Installing toilet - two worries

[dragonfly101]

Hi,

Bought a basic close-coupled toilet online, and planning to install myself after watching youtube videos of how it's done (although I will call in a professional if I make a pigs-ear of it).

I have two concerns though:

1. Tiled floor is not completely even, so pan 'rocks' slightly. I need to put something on the lower tile to pad it out (the equivalent of some folded paper under a table leg). What could I used that would stay in place and not deteriorate? Maybe glueing a strip of roofing felt, or bike tyre innertube?

2. The instructions that came with the toilet make no sense, and it looks like most of the cistern fittings have already been done. All that came in the fittings bag was two washers, two wingnuts, and a foam ring. It looks like I just have to put this foam ring between cistern and pan, and fix with the wing nuts. Will this foam ring even be watertight and last long? All the youtube videos I saw showed a solid plastic or rubber ring to be used here.

See photos.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Personally would use plastic spacers under the pan to take up the gap, trim to suit profile of pan, and hide with a bead of silicone.

Foam washer goes on siphon tail, technically it shouldn't leak as the flow will go straight though into the rim of the pan when flushing. If unsure, change for a rubber version. Needs to also create a cushion between cistern and pan, so a soft washer is required.

2 smaller washers slide over the bolt tails once cistern is located on the pan, these are to protect the ceramic of the pan against the wing nuts. Again, personally I would be inclined to look at using a couple of steel washers as well, after the plastic washers, and before the wing nuts.

 

[Madrab]

When tightening down the wingnuts, do it evenly to ensure the cistern tightens down onto the doughnut squarely, also do that first before marking the holes for the screws to secure the cistern to the wall. Coat the bolt threads lightly in grease or vaseline once tightened to minimise rusting, the future plumber will thank you for it.

When drilling the holes for the cistern screws, do it at a slight downward angle to make it easier to get to the screws. Use brass screws and rubber washers to secure cistern to the wall.

 

[dilalio]

Do not mechanically over tighten the wing nuts or you'll hear an unpleasant sound from the ceramic components!

 

[mfarrow]

Chopped up plastic packaging can be useful as a packer. I would avoid squishy rubber.

 

[dreadnoughtheating]

The elephant in the room, as I see it, is the distance from the back wall to the centre of the soil pipe exiting through the floor.

I don't think a 'space saver' pan - connector will fit easily, and that the cistern will need to be fixed to a batten bring everything 40-50mm forwards. Of course, the OP can kango out the floor and fit some 135degree bends to take it further back, the white pipe (waste pipe?) does not help, and may require re-routing as well.

 

[Steelmasons]

Use cement and sand mix to bed pan to floor along with brass screws to finish off , albeit these being dummy fixings.
BTW that WC looks hideous....

 

[dreadnoughtheating]

BTW that WC looks hideous....

B&Q 'bog in a box' ?