Best way to lift a heavy one-piece toilet

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Mart

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What’s the best way for one person to lift and carry a 110 lb Toto Nexus one-piece toilet? Silly question perhaps, but I’m not sure if it’s OK to grab it by the tank on one end and front bottom on the other without putting too much stress on the tank-bowl connector section.

Also, is there any such thing as a carrying sling that one could buy to securely slip under/around the unit and then carry with handles? I’m thinking of something for toilets akin to those shoulder dolly moving straps, but with one strap loop on each shoulder, maybe cross-linked under the toilet? I’m sure I could hoist the toilet easily enough to install on the Toto Unifit, but I would need to get it upstairs first, unassisted, and am looking for the best way carry it from the dolly, up the steps. Thoughts?
 

Terry

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I would not worry about the thing coming apart by lifting it. A sling might work.

I tend to grab them in the middle area where I can get a hand grip.
Because of the Nexus concealed sides, that far back is a little off balance though.

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Mart

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Great pic and advice, Terry. A related silly question: is the base of Nexus narrow enough when lifting as you suggest, when lugging it upstairs, to set it on each 11” deep step, going up one step at a time — repeatedly setting it down and lifting, to avoid one, long Herculean lift up our 16 steps? Just paranoid about trying to lift it too high and long, and taking a tumble!
 

Terry

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All you need is for part of the base to set on the step to give you that respite from holding the weight of it.
Sometimes with stairs I do sort of a one two step. Start with the same foot, follow with the next, repeat the pattern.
 

Jadnashua

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If you're likely to do this often, buy a stair-climbing dolly and make sure to strap it tight. Leave it in the box until you get it in the room.
 

Mart

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Excellent suggestion, Jim, thanks. A handy tool to have, no doubt. Maybe the very definition of “defence industry engineering” for retirees like me!
 

Tuttles Revenge

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I have a way I've been lifting toilets by myself for years. I take a 6x9 canvas drop cloth and place the toilet in the center. I take the corners of the drop and tie them together at each end double square knots. I can then place each of those 2 tied ends into the crook of my elbow and lift the toilet easily.
 

Mart

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Thanks for that. I’ve got 10 oz 6X9 canvas, so hopefully my knots and the cotton will hold, but sounds like a more ergonomic solution.
 

Tuttles Revenge

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Thanks for that. I’ve got 10 oz 6X9 canvas, so hopefully my knots and the cotton will hold, but sounds like a more ergonomic solution.

If you tie the knots very close to the corners you don't get Too much material gathered up and the knots will hold. I'm 6ft tall and holding it in the elbow requires almost no arm strength, just lifting with my legs gets it about a foot off the ground. you can bunch up the knots to adjust the height.
 
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