Are you planning to replace your toilet? Are you doing a bathroom renovation and your toilet is cemented to the floor? You may think it is taxing, but you want to do it yourself as much as possible. You have landed on the right page. Find out the steps to detach a toilet from the cemented floor from professional plumbers.
Before the project, wear safety gear such as gloves, goggles, and a mask. Then, follow the complete procedure below to pull up a toilet concreted on the floor:
- Close the shutoff water valve at the back of the toilet by turning it clockwise.
- Flush the toilet by pulling down the handle for about five seconds.
- After making sure the water valve is closed, remove as much water left in the toilet bowl and tank using a sponge.
- After removing all the water, put the sponge into the toilet bowl to prevent leaks from coming out later.
- Unscrew the water line using a wrench attached to the shutoff valve.
- Use a plastic scraper if it's hard to remove the bolt cover on each side of the toilet floor.
- Unscrew the bolts on the toilet floor.
- Use a thin chisel and a small hammer to scrape the concrete around the toilet.
- Carefully pull up the toilet.
It sounds like a resolved case, but there's more to the before and after of removing a toilet cemented to the floor. It is a thorough guide to removing the toilet. But, learn more about the details of removing and installing a toilet.
Removing A Toilet Cemented To Floor
Cement is a common material in construction. Using it to fix to a toilet may seem sensible, but uninstalling it may be grueling. Also, hiring a plumber may cost you more than expected. Professional installation costs start from $224.
An unlucky blow to the cement while removing a toilet can damage the bathroom floor while. Tiles can be cracked or scratched. The good thing about a toilet that is properly maintained and installed is that there is less damage during removal.
Before pulling up the toilet, prepare a large trash bag about the size of the toilet to catch any leaks while transporting it out of the house.
Here's the list of tools that should come in handy when removing the toilet:
- bolt wrench
- plastic scraper
- thin and semi-large chisels
- sponge
- bucket
- rag
- large trash bag
- small hammer
- tape
- vacuum
Cleaning Up After Removing The Toilet
There's no way you will leave traces of the toilet. There are more parts beneath the toilet. And before installing a new one, make sure it's clean and spot on for another installment. Here are some tips on how to clean after removing the concreted toilet to the floor, starting from the inner flange of the toilet :
- Remove all the wax stuck on the inner flange without dropping it into the drain pipe with a plastic scraper.
- Examine the flange for cracks or breaks. If there is, replace it.
- Slowly remove the bolt screws remaining by turning and twisting them around.
- Tape the open drain pipe before chiseling the remaining cement on the bathroom floor.
- Use a medium-large chisel to scrape away the remaining cement. Be careful not to scratch the tiles.
- Throw out the chunks of cement and vacuum to clean.
- Dispose of the old toilet at a nearby junk shop.
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Installing A Toilet to Cement Floor
Prepare the area where to put the toilet starting from the pipe. There should be three inches diameter drainage pipe ascending from the concrete and a water line through the nearby wall. Make sure to even the platform where you will put the toilet. Use a concrete grinder.
There are two parts to installing a toilet on the cement floor. Follow the steps below to install a toilet on the cement floor, starting with placing the floor flange:
Installing A Floor Flange
- Sample fit the floor flange on top of the drainage pipe to achieve a flat base.
- Apply glue around the tip of the drainage pipe and the floor flange.
- Seal it together.
- Install evenly and measure to check.
- Fasten the floor flange screws using a masonry drill.
- Blow out the dust in the small spaces and holes caused by the drilling with a dust blow pump.
- Immediately wipe the dust or block the dust from puffing with a blanket.
- Lock the bolts into the slots of the floor flange. It should be sticking out.
Installing The Toilet
- Dry fit the toilet to see if the bolts don't wobble and fit perfectly.
- Take off the toilet and place the wax ring on top of the floor flange.
- Install the toilet fitting with the wax ring and tight with the two bolts sticking out from the toilet base.
- Place the nuts and caps. They come with a new toilet to cover the sticking bolts.
- Connect a small hose at the base side to the water valve by fitting in with a wrench or with your bare hands.
- Open the shutoff valve to test the water line of your toilet.
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Can You Put A New Toilet Flange Over An Old One?
The simple answer is no. All the more if the old toilet flange is broken or cracked. It damages the flooring of the bathroom. It also makes the toilet uneven and unstable. Thus, it is necessary to change the old flange to a new one. Clean all the wax around and unfasten the worn-out flange.
Should I Put The Wax Ring On The toilet Or The Flange?
Put the wax ring on the flange after re-checking that the bolts go through the holes of the toilet base. Place it on top of the flange and install the toilet pushing into the wax ring. Push until tight to prevent leaks.
How Do I Know What Size Wax Ring I Need For My Toilet?
Measure the diameter of the old wax ring with a tape measure. You have a choice to measure the elbow neck of your toilet to know the old ring's dimensions. It's the base opening of your toilet. For the thickness, use an extra thick wax ring if the flange is lower than the floor level. If not, use a standard wax ring.
Is There Something Better Than A Wax Ring?
A wax ring has always been a reliable tool among plumbers for years. With upgrading bathroom floors, sometimes wax may be the best for your toilet, but wax on the ring may melt if you have a heated bathroom floor.
One alternative option is a wax-free seal. It is reusable, unlike the wax ring.
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How Often Should You Replace Toilet Seals?
A wax ring usually lasts up to 30 years. It prevents leakage and traps sewer odors inside. You will need to replace it when re-installing or replacing your toilet. While a wax-free seal may give you a guarantee of 10 years, it doesn't have as long a lifespan as a wax ring.
How Tightly Do You Tighten A Toilet To The Floor?
There's no specific way to tighten a toilet to the floor. But the standard is to twist the fastening bolts until there's no resistance. Try to flutter from side to side after one or two twists of bolts and until the toilet seems unstable.
Why Do Toilets Leak At The Base?
A leak indicates an unstable or lousy installation or a damaged part. Find out the possible reasons why toilets leak at the base:
- The bolts are loose.
- Worn out wax rings.
- Detached water line.
- Humid room resulting in water oozing down from the bowl porcelain to the foot of the toilet.
In Closing
A toilet cemented to the floor can be a DIY project with complete tools and instructions. Wear eye protection and gloves for safety. Handle your toilet with care, and it will serve you for years.
Read these posts to know more about handling toilet mishaps.