DIYer Installed Toto Toilet and Things I Obsessed about

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Larry S

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After a couple week delay due to warehouse shipping errors, I received my Toto Entrada toilet last night and installed it today.

I noticed the instructions with the toilet covered the Drake models and several other similar toilets in the Toto line as well as the Entrada.

I read the thread here: Installing a Toto Drake CST744 or CST454CEFG 2-piece toilet written by Jamie Love. This helped as a refresher for a DIYer who has installed toilets roughly once every 9 years and also showed unique to Toto tips and some good general tips. The most misleading thing on that thread is that the install will take 5 minutes! Maybe for a plumber who installs a few of these almost every day, but for a DIYer lacking confidence it took over two hours including several trips to the basement and around the house to find different tools.

The best advice on the thread, and on other treads I've read here, is to use composite door shims to steady the toilet. I did this on a dry fit before putting the wax on and taped the shims to the floor and also put tape down to mark where the edges of the toilet were when I steadied it.

The hardest part of the install for me was sawing off the end of the bolts, after fastening down the bowl, in order to fit the white caps over them. TIP: If I did the install over I'd mark or measure these when I did the dry fit and then take them out to trim the length before adding the wax ring for the final bowl install. It would have been so much easier cutting them in a vice with a regular hacksaw instead of a short saw while they were fasted in.

i-kTs23Z9-M.jpg


The thing I obsessed over the most before the install, other than which toilet to buy, was the wax/waxless issue and which one. I ended up calling Fluidmaster and they recommended a thick reinforced wax ring over the waxless rings once I told them my flange was roughly even with the top of my new tile floor and slightly out of level (1/4" shift from high to low).

For those who are interested here is a photo level with the base of the toilet with a ruler showing the hight of the edge of the toilet and the extra thick wax ring with horn:
i-CtLh5cP-S.jpg


I also obsessed a little about the existence of the built in plastic horn since I've read some things on this forum, and other online forums, that these could interfere with the water flow out of the toilet. Once I put the was ring on I think these fears were pretty unfounded as the diameter of the horn was quite a bit wider than the outlet horn on the toilet as you can see in this photo:
i-NFmCtWN-S.jpg


Well that's it. I want to thank Terry Love for the great information he shares and for maintaining this website and to everyone else who has shared their knowledge, thoughts and experiences here.
 
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WJcandee

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The hardest part of the install for me was sawing off the end of the bolts, after fastening down the bowl, in order to fit the white caps over them. TIP: If I did the install over I'd mark or measure these when I did the dry fit and then take them out to trim the length before adding the wax ring for the final bowl install. It would have been so much easier cutting them in a vice with a regular hacksaw instead of a short saw while they were fasted in.

Good tip. I just use a Dremel, which takes literally 5 seconds. You have to do it before you caulk, however, or the Dremel dust gets in the caulk.

And, FWIW, despite Toto's instructions to the contrary, we put the wax ring on the floor and smush the toilet down on to it, not apply the ring to the bowl and try to position it over the hole. Easier and less-likely to cause issues. However, it sounds like you got it in fine. Congratulations! Looks nice!

PS Did you caulk the base? I don't see any caulk. Maybe you used the clear polyseamseal that we recommend.
 

Larry S

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...PS Did you caulk the base? I don't see any caulk. Maybe you used the clear polyseamseal that we recommend.

Didn't caulk yet but planning on it. I'm trying to decide, or get the wife to decide, if I should use clear or white. I figured I'd give it a bit before caulking and wait until I get the baseboards installed as I can use the same type of caulk (paintable) for any gaps on those.

Stores around me don't sell polyseamseal but I'll use a similar (non-silicone) DAP caulk.
 

CountryBumkin

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After you did your dry fit and inserted the shims where needed, did you remove the toilet and cut the shim to correct length - or did you install the toilet then "snap off" whatever shim material was sticking out?

Also did you put nuts the flange bolts (before setting toilet) so the bolts would stay in place on the flange and not move around or lean?
 

Larry S

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After you did your dry fit and inserted the shims where needed, did you remove the toilet and cut the shim to correct length - or did you install the toilet then "snap off" whatever shim material was sticking out?

