Need help with toilet install

[CountryBumkin]

I read about installing toilets many times - and thought it was going to be easy, but I'm having problems with the mounting bolts.

I removed my toilet to re-tile. Now I'm having trouble reinstalling it. The mounting flange seems to sit high but I tried the toilet without the wax ring and it did fit flush to the floor (with a slight rock that some caulking should take care of).

When trying to reinstall the toilet I installed a new wax ring (put on underside of toilet) but the toilet was sitting really high off the tile - like 2-1/2 inches. So I wiggled the toilet and stood on it and got it down to about a half inch off the tile but that was it. Then I started to tighten the bolts (and wiggling) but one of the bolts must have spun because it sort of popped and then spun.
So I pulled the toilet again and cleaned everything off - I'll need a new wax ring to start over.

So before I head back to HD ...

Question: on Bolts) should I install the bolt in the flange and use a washer and nut to lock/hold it in place? Will the nut fit into the underside of the toilet (looks like it could)? Is there a bolt with a larger head (mine seems to just catch the plastic flange edges/lips)?

Question: on Wax rings) Do I need a thinner wax ring? The one I used was a "Fluidmaster No-Seep No.3". I think I saw a No. 2 at HD too. Are the numbers relating to the size? What is the thinest size avaialble?

Thanks

 

[JohnjH2o1]

You can use extra nuts to hold the bolts in place. Your flange looks to be the right height. Don't use the wax ring with the plastic horn. That was the reason the toilet wouldn't set down to the floor.

John

 

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[Jadnashua]

Do NOT use the bolts to seat the toilet onto the flange; you should squish the toilet down so it sits flat on the floor, then snug up the bolts - they hold it in place, not pull it down! If the toilet rocks (do a dry fit without the wax), you need to shim it before, once the wax is squished, it isn't springy, so when the toilet rocks, when it rocks back, there'll be a gap that will allow leaks.

 

[Weekend DYI]

John is right, and you can also find at HD smaller wax rings that are not so thick.

 

[Cacher_Chick]

When you get your new wax ring, put it on the closet flange and then set the toilet. Why anyone would put the ring on the toilet is beyond me.

 

[CountryBumkin]

Thanks everyone.

The reason I put the ring on the toilet and not the flange is beacuse that is what the instructions show on the back of the wax ring box.

I will NOT use the bolts to pull the toilet down.

Is there a shim made for toilet installs? The origianl install had some thin set built up under the toilet. I thought the builder was just filling in the gap but he might have used it for leveling. Is thinset acceptable to stuff in the gap between bottom lip of toilet and tile?

 

[Chrisexv6]

Around here Lowes sells some composite shims in the door/windows section. Grab a pack of those and use them to shim under the toilet once its down. Snap them off then run a bead of caulk around the base of the toilet....Polyseamseal comes well recommended around here for caulking the toilet to the floor. There are two versions though, one is an adhesive/caulk and the other is just a caulk. Not sure which one you want to use for the "to floor" caulking, Im sure someone else can chime in.