How to Remove and Replace a Toilet (page 2 of 3)

Removing a toilet and installing a new one is not that hard. Follow all the necessary steps and you'll be on your way to a new bathroom.

Excerpted from Do It Yourself Home Improvement

Step-by-Step Process:

Learn About the Anatomy of a Toilet page 1
Lay Out Rags and Newspaper page 1
Drain the Water page 1
Disconnect the Toilet page 1
Loosen the Seal page 1
Position the New Bowl current page
Replace Wax Ring current page
Apply Caulk and Set current page
Fasten Bowl to Floor current page
Level It Out and Cover Bolts current page
Set the New Tank page 3
Attach Tank to Bowl page 3
Put a Lid On It page 3
Connect the Toilet page 3
Tighten the Compression Nut page 3
Apply Caulk page 3
Smooth It Out page 3

Position the New Bowl

Insert a new wax gasket on the outlet of the new bowl. The tapered side faces away from the bowl. Double check that the toilet flange is tight and not corroded. The toilet flange helps make a tight connection between the toilet and the waste pipe. The flange sits on top of the floor and connects to a collar that fits through the floor. Historically the flange was secured in place with putty, but today there are several plastic flange gaskets to choose from.

Courtesy of DK - Do It Yourself Home Improvement

Replace Wax Ring

There are also several type of wax rings. Some have a plastic insert that is used to direct water flow (Image 1). A wax gasket with an insert #10 is thicker, which provides a good connection when remodeling the bathrooms in older homes or if the flange is set low (Image 2). For most situations, wax gaskets without plastic inserts (Image 3) can provide a suitable seal against sewer gases.