Toilet Installation Procedures & Details: Best Practices
     

• How to install a toilet: best practices to avoid toilet future toilet flush, leak, or instability problems
  • A simple step by step procedure for installing a toilet with care to details: checking the toilet base for damage, how to seal and caulk the toilet base, order of assembly of toilet parts
  • Toilet installation rough-in dimensions, spaces, clearances, specifications
• BATH & KITCHEN DESIGN GUIDE - separate article
• TOILETS, INSPECT, INSTALL, REPAIR - topic home page
• TOILET ALTERNATIVES - separte article describes alternative, waterless toilets
• TOILET INSTALLATION PROCEDURE
• TOILET REPAIR GUIDE - separate article
• TOILET TYPES, Design Choices - separate article
• Questions & answers aboutthe best way to install a toilet
• References

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At our toilet home page, TOILET TYPES we discuss the full range of types of toilets available. Also see TOILET ALTERNATIVES where we list alternative toilet designs to basic water-operated flush toilets. Repairing problem toilets are discussed at TOILET REPAIR GUIDE and at TOILET OVERFLOW EMERGENCY. If you are interested in choosing an environmentally friendly toilet tissue, see TOILET TISSUE CHOICES.

This article series discusses current best design practices for kitchens and bathrooms, including layout, clearances, work space, and accessible kitchen and bathroom layout, clearances, turning space, grab bars, controls, etc. We include advice on choosing and installing kitchen countertops, cabinets, and kitchen or bathroom flooring, sinks, and other plumbing fixtures and fixture controls such as faucets. A list of kitchen and bath product manufactures and sources is included.

As detailed in Chapter 6 of Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction:

• Before installing a toilet, examine it for manufacturing defects that can cause leaks or prevent it from sealing fully to the closet flange. Occasionally the inlet where the tank connects to the bowl, or the outlet (horn) at the bottom of the bowl that seals to the closet flange, is deformed enough to cause problems.
• Also make sure the base (foot) of the toilet is flat or it will have a tendency to rock and break the seal, leading to odors and leakage.
• Next, make sure the floor framing where the toilet will be mounted is adequate. Ideally the toilet should sit between two joists set no more than 12 inches on-center, with blocking nailed on either side of the drain to reinforce the area around the closet flange (Figure 6-56). This will limit any movement in the fixture that could break the seal at the wax ring.

• Toilet rough-in dimensions locate the toilet waste pipe and flange assembly in the building rough and finished floor so that the toilet will be spaced a proper distance from the wall. The toilet rough-in dimension illustration (left) shows the standard distances to the waste line center from the finished wall and side wall and are illustrated by this adaptation from a Titan toilet package.
  • 12" from finished wall behind toilet to center of waste line - may vary by toilet model
  • 15" from center of toilet to nearest side wall
  • 24" clear space in front of the toilet (or more)
  • 6" from flushometer to highest fixture part (for flush-o-meter toilets)

• Then place the toilet sealing wax ring in the closet flange (photo at left) and set the bowl in place.
  
  Toilet Setting Tips [DF]: Some plumbers use two wax rings. The first is pushed onto the bottom of the toilet bowl around its drain opening, pushing the wax ring thoroughly into recesses and making sure that the stick wax seals thoroughly to the bowl bottom and that it does not protrude into (and thus block) the bowl drain opening. A second, thin wax ring is then placed onto and gently pushed against the toilet flange ring on the floor.
  
  Now as the toilet is set and pushed down onto the toilet flange, rotate the toilet left and right slightly an inch or two to seal the two wax rings together. This approach can provide a more thorough seal and plenty of wax to minimize the risk of future leaks around the toilet base.
• Gradually tighten the nuts on the closet bolts, alternating from one side to the other until it is snug without over tightening.
• Finally, apply a bead of silicone caulk around the sides and front of the toilet foot, leaving the back unsealed. This will allow leaks to be spotted before serious damage develops.

At our toilet home page, TOILET TYPES we discuss the full range of types of toilets available. Also see TOILET ALTERNATIVES where we list alternative toilet designs to basic water-operated flush toilets.

Repairing problem toilets are discussed at TOILET REPAIR GUIDE and at TOILET OVERFLOW EMERGENCY. If you are interested in choosing an environmentally friendly toilet tissue, see TOILET TISSUE CHOICES.

Hidden Toilet Leaks, Sewer Gases, Rot

Watch out: a loose toilet will leak into the floor structure and if present, the ceiling below, risking costly rot, insect damage, or mold contamination, or odors and sewer gas leaks (see Leaky Toilet Seals - Odors and also see PLUMBING FIXTURE TRAPS and SEWER GAS ODORS).

But don't over-tighten the toilet base mounting bolts or you risk breaking the toilet.

Watch out: be careful not to over-tighten the toilet tank mounting bolts. Doing so may break a porcelain toilet tank immediately, or, as we have observed, an over-tightened toilet tank may suddenly crack years later, flooding the building and leading to costly water damage.

Our photo at left illustrates just this case: the toilet tank cracked suddenly (no one was at home), several years after the tank had been mounted. Details are at Toilet Leak Catastrophes

See FLOODS IN buildings-priorities and also PRIORITIES for PREVENTING INDOOR MOLD for an explanation of how to prevent mold contamination after building flooding.

Since two-piece toilet tank mounting hardware will include some thick rubber mounting washers you'll see that you can wiggle the reservoir tank slightly at its mounting point to the toilet bowl after the toilet tank has been secured.

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