Also did you put nuts the flange bolts (before setting toilet) so the bolts would stay in place on the flange and not move around or lean?
I didn't break off the shims until after final setting of the toilet. Added a couple shims, one just a sliver, next to one of them as there was room. Besides I needed the back part of the ship to hold the tape. I scored them with a knife then broke off.

The bolts I had came with the thick wax ring and the package included some washer like plastic pieces which friction fitted on the bolts to hold them in place.
 

Koa

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If I'm going to install a bolt after cutting it shorter it's a good idea to thread a nut on first so it cleans up the bolt thread when you take it off.
 

zuren

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After a couple week delay due to warehouse shipping errors, I received my Toto Entrada toilet last night and installed it today.

I noticed the instructions with the toilet covered the Drake models and several other similar toilets in the Toto line as well as the Entrada.

I read the thread here: Installing a Toto Drake CST744 or CST454CEFG 2-piece toilet written by Jamie Love. This helped as a refresher for a DIYer who has installed toilets roughly once every 9 years and also showed unique to Toto tips and some good general tips. The most misleading thing on that thread is that the install will take 5 minutes! Maybe for a plumber who installs a few of these almost every day, but for a DIYer lacking confidence it took over two hours including several trips to the basement and around the house to find different tools.

The best advice on the thread, and on other treads I've read here, is to use composite door shims to steady the toilet. I did this on a dry fit before putting the wax on and taped the shims to the floor and also put tape down to mark where the edges of the toilet were when I steadied it.

The hardest part of the install for me was sawing off the end of the bolts, after fastening down the bowl, in order to fit the white caps over them. TIP: If I did the install over I'd mark or measure these when I did the dry fit and then take them out to trim the length before adding the wax ring for the final bowl install. It would have been so much easier cutting them in a vice with a regular hacksaw instead of a short saw while they were fasted in.

i-kTs23Z9-M.jpg


The thing I obsessed over the most before the install, other than which toilet to buy, was the wax/waxless issue and which one. I ended up calling Fluidmaster and they recommended a thick reinforced wax ring over the waxless rings once I told them my flange was roughly even with the top of my new tile floor and slightly out of level (1/4" shift from high to low).

For those who are interested here is a photo level with the base of the toilet with a ruler showing the hight of the edge of the toilet and the extra thick wax ring with horn:
i-CtLh5cP-S.jpg


I also obsessed a little about the existence of the built in plastic horn since I've read some things on this forum, and other online forums, that these could interfere with the water flow out of the toilet. Once I put the was ring on I think these fears were pretty unfounded as the diameter of the horn was quite a bit wider than the outlet horn on the toilet as you can see in this photo:
i-NFmCtWN-S.jpg


Well that's it. I want to thank Terry Love for the great information he shares and for maintaining this website and to everyone else who has shared their knowledge, thoughts and experiences here.


Your post is very timely! I'm looking to obtain a new toilet and after talking with my wife, the TOTO Entrada has risen to the top. After reading everything here about TOTO, that became the brand we wanted. It also needed 1.28gpf, round front, and the taller height. We have an Aquasource 1.28gpf toilet in our other bathroom and I'm just learning that it is a $100 Lowes special. Seems to work okay but I'll be interested in comparing it to the TOTO.

I'm saving this thread to refer back for the tips! Thank you!
 

Gary Swart

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A minor suggestion for times when bolts have to be shortened. (N0t just on toilet bolts) Determine the length then screw the nut on below where the cut will be made. Then make the cut. Then use a small file to round the cut end. Lastly, remove the nut. These last two steps will make getting the nut to take on the threads much easier.
 

CountryBumkin

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One more tip. Take a Sharpie marker and make a line across the top of the bolt parallel to the long edge of the flange on the bolt so can you tell if the flange bolt is oriented correctly after the bowl is in place.
This way you can tell if the bolt has rotated any when you tightened the nut (and if it did rotate, you can turn it back and hold the bolt in the correct position with needle-nose pliers

flangebolt.jpg
 
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