Toilet Installation Procedures & Details: Best Practices
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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
Questions & answers about the best way to install a toilet

Toilet installation: best practices guide: this article discusses the installation procedure for toilets, detailing best practices that avoid future leaks or toilet problems. We include the rough-in dimensions that show where to locate the toilet and its waste pipe, and we provide warnings about some SNAFUs you can avoid during toilet layout & installation.

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Installation Procedures & Details for Toilets

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.

Typical toilet dimensions (C) D Friedman Titan

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)

The hole in the subfloor cut to fit the toilet waste line should be just a bit larger than the drain. Also, it is best if the toilet sits on top of the finished flooring rather than having a dirt-trapping joint where the finished floor abuts the fixture.

Next, install the closet flange and secure it to the subfloor with brass or stainless-steel screws. With vinyl flooring, the flange can sit directly on the subfloor. With tile, use a plywood spacer to raise the flange to the height of the tile.

To insure longevity, use brass closet bolts, nuts, and washers rather than the plated steel that is often packaged with the toilet.

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.

Toilet Leaks and Toilet-Caused Flood Catastrophes You Can Avoid

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.

Toilet Leak Catastrophes - cracked toilet tank floods home

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.

Kitchen & Bath Industry Associations

Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers(AHAM) www.aham.org

National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) www.nkba.org

Ceramic Tile Institute of America www.ctioa.org

Home Ventilation Institute (HVI) www.hvi.org

Marble Institute of America www.marble-institute.com Porcelain Enamel Institute (PEI) www.porcelainenamel.com

Tile Council of America (TCA) www.tileusa.com

-- Adapted with permission from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction.

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Steven Bliss served as editorial director and co-publisher of The Journal of Light Construction for 16 years and previously as building technology editor for Progressive Builder and Solar Age magazines. He worked in the building trades as a carpenter and design/build contractor for more than ten years and holds a masters degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Excerpts from his recent book, Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, Wiley (November 18, 2005) ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, appear throughout this website, with permission and courtesy of Wiley & Sons. Best Practices Guide is available from the publisher, J. Wiley & Sons, and also at Amazon.com.
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Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss. John Wiley & Sons, 2006. ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, Hardcover: 320 pages, available from Amazon.com and also Wiley.com. See our book review of this publication.

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.
Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss. John Wiley & Sons, 2006. ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, Hardcover: 320 pages, available from Amazon.com and also Wiley.com. See our book review of this publication.

The Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 2010, $69.00 U.S., is available from Carson Dunlop, and from the InspectAPedia bookstore. The 2010 edition of the Home Reference Book is a bound volume of more than 450 illustrated pages that assist home inspectors and home owners in the inspection and detection of problems on buildings. The text is intended as a reference guide to help building owners operate and maintain their home effectively. InspectAPedia.com ^®^{author/editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume.}

