Swapping a toilet sounds intimidating until you do it once. The whole project takes 90 minutes for a first-timer, requires fewer tools than hanging a TV, and saves $200 to $400 in plumber labor. Learning how to change out a toilet is one of the highest-payoff DIY skills any homeowner can pick up, because every toilet eventually needs replacement and the install method has not changed in 70 years. Get the prep right and the actual swap is mostly muscle and patience.
Part of our Bathroom Remodeling & Flooring guide — explore the full guide →
Tools and Materials You Need
Gather everything before you start. The full list:
- Adjustable wrench (Crescent 10-inch or similar)
- Channel-lock pliers
- Putty knife or 5-in-1 painter’s tool
- Sponge and bucket
- Shop vac (optional but helpful)
- Towels or rags
- Level
- Hacksaw (for stuck closet bolts)
- New wax ring (Fluidmaster 7505 or 7530, $4 to $12)
- New closet bolts (brass, $4)
- New supply line (braided stainless, $8)
- White silicone caulk and caulk gun ($8)
- Penetrating oil like PB Blaster ($6)
Buy a tank-to-bowl gasket kit if you are reusing any tank components. For a complete swap with new toilet, everything you need is in the box plus the wax ring you buy separately.
Shut Off Water and Drain the Toilet
Find the angle stop valve behind the toilet, usually on the wall to the left of the bowl, and turn it clockwise until it stops. If the valve will not close fully (common in older homes), shut off the main water supply at the meter or wherever your house’s main valve sits. Flush the toilet to drain the tank. Hold the flush handle down for 10 seconds to pull as much water as possible.
Sponge out remaining water from the tank and bowl. A shop vac in wet-vac mode pulls the bowl dry in 30 seconds. Disconnect the supply line at the bottom of the tank with the adjustable wrench. A few cups of water will drain out, so keep the bucket and rags handy.
Remove the Old Toilet
Pop off the plastic caps covering the closet bolts at the floor (some are screw-on, some pull off). Use the adjustable wrench to unscrew the nuts from the closet bolts. If a nut spins or the bolt corrodes through, use a hacksaw to cut the bolt at the base of the floor flange.
With the bolts off, rock the toilet gently side to side to break the wax ring seal, then lift straight up. The toilet is heavy (60 to 90 pounds), so lift with your legs. Set it on a tarp or old blanket on its side. Use the putty knife to scrape the old wax ring off the closet flange. Stuff a rag or wadded plastic bag into the drain pipe temporarily to block sewer gas while you work.
Inspect and Prep the Flange
The closet flange (the circular metal or PVC piece bolted to the floor over the drain pipe) needs to be in good shape. Look for cracks, broken bolt slots, and excessive corrosion. If the flange sits below the finished floor by more than 1/4-inch, install a flange extender (Oatey makes them in 1/4 to 1-inch heights, $5 to $15) before resetting the toilet. A low flange is the leading cause of failed wax ring seals.
Clean the flange surface with the putty knife and a rag. Any old wax residue prevents the new ring from sealing. Drop the new brass closet bolts into the flange slots and slide them outward into the locked position. Slip the plastic alignment washers onto the bolts and over the bolt tops to hold them upright.
Install the Wax Ring
Two schools of thought here. The traditional way puts the wax ring on the underside of the toilet horn, the way the toilet ships from the factory. The pro method puts the wax ring on the flange itself with the wax side up. Both work, but putting it on the flange gives better alignment as you lower the toilet.
Center the wax ring over the flange opening and press it down lightly. If the flange is set low or if you want extra insurance against leaks, stack a second wax ring or use a Fluidmaster 7530 reinforced wax-free ring designed for low flanges. Do not press too hard yet. The seal forms when the toilet weight compresses it.
Set the New Toilet
Lift the new toilet bowl (some toilets ship with the tank separate, install the tank later). Line up the two holes at the base over the closet bolts. Lower the toilet straight down. Press evenly until the bowl sits flat on the floor. Sit on the toilet briefly to compress the wax ring into a good seal.
Slip the metal washers and nuts onto the closet bolts. Tighten alternately, a few turns on each side, until the toilet is snug but not over-tight. Stop the moment the toilet stops rocking. Overtightening cracks porcelain bases, and this is the most common DIY mistake. Check the bowl with a level. Shim with plastic toilet shims (4 for $3) if needed before final tightening.
Install the Tank
If the tank is separate, install the tank-to-bowl gasket (included in the toilet box) over the flush valve outlet on the bowl. Set the tank in place, threading the two long brass tank bolts through the tank holes and into the bowl. Tighten the tank bolts evenly until the tank sits flush and stops rocking. Again, do not overtighten.
Connect the new braided stainless supply line to the bottom of the tank and to the angle stop valve. Snug it with the wrench, plus a quarter-turn. Open the angle stop valve slowly and let the tank fill. Watch the connections for any leaks. Flush twice and watch again, especially around the base and the tank-to-bowl joint.
Final Steps and Leak Testing
Trim the excess closet bolt length with a hacksaw if the bolts stick up too high to fit the trim caps. Snap on the bolt caps. Run a bead of white silicone caulk around the base of the toilet, leaving a small gap at the rear so any future leak under the toilet will reveal itself rather than hide under the caulk.
Test the install by flushing 5 to 10 times over the next hour. Check for any moisture around the base, the supply line, the tank-to-bowl joint, and the fill valve. A successful install will be dry at every joint and silent between flushes (no phantom running). Congratulations, you just saved $300 and gained a skill you will use again.
