Become a pro! | Change the toilet

With the explosion in the cost of materials and the shortage of labour, it is time more than ever to reclaim some maintenance or renovation work on your home. Become a pro and take action with tasks anyone can do.

Project

Even if you are not doing a complete renovation of your bathroom, changing a toilet can be interesting to refresh the decor or to get rid of a defective device.

In the first place

The toilet is usually located 12″ from the edge of the wall (from the center of the flange – ie the waste pipe), except for some older models, where this distance is 10″. It is best to check the distance between the center of the flange and your bathroom wall before purchasing a new fixture.

When you replace a toilet, be sure to scrape the wax from the ring in place to remove all traces before using a new one. The wax ring seals the exhaust duct. A leak, however small, must be avoided at all costs.

It is also advisable to change the water supply pipe, especially if it has been in place for a long time. The sealing rings are very likely to have lost their flexibility, and a leak could occur once the pipe is reinstalled.

The outsthey

Adjustable wrench

Flexible water supply pipe (often called “speedway”)

wax ring

Spirit level (optional)

How to do it

1. Close the water supply valve, then remove the supply hose. Empty the tank by flushing. Make sure the water is shut off (the tank should not fill up). Be careful, there is always some water left in part of the tank. Be careful when removing it.

2. Unscrew the two assembly bolts on each side of the toilet.

3. Raise the toilet. Several models disassemble into two main components: the tank and the tank. When possible, it is better to transport them separately, it is less heavy.

4. Check that the flange cap screws are properly positioned to accommodate the new toilet. To ensure that these long screws in the center of the flange are 12″ from the wall, it may be convenient to place the tie bolts on either side of the duct as visual cues.

5. Position the new toilet so that the wax ring is attached to it. Make sure it is well anchored.

6. Place the toilet on the flange. Press well so that the wax ring is sealed. At this stage, it is a good idea to check that the tank is level.

7. Tighten the cap screws. Be careful not to force too much. The screws are used to hold the device, but if you tighten too much, you risk breaking the porcelain.

8. Install the tank. Use the hardware supplied with this component.

9. Attach the water inlet hose. Open the valve. Check that there are no leaks.

Last step

Apply a bead of silicone between the base of the toilet and the flooring.

A little further

redo everything at nine

If you want to install a toilet and you have to start from scratch, it’s still pretty easy to get started. First you need to cut the toilet plumb 1″ or 1.5″ above the floor. You can use a manual hacksaw or even a multi-tool with the right type of blade. The important thing is to cut straight. Then install the flange. It must be firmly fixed to the ground and level. Fold down the lead on the flange using a hammer, going all the way around. Lead is a rather flexible metal.

The mu toiletrale

Aesthetic and easy to maintain, this type of sanitary appliance requires more planning, since the tank and the plumbing are built into the wall.