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Installing a Toilet Tank

A How to Guide about Installing a Toilet

Installing a new toilet can usually be done in two steps – First step = The bowl, Second step = The tank. The most difficult part of the installation will be putting the bowl in place. It's heavy, and you'll have to place it so the floor bolts are directly lined up with the holes in the toilet base. Once that part is done, the toughest part of the installation is complete. When working with heavy porcelain items such as toilets, avoid banging them into anything. Porcelain is tough – up to a point. If it cracks, it can't be used.

You're going to need a few tools for this job:
Pliers
Wire brush
Screwdrivers

	There are two, or three, holes in the bottom of the tank that you need to line up with two, or three, holes on the top of the bowl. Shift the tank gently until your mission is accomplished; then put a rubber washer on each of the tank bolts and set the bolts through the matching holes with the bolt heads on the inside of the tank.
	From underneath the bowl, attach the washers and the nuts to these bolts. You'll want to tighten them with a ratchet wrench or basin wrench until snug but remember, don't over-tighten!
	Cut a piece of supply tubing to fit between the shutoff valve and the toilet tank. Attach the line to the valve first, then to the ballcock tailpiece. Tighten the coupling nuts with adjustable wrenches until they're snug. It'll help if you hold the ballcock while tightening the coupling nut. Turn on the valve to fill the tank.
	Your last task is to mount the toilet seat. Set the seat bolts into the toilet's mounting holes, screw the mounting nuts onto the seat bolts, and tighten them by hand. Note: toilet seats are usually not included with the toilet.

Here is another utility to help finish this repair and install a toilet bowl.