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How to Fix a Wobbly Toilet Properly

Sitting on a toilet that wobbles is uncomfortable but can also be dangerous. If the problem is not addressed quickly, you will eventually have to deal with leaks and perhaps even damaged flour.

When you notice leaks around the base of your wobbly toilet, it could mean that the flange or the wax ring of your toilet is damaged. However, there may be other issues at play. If you are wondering how to fix a wobbly toilet, you first have to figure out why your toilet is wobbling in the first place. Then, you will be able to either fix the issue or get a plumber to fix it for you.

Although it’s possible to repair these on your own, your best option is to call Hamilton plumbing services. They will be able to ensure that a damaged toilet flange or wax ring is really the cause of the wobbling and efficiently fix these problems.

Let’s learn how to fix a wobbly toilet properly.

Tighten the mounting bolts in the toilet.

Usually, when a toilet wobbles, it’s a sign that it’s not held securely to the floor. But what if only the seat of your toilet is wobbly?

It simply means that the mounting bolts of your toilet seat are loose. Look underneath the toilet bowl, on each side of it. You should find some wingnuts and bolts, either made from metal or plastic, which aim to attach the toilet seat to the bowl.

Simply hold each wingnut, and tighten each bolt until the toilet seat is not wobbly anymore.

If the bolts are covered with plastic caps, you can use a flat screwdriver to remove these caps before tightening the bolts.

Tighten the toilet tank’s bolts.

If only the tank of your toilet seems to be wobbling, you will once again have some bolts to tighten. This time, look for the bolts attaching the toilet tank to the toilet bowl. Each bolt should have a nut and a washer.

You will have to tighten the bolts using two wrenches of the right size. But it’s very important, as you tighten the bolts, to make a ¼ turn on each of them, alternatingly. If you fully tighten one bolt before you touch the other, the pressure will not be distributed evenly, and your toilet tank could crack.

To tighten each bolt, fit one wrench snugly onto the head of the bolt. With your dominant hand, fit another wrench onto the bolt’s nut, and turn it clockwise. Remember, do just a ¼ turn on one bolt, then move to the other one and do a ¼ turn again.

Tighten both bolts until the toilet tank is not wobbling anymore.

Tighten the floor bolts.

Now, if your entire toilet is wobbly, it could be because the bolts attaching it to the floor have come loose. Look at the base of your wobbly toilet. The bolts and nuts are usually hidden under plastic caps, so start by removing these caps with a flat screwdriver.

If the bolts are loose, tighten the nuts with wrenches. Go slowly, as the toilet bowl is fragile, and you don’t want to make it crack by tightening bolts a little too aggressively.

Once both bolts are snug, put the plastic caps back in place and check if your toilet is now stable.

If you notice that the washers under the nuts are deformed, remove them and replace them with new ones before tightening the bolts. Deformed washers are often the reason why bolts loosen.

Shim your wobbly toilet.

If your toilet is still wobbly after you have tightened the bolts, there are probably gaps between the base of your toilet and the floor. If that is the case, you will have to shim your toilet.

Look closely to see if you can spot some gaps. You can rock your toilet from side to side, which should help you find the gaps.

Go to a hardware store, and get some plastic shims. Before you insert the shims between the toilet and the floor, loosen the toilet bolts. Insert the shims around the base of the toilet until it is not wobbly anymore.

You can then tighten the bolts before trimming the protruding ends of the shims with a sharp knife.

The final step would be to caulk your toilet. On top of making it look much better, caulking could prevent your toilet from getting wobbly again in the future. It will also prevent any water spilling on the floor from seeping underneath your toilet.

It’s a good idea to leave a small area without caulking at the back of your toilet. This way, if your toilet ever starts leaking, you will be able to spot the leak.