Fixing Toilet Wobbling On Tile Flooring
Is your toilet rocking or wobbling when you sit on it? This type of movement can be annoying and also indicates potential problems underneath the toilet. Addressing a rocking toilet promptly is important to prevent leaks, damage, and other issues down the road.
Read on to learn how to fix a rocking toilet for good.
Identifying The Source Of Toilet Movement
The first step is confirming the wobble and finding the source. Start by sitting on the toilet to test for rocking motions. Gently push the toilet base from side to side checking for looseness. If excessive movement is present, inspect the following areas:
Checking Mounting Bolts
Loose mounting bolts allowing the toilet base to shift are often the culprit behind a rocking toilet. The bolts on each side screw into a floor flange, holding the toilet securely in place.
Examine where the bolts disappear beneath the base. Try tightening them with your fingers first. If that doesn't work, use an adjustable wrench to tighten them further taking care not to crack the porcelain.
Assessing Gaps Beneath Toilet
While sitting on the toilet, also check if the base rocks unevenly on the floor with more space visible beneath one side. This can indicate sinking or uneven spots in the subfloor allowing wobble room.
Use a flashlight to look from all angles beneath the toilet. Check for gaps, loose bolts, or floor damage. A toilet that rocks mainly in one corner likely has subfloor issues or needs shimming/caulking to level.
Inspecting Flange Connection
The way your toilet connects to drain pipes below can also influence stability. Sitting inside floor piping is a circular flange with bolt slots. If this metal piece comes loose or breaks, one common sign is increased toilet rocking.
Unfortunately fully checking flange connections requires temporarily removing your toilet. First turn off the water valves and flush out remaining water. Disconnect supply tubes. Take out mounting bolts, then carefully lift the toilet to set aside.
Here you can inspect the circular flange fitting around the floor drain opening. Feel for damage cracks or loosening. The flange surface should sit level with the flooring beneath your toilet. If the flange needs replacing, avoid resetting the toilet until this repair is complete.
Preparing Toilet & Floor Repairs
After identifying the likely culprit, prepare supplies for fixing your rocking toilet on tile.
Gather Necessary Materials
For basic DIY toilet stabilization you'll need:
- - Shims
- - Caulk/plumber's putty
- - Wrench
- - Gloves
- - Old rags
Additional supplies if replacing flange:
- - Flange kit
- - Plumbers putty
- - Hack saw
Clear Space Beneath Toilet
Before making fixes, carefully clear out the area underneath your toilet. Have something soft like folded towels or cardboard handy to lay porcelain parts on.
Use gloves during this unpleasant task. Soak up any water around floor opening with rags. Remove any debris clogging floor drain below.
Disconnect Water Lines
Prevent leaks by disconnecting the toilet tank's water supply line next. Place rags beneath fitted line ends. Use your wrench to loosen coupling nuts. Set parts aside safely once separated.
Covering toilet openings with duct tape secures water inside during repairs. Remember to keep bathroom visits elsewhere until your toilet is back working!
Repairing & Resetting Toilet
With prep work complete, roll up your sleeves to start fixing a rocking toilet. Get your shims and tools ready!
Shimming One Side
For a toilet rocking mainly in one corner, try slipping shims underneath the base edge. Stack shim pieces to fill the excessive gap side keeping the other side normally fitted.
You want a snug, stable fit across the entire toilet base on flooring without gaps large enough to jiggle one side.
Resecuring Bolts
If shimming doesn't work or the whole toilet base shifts, unscrew the mounting bolts further with your wrench. Tighten them down fully once screws feel snugly set inside floor openings.
Be very careful not to crack porcelain with overtightening torque. Hand rotate initially before using tools for that last tug. Replace bolt caps once screws feel firmly set.
Replacing Flange
For rocking caused by a loose, leaking or broken flange, replacement is needed. Measure the existing circular flange for size. Purchase an identical match flange kit.
Use a hacksaw to detach old flange from floor piping below. Apply plumber's putty beneath the new flange base. Fit bolts through open slots. Connect flange tightly to drainage pipe, keeping the surface flush with floor level.
Wipe away excess putty before resetting toilet. Future leaks avoided!
Applying New Caulk
With the toilet solidly refitted to flooring, finish off by caulking any lingering gaps around the base. Smooth spaces between porcelain and tile prevent gunk buildup and improve aesthetics.
Run a flexible silicone caulk bead around the entire toilet base perimeter. Smooth excess with a wet fingertip or tool sponge before the caulk dries. Nice!
Finalizing Toilet Repairs
Get your toilet back in working order with a few final steps:
Reconnect Water Supply
Attach the toilet tank supply line back into place. Confirm washers seal correctly before tightening compression nuts with your wrench.
Turn water valves back on slowly, checking beneath for any drips. Tighten fittings further if leaks appear.
Test Toilet Operation
The moment of truth! Remove any tape or rags from toilet bowl and tank openings. Flush the toilet, holding down the handle for 15 seconds ensuring full flow.
Check for leaks or water bubbling up around base. Verify water in tank refills to proper level. Press down on sides of toilet checking stability.
If stability still feels questionable, or gaps between floor and base show with weight added, run another smoothing caulk bead around problem areas.
Allow a full 24 hours for caulk to fully cure and adhere before sitting on toilet.
With that, your toilet should sit solidly on tile floors without rocking motions! Be sure to address this issue promptly since ignoring a wobbly toilet leads to bigger problems like leaks causing floor damage or mold growth.
By methodically inspecting the toilet base, mounting bolts, flange connection and stability on flooring, you can troubleshoot the root cause and make appropriate fixes. Adjusting bolts, adding shims, replacing flange or caulking gaps will get your throne sitting pretty again!