Sealing Floor Around Toilet Base

You can find dedicated caulk removal tools in home improvement stores.

Sealing floor around toilet base.

With a wrench loosen the toilet mounting bolts or tee bolts that hold the toilet to the floor. If you have a toilet that is leaking around the base see the article fixing a toilet leaking at the base. Caulking around the base of a toilet means an extra barrier to break through on top of the bolts and wax seal. Run this tool along the joint between the toilet and the floor to scrape out any old caulk.

If your toilet already has a caulk seal around the base you ll want to remove it rather than apply caulk directly over it. It may also stain or leave smear marks if applied improperly which can be difficult to remove without damaging the floor s surface. Rock the toilet gently to break its seal then lift the toilet off the flange and set it on its side. Water shortly after fkush it s a serious problem that must be addressed quick.

Leave a gap in the caulk at the back of the base so if or when the toilet leaks at the floor gasket the leak will manifest without creating a mold farm or dripping through to the ceiling below etc. Reposition your toilet so it is leveled and centered and begin tightening the bolts. If they are too corroded to turn use a hacksaw to cut the bolts. There are two key reasons for caulking the toilet to the floor.

Why is there crusty brownish yellow crud on floor around the base of my toilet. Those caps are covering tee bolts that help hold your toilet firmly in place. Although that theory makes sense it is in fact a false statement. Toilets should be caulked to the floor to prevent side to side movement that can break the wax seal and to prevent splashes or overflows from puddling under the toilet and rotting the floor.

That doesn t always provide a good enough bond to the floor. When these bolts are loose or broken the toilet s seal can break causing leaks to occur. Do you know those plastic caps around the base of your toilet. These clients say that caulking around the base of the toilet would trap water from a leaking toilet causing damage below and around the toilet since it has no place to leak onto the floor.

Reasons for caulking the toilet base. On some floors this may result in damage if removed improperly. First you want your toilet to look like it belongs there. Diyers often set the toilet and then apply a tiny bead of caulk along the outside edge.