sewer or septic system, and your water supply line carries fresh water into your tank. These two lines usually run behind the wall in the bathroom—so it's important that you find them before getting started with your installation.
If you're not sure where they are, there are several ways to track them down:
- Look for visible pipes behind your wall coverings.
- Remove sections of drywall to use as a guide.
- Refer to an architectural plan of your home (if available).
- Check with neighbors who may have similar setups in their bathroom(s).
Once you've located both the waste outlet and water supply line, you're ready to get started! So grab your tools, take a deep breath, and let's begin!
Steps for Removing the Old Toilet
Okay, so now it's time to remove the old toilet. It's not as hard as you might think!
Here's what you need to do:
Shut off the water supply and drain the tank. Then, unscrew the bolts that attach the toilet to the floor.
Have a bucket on hand—it will come in handy when you go to disconnect the water line from its supply port, located on your toilet’s base. Water from any remaining water in your toilet’s tank or bowl will then flow into the bucket.
After removing the two bolts holding your old one in place and disconnecting it from its supply port, gently lift it up and take it away!
That wasn't difficult at all, was it? Just make sure that when you pick up your new porcelain throne, you have another buddy or two around to help with installation. Trust us—you'll be glad that you did!
Instructions for Setting the New Toilet Bowl
Now that you have all the parts together, it's time to finish the installation by setting up your new toilet bowl. But don’t sweat it—with just a few simple steps you'll be done in no time. Here's what you need to do.
Step One
Place the wax ring on the new toilet's base. Make sure it is snug and evenly spread around the circumference of your toilet—you don’t want any gaps or leaks here! Once it is secure, set the new toilet bowl onto the wax ring.
Step Two
Next, insert and tighten your closet bolts into each side of your bathroom flange. This will serve as a connection between your floor and toilet bowl, at this point, you can use shims to center and level the new bowl if needed.
Step Three
You’ll probably need to adjust the height of your tank by hand tightening the bolts at the base of your tank until they are firmly in place. Once they are secure and leveled to your satisfaction, use a wrench to further tighten them—but don’t go crazy here, otherwise you might crack something!
And just like that—you have officially installed your new toilet! See? It wasn't so hard after all…
Tips on Attaching the Toilet Tank
The fifth step of how to install a new toilet is attaching the tank.
Attaching the toilet tank is a breeze when you follow the steps below:
- Start by placing the tank on the bowl. Make sure there’s no debris between the two so that the bowl and tank can sit flat.
- Align the mounting bolts (the bolts that come with your kit) so they extend through both holes on one side of your new toilet.
- Secure them with washers and nuts, using a wrench to tighten them up until they’re nice and snug but not too tight—you don’t want them to crack!
- Next, secure the rubber gasket that came with your kit onto the bottom of your new toilet tank, making sure it fits around your mounting bolts too.
- Finally, attach any additional pieces like flush handles or chains for dual-flush toilets, and you’re all set!
How to Connect the Water Supply and Waste Outlets
Now you're ready to connect the water supply and waste outlets.
The first step is to ensure the toilet is in the correct position relative to the other fixtures in the room. With that done, it's time to start connecting everything up.
Here are a few steps to follow:
Start by locating the two water supply lines for hot and cold water. They will be indicated with their respective H and C labels and should be located at the wall behind your toilet — screw these onto your new toilet’s valves. Make sure you only tighten them with your hands; excessive tightening may damage or strip them.
Next, connect your waste outlet pipes coming from out of the floor and attach these to where they meet on your new toilet flange; use a wrench to tighten them. Again, don’t over-tighten them as this might cause damage or leaks.
Seal any gaps that might exist using a few layers of plumber tape around each joint and nut before replacing any unused nuts or washers back into place.
That's all it takes! After testing out all connections by running water and flushing the toilet, you can sit back, relax, and enjoy your brand-new sparkling-clean bathroom fixture!
Conclusion
Installing a new toilet is easier than you think! With the right tools and knowledge, you can be sure to have a successful toilet installation. Whether you’re a DIYer or hiring a plumber, you can rest easy with the fact that this job is not intimidating at all and can be completed in a relatively short amount of time.
So don’t be afraid to take on this project and reclaim your bathroom once again. In no time, you’ll be more than proud of your installation and ready to enjoy the upgraded space.
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