How to Make Sure a Toilet Is on Correctly

Replace and tighten the bolts securing the flange to the floor. The closet bolts should stand up from the flange perfectly parallel to the wall behind the toilet. Make sure the bolts don’t tip or fall over in the installation process.

Measure the size of both the closet elbow and the neck of the toilet bowl. Ensure that you are using a properly sized wax ring to accommodate both measurements. If you have a 3-inch neck and 3-inch closet elbow, it’s easy to determine that you need a securely-fitting 3-inch wax ring. However, if you have a 4-inch closet elbow with a 3-inch neck, you’ll need a 4x3 reducer for a tight fit. A poorly fitting ring can result in a toilet that does not sit correctly.

Place the toilet bowl over the anchor bolts carefully. Gently rock the bowl from side to side to securely place the wax ring. The closet bolts will line up perfectly with the bowl if the toilet is on correctly.

Place rubber gaskets over the holes at the bottom of the toilet tank, on the underside. Place rubber washers inside the tank atop these holes. Insert the mounting bolts from the inside of the tank through to the outside. The bolts should stick out beyond the bottom of the tank to give you a guide for installing the tank on the bowl.

Place the tank on top of the bowl carefully so the tank bolts fit perfectly into the holes on the bowl. Tighten the bolts till they’re secure but do not over-tighten, as this can cause the tank to crack.

Attempt to shimmy the toilet to make sure everything is secure in place. Add plumber’s putty around the perimeter of the pedestal if the base of the toilet scoots too much for your comfort.