Tightening the bolts that connect the toilet bowl to the floor?

[Princess Turandot]

My toilet has started rocking side to side slightly whenever someone sits on it. I'm assuming that one of those bolts has loosened. They're covered by small caps. I wanted to remove them, but I'm not sure how to do that. Will they just pop off with pressure if a screwdriver head is slipped underneath them?

TIA!

[PoliticAverse]

1. Yes, see...

(Note: Don't tighten the nuts too much or you could crack the bowl base.)

If it isn't loose nuts but a problem with the flange below there are youtube videos for that too.

[Hoyt]

2. If you have a plastic flange under the bowl, it can break. I've got that problem and am trying

to find a day when I can calmly take my time to repair it. Most days, I'm too likely to take a sledge hammer to it, but that will create a much bigger problem.

Sometimes you can put wood/plastic shims under the bowl to steady it. You can even buy them.

You'll probably be fine if you watch the videos from poster above.

[Denzil_DC]

3. Before you tighten anything,

Last edited Tue Aug 2, 2016, 09:00 AM - Edit history (1)

it might be best to check that you haven't had a water leak that's slowly saturated and weakened the flooring.

[packman]

4. Exactly - a toilet that begins to rock&roll might have some big issues

If tightening doesn't resolve the wobble and you notice a water leak or detect a smell you may have to take the caps and old bolts off. If on a long time, you may have to hack-saw them off. REALLY you should inspect what's going on. Turn off the water going to the tank, loosen those bolts holding it to the bowl and remove it. Then lift the bowl up and look. If you had a water leak and it's on a wooden floor you may have to do some major repair. If no damage, get a new flange, throw the old one away (I only worked with wax ones - there may be newer types out). Stuff a rag in the opening, by the way as you work on the whole thing - sewer smells you know.

I do not recommend half-ass repairs such as more chalk or wedges under the existing toilet. If the seal is broken due to the wobbling, you have the potential to have waste water escaping and going God knows where AND the situation will just get worse. Do it right.

[Denzil_DC]

5. I mentioned it, as you might be able to guess,

because of personal experience!

If the house has some sort of underfloor access (ours does - decent-ish headroom), it should be possible to inspect from below to look for signs of water damage/rot.

[packman]

6. Toilets, at one time, were the bane of my life

Moved into an older house that had three of them, all poor flushing, all unfit for - how shall I say this - persons of girth. Went out and got three of the super flushing types that used less water and could handle a bucket of golf balls (yes, that was one of the selling points). Well, one thing led to another with water problems, lines to be replaced, sewer lines rooted out, floors repaired, etc., etc. Took almost 1/2 year before things settled down into giving a man back his throne.

[Warpy]

8. Ouch. I was lucky I only had to pee in a bucket for a few days

before I got someone out to get mine sorted--drain clearing, new loo, new wax seal, new connections. The new low flow toilets are so much better than the old stinker I had in this old house. Best of all, the new one isn't kiddie height, an advantage for an old broad with a bad back.

I agree that when it starts rocking, it really needs to be checked out. I was lucky that the cast iron flange was OK in mine. When the thing starts to rock it can mean that's rusted or cracked, that there are floor problems, and other possible problems no sane person without specialized tools wants to tackle. Been there, also, ancient Boston apartment.

As for the ceramic covers, they were never really connected to any toilet I had and just lifted off, exposing the bolts and nuts below. While you can attempt to tighten a nut that feels a little loose, don't tighten it down hard or you might find out why it loosened up on you and that can run into serious money.

FWIW, I'll replace the guts inside a toilet but I hate plumbing problems like poison and will pay an expert his weight in gold to take care of anything else.

[pscot]

7. And if that's the problem

the sooner you get after it the better. it's not that hard to lift a toilet and if the floor underneath is rotting you need to know. You can cut out the bad stuff with a circle saw and use exterior plywood to fill the hole. You want to get it before the rot affects the floor joists. Above all don't panic.

[Historic NY]

9. Mine went when you could no longer tighten it down...

turns out the cheaper mount wasn't the best choice, they make a premium replacement part available at home stores and that did the trick.