"The Elimination of Unsafe Guardrails, a Progress Report," Elliott O. Stephenson, Building Standards, March-April 1993
"Are Functional Handrails Within Our Grasp" Jake Pauls, Building Standards, January-February 1991
Access Ramp building codes:
- UBC 1003.3.4.3
- BOCA 1016.3
- ADA 4.8.2
- IBC 1010.2
Access Ramp Standards:
- ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), Public Law 101-336. 7/26/90 is very often cited by other sources for good design of stairs and ramps etc. even where disabled individuals are not the design target.
- ANSI A117.4 Accessible and Usable buildings and Facilities (earlier version was incorporated into the ADA)
- ASTM F 1637, Standard Practice for Safe Walking Surfaces, (Similar to the above standards)
America's Favorite Homes, mail-order catalogues as a guide to popular early 20th-century houses, Robert Schweitzer, Michael W.R. Davis, 1990, Wayne State University Press ISBN 0814320066 (may be available from Wayne State University Press)
American Plywood Association, APA, "Portland Manufacturing Company, No. 1, a series of monographs on the history of plywood manufacturing",Plywood Pioneers Association, 31 March, 1967, www.apawood.org
ASHRAE resource on dew point and wall condensation - see the ASHRAE Fundamentals Handbook, available in many libraries. The following three ASHRAE Handbooks are also available at the InspectAPedia bookstore in the third page of our Insulate-Ventilate section:
- 2005 ASHRAE Handbook : Fundamentals : Inch-Pound Edition (2005 ASHRAE HANDBOOK : Fundamentals : I-P Edition) (Hardcover), Thomas H. Kuehn (Contributor), R. J. Couvillion (Contributor), John W. Coleman (Contributor), Narasipur Suryanarayana (Contributor), Zahid Ayub (Contributor), Robert Parsons (Author), ISBN-10: 1931862702 or ISBN-13: 978-1931862707
- 2004 ASHRAE Handbook : Heating, Ventilating, and Air-Conditioning: Systems and Equipment : Inch-Pound Edition (2004 ASHRAE Handbook : HVAC Systems and Equipment : I-P Edition) (Hardcover)
  by American Society of Heating, ISBN-10: 1931862478 or ISBN-13: 978-1931862479
  "2004 ASHRAE Handbook - HVAC Systems and Equipment The 2004 ASHRAE HandbookHVAC Systems and Equipment discusses various common systems and the equipment (components or assemblies) that comprise them, and describes features and differences. This information helps system designers and operators in selecting and using equipment. Major sections include Air-Conditioning and Heating Systems (chapters on system analysis and selection, air distribution, in-room terminal systems, centralized and decentralized systems, heat pumps, panel heating and cooling, cogeneration and engine-driven systems, heat recovery, steam and hydronic systems, district systems, small forced-air systems, infrared radiant heating, and water heating); Air-Handling Equipment (chapters on duct construction, air distribution, fans, coils, evaporative air-coolers, humidifiers, mechanical and desiccant dehumidification, air cleaners, industrial gas cleaning and air pollution control); Heating Equipment (chapters on automatic fuel-burning equipment, boilers, furnaces, in-space heaters, chimneys and flue vent systems, unit heaters, makeup air units, radiators, and solar equipment); General Components (chapters on compressors, condensers, cooling towers, liquid coolers, liquid-chilling systems, centrifugal pumps, motors and drives, pipes and fittings, valves, heat exchangers, and energy recovery equipment); and Unitary Equipment (chapters on air conditioners and heat pumps, room air conditioners and packaged terminal equipment, and a new chapter on mechanical dehumidifiers and heat pipes)."
- 1996 Ashrae Handbook Heating, Ventilating, and Air-Conditioning Systems and Equipment: Inch-Pound Edition (Hardcover), ISBN-10: 1883413346 or ISBN-13: 978-1883413347 ,
  "The 1996 HVAC Systems and Equipment Handbook is the result of ASHRAE's continuing effort to update, expand and reorganize the Handbook Series. Over a third of the book has been revised and augmented with new chapters on hydronic heating and cooling systems design; fans; unit ventilator; unit heaters; and makeup air units. Extensive changes have been added to chapters on panel heating and cooling; cogeneration systems and engine and turbine drives; applied heat pump and heat recovery systems; humidifiers; desiccant dehumidification and pressure drying equipment, air-heating coils; chimney, gas vent, fireplace systems; cooling towers; centrifugal pumps; and air-to-air energy recovery. Separate I-P and SI editions."
- Principles of Heating, Ventilating, And Air Conditioning: A textbook with Design Data Based on 2005 AShrae Handbook - Fundamentals (Hardcover), Harry J., Jr. Sauer (Author), Ronald H. Howell, ISBN-10: 1931862923 or ISBN-13: 978-1931862929
Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss. John Wiley & Sons, 2006. ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, Hardcover: 320 pages, available from Amazon.com and also Wiley.com. See our book review of this publication.
Building Research Council, BRC, nee Small Homes Council, SHC, School of Architecture, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, brc.arch.uiuc.edu. "The Small Homes Council (our original name) was organized in 1944 during the war at the request of the President of the University of Illinois to consider the role of the university in meeting the demand for housing in the United States. Soldiers would be coming home after the war and would be needing good low-cost housing. ... In 1993, the Council became part of the School of Architecture, and since then has been known as the School of Architecture-Building Research Council. ... The Council's researchers answered many critical questions that would affect the quality of the nation's housing stock.
- How could homes be designed and built more efficiently?
- What kinds of construction and production techniques worked well and which did not?
- How did people use different kinds of spaces in their homes?
- What roles did community planning, zoning, and interior design play in how neighborhoods worked
The Circular Staircase, Mary Roberts Rinehart
Energy Savers: Whole House Systems Approach to Energy Efficient Home Design [copy on file as /interiors/Whole_House_Energy_Efficiency_DOE.pdf ] - U.S. Department of Energy
"Energy Savers: Whole-House Supply Ventilation Systems [copy on file as /interiors/Energy_Savers_Whole-House_Supply_Vent.pdf ] - ", U.S. Department of Energy energysavers.gov/your_home/insulation_airsealing/index.cfm/mytopic=11880?print
"Energy Savers: Whole-House Exhaust Ventilation Systems [copy on file as /interiors/Energy_Savers_Whole-House_Exhaust.pdf ] - ", U.S. Department of Energy energysavers.gov/your_home/insulation_airsealing/index.cfm/mytopic=11870
"Energy Savers: Ventilation [copy on file as /interiors/Energy_Savers_Ventilation.pdf ] - ", U.S. Department of Energy
"Energy Savers: Natural Ventilation [copy on file as /interiors/Energy_Savers_Natural_Ventilation.pdf ] - ", U.S. Department of Energy
"Energy Savers: Energy Recovery Ventilation Systems [copy on file as /interiors/Energy_Savers_Energy_Recovery_Venting.pdf ] - ", U.S. Department of Energy energysavers.gov/your_home/insulation_airsealing/index.cfm/mytopic=11900
"Energy Savers: Detecting Air Leaks [copy on file as /interiors/Energy_Savers_Detect_Air_Leaks.pdf ] - ", U.S. Department of Energy
"Energy Savers: Air Sealing [copy on file as /interiors/Energy_Savers_Air_Sealing_1.pdf ] - ", U.S. Department of Energy
Gypsum Construction Guide, National Gypsum Corporation
Gypsum Construction Handbook [purchase at Amazon.com] H17, Technical Folder SA920 and PM2, PM3 and PM4, United States Gypsum Company, 125 South Franklin ST., PO Box 806278, Chicago, IL 60680-4124,
Humidity: What indoor humidity should we maintain in order to avoid a mold problem?
Ice Dam Leaks in building attics and roof cavities, how to inspect for evidence of leaks, identify causes, and
What Style Is It?: A Guide to American Architecture, Rev., John C. Poppeliers, S. Allen Chambers, Wiley; Rev Sub edition (October 6, 2003), ISBN-10: 0471250368, ISBN-13: 978-0471250364
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Installation Procedures & Details for Toilets

Toilet Leaks and Toilet-Caused Flood Catastrophes You Can Avoid

Hidden Toilet Leaks, Sewer Gases, Rot

Toilet Leak Catastrophes - cracked toilet tank floods home

Kitchen & Bath Industry Associations

Questions & Answers regarding this article

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Technical Reviewers & References

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair