New Toilet (Leveling vs. Wax Seal)

[dschae1]

4 days ago, I installed a new toilet onto a new flange. The top surface edge of the flange is 1/4" above the floor. It is a new Kohler 2 piece toilet and I used a new wax ring.

The toilet is slightly out of level. I want to add some shims and level it, raising one side by 1/8" to 3/16" at the most.

Can I just shim it up, or do I need to take the toilet off and remove the wax ring, and add back a new wax ring? Or will the wax stretch up a bit, allowing me to level the toilet and keep the seal?

Thanks.

 

[havasu]

The wax is still pretty fresh. I would sit on the toilet and adjust the level, without raising the toilet at all. You should be able to wiggle it level and once level, add shims and/or caulk on front 3 sides only (left, right and front) but some advocate using grout rather than caulk.

 

[dschae1]

Thanks for the reply. It was firmly bolted down 4 days ago. What I'm wondering if the sticky wax will lift a bit when shimming it up slowly.

btw...i'm going to caulk it with some Acrylic latex caulk.

The wax is still pretty fresh. I would sit on the toilet and adjust the level, without raising the toilet at all. You should be able to wiggle it level and once level, add shims and/or caulk on front 3 sides only (left, right and front) but some advocate using grout rather than caulk.

 

[havasu]

The right way would be to remove and replace the wax ring. Since we are all inherently lazy, I would try by wiggling into level.

 

[Zanne]

For shims, you can use non-ferrous metal washers that won't rust or rot like wood shims would-- that is if you find you have to shim to make it level.

Generally people here seem to recommend using 100% silicone for the caulk.

 

[havasu]

Many of the toilet shims sold at the stores are just small wedges of plastic, but as Zanne mentioned, once it is level, throw some caulk and stay off the toilet until it dries.

 

[Mr_David]

I never use silicone to caulk a toilet. to messy. Use a water base mildew resistant caulk.
I like the plastic shims.
I use to use pennies, but they can turn green and bleed through the caulk.

Once you push the toilet down on the wax I personally don't recommend trying to pull it back up to add shims. I know a few guys that set the toilet and then push their shims in to level it.

I like to shim the toilet first with a dry fit ( no wax ) I dab a little bit of caulk on the bottom of the shim as I set them. That way, they stay in place when I lift the bowl to install the wax.

plastic shims are nice because you can just trim the excess when done.

I Always try to shim the back side of the bowl rather than the front.
When you sit on the bowl the weight is mostly on the front, Forward of the bolts, so if the bowl is sitting solid on the floor in the front, then less likely it will rock loose.

Tile grout is good when you have excessively large gaps due to very uneven floor.

 

[tanksnotanks]

I only use dap squeeze tube for toilets

 

[frodo]

to fix this, instead of shimming the toilet. remove the closet collar

and with your hammer, beat the excess concrete down that is mounded up around the pipe.

99.9% of the time a lazy concrete finisher did not do his job

after the concrete is broke away. reset a new flange

 

[phishfood]

I never use silicone to caulk a toilet. to messy. Use a water base mildew resistant caulk.
I like the plastic shims.
I use to use pennies, but they can turn green and bleed through the caulk.

Once you push the toilet down on the wax I personally don't recommend trying to pull it back up to add shims. I know a few guys that set the toilet and then push their shims in to level it.

I like to shim the toilet first with a dry fit ( no wax ) I dab a little bit of caulk on the bottom of the shim as I set them. That way, they stay in place when I lift the bowl to install the wax.

plastic shims are nice because you can just trim the excess when done.

I Always try to shim the back side of the bowl rather than the front.
When you sit on the bowl the weight is mostly on the front, Forward of the bolts, so if the bowl is sitting solid on the floor in the front, then less likely it will rock loose.

Tile grout is good when you have excessively large gaps due to very uneven floor.

What he said.

 

[Mr_David]

to fix this, instead of shimming the toilet. remove the closet collar

and with your hammer, beat the excess concrete down that is mounded up around the pipe.

99.9% of the time a lazy concrete finisher did not do his job

after the concrete is broke away. reset a new flange

You have set to many prison toilets where there is no finished floor.
98.5% of the toilets I have reset are on finished floors.

 

[frodo]

lol...no, I set collars on top out, that way if there is floor chipping to do, it is done before that $200.00 sq ft tile goes down