Toilet bolt tightening specs

[Johnfin]

What are the specs or rules of thumb for tightening the mounting nuts. "Do not over tighten" is not too scientific. 5 turns after nuts touch toilet, for example, is better then guessing.

 

[Terry]

On concrete with a solidly attached closet flange not too tight or you can break the bowl.
If its a plastic flange, not too tight or you can break the plastic flange.

Only as tight as it takes to hold it firm. If you checked for shimming before setting the bowl down, then just snug it and call it good.
Then take some clear polyseamseal and caulk most the way around, leaving it out at the back in case the wax leaks, so that you can spot it before you have floor damage.

I recheck the tightness of the nuts after the tank has filled and I've flushed it a few times.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

It would be good if some experienced plumbers used a torque wrench, configured similarly to the tool they usually use, and tell us a few numbers.

I am going to guess about 50 inch-pounds, with no basis for my number. Anybody taking the over or under?

One think I will say is that this probably gets tightened again after it sits as the wax compresses.

 

[Helper Dave]

I don't know that there'd be a consistent number. Too many variations in floors, flanges, bolts, and china to be one-size-fits-all.

I tend to use a little ratcheting "quick wrench", and the rule of thumb I was taught is "two finger tight." Using two fingers and your thumb only, you ratchet until you can't. It's more of a loose wiggle, but that's all it takes.

 

[Reach4]

I don't know that there'd be a consistent number. Too many variations in floors, flanges, bolts, and china to be one-size-fits-all.

I tend to use a little ratcheting "quick wrench", and the rule of thumb I was taught is "two finger tight." Using two fingers and your thumb only, you ratchet until you can't. It's more of a loose wiggle, but that's all it takes.

Like this?

 

[Jadnashua]

First off, do NOT use the nuts to squeeze the wax and get the toilet tight to the floor...compress the wax with your body weight so the toilet is setting firm on the floor THEN tighten the nuts only enough to snug the toilet in place. If it's on a rigid surface like concrete or tile, if you try to tighten things enough to keep the toilet from moving, you'll probably crack the toilet...that's one reason why they call for sealant around the toilet, both to keep crud from getting underneath and to prevent it moving from lateral pressure. If you try to pull the toilet down into the wax seal with the nuts, you'll often get a less than ideal install.

Porcelain is brittle and doesn't really like to bend, so undue torque is not your friend.