How To Replace a Toilet Seat

Replacing a toilet seat was one of those projects I just assumed I'd have to call a handyman to do...until my brother (who happens to be a professional carpenter/handyman) showed me how incredibly simple it is. Even someone with very limited DIY skills (i.e. me) can finish the job in fifteen minutes. It's a cheap, easy, and satisfying project for anyone who needs a quick bathroom upgrade.

What You Need

Materials

Toilet Seat: You can buy toilet seats at a hardware store or building supply store. They cost anywhere from $10 to $100, and they come with bolts, nuts, and hinges that attach to the toilet. Seats come in two main sizes: standard (round) and elongated. The seat we purchased was an elongated "whisper close" white enamel model from HomeDepot that cost around $40. We prefer the "slow, quiet, or whisper-close" lids because they don't slam down on the seat.

Tools

Wrench

New bolts, nuts, etc. that should come with the toilet seat

Instructions

1. Clean the old toilet seat, bowl, and rim, and close the lid.

2. You'll find two bolts at the back of the seat that attach the lid to the bowl. They may be covered in plastic caps, which you'll need to pop off.

3. On the underside of the lid (behind the bowl), you'll find two long bolts held in place by nuts. Use the wrench to loosen the nuts from the bolts.

4. Remove the nuts from the bolts, and remove the bolts from the toilet. Remove the seat and lid, and you'll see a bare toilet rim with two small holes at the back, near the tank. You no longer need any of the parts from your old seat, so throw them out or recycle them if you can.

5. Your new toilet seat should have two hinges and bolts attached to it, possibly a set of rubber grips (if you get the whisper-close model) and a set of metal or plastic nuts. Line up the rubber grips with the hinges, then get ready to place the new seat on the bowl.

6. Align the bolts with the two holes at the back of the rim. Thread the bolts through the holes, then close the new seat and lid onto the bowl.

7. Make sure that the new seat is properly lined up against the rim.

8. On the underside of the lid (behind the bowl), find the bolts and thread the new nuts onto them.

9. Use the wrench to tighten the nuts to the point where the new seat and lid are held tightly in place and the lid doesn't move.

10. Finished!

Thanks, Sam, for the step-by-step tutorial!

Want more smart tutorials for getting things done around the home?

See more How To posts

We're looking for great examples of your own household intelligence too!

Submit your own tutorials or ideas here!

(Images: Sarah Coffey)

Comments (16)

easier said than done if you have the older style seat like my new apartment. we had to saw that badboy off with a HACKSAW. the bolts were completely rusted out/rounded off. it was the worst. but thankfully........ its gone.

To me, this is right there with hanging curtains. Easy Peasy. My mom actually bought me new toilet seats for the bathrooms when I bought my first house.

I think its great to let people know there are many things they can do around the house. My husband comes from a family that pays people to the simplest mundane things, were as I would rather do it myself for the feeling of accomplishing something on my own.

This is a very good tutorial and a smart idea. People like me who are not very good at the DIY appreciate knowing that replacing a toilet seat doesn't have to be a big problem.
Bravo!

I bought a cheap funky toilet seat from Big Lots and thought I would switch it out for my old one no proble. Nope, more like hla21. I am always surprised by what I think we be a no problem, instant gratification fix (like this one) and others that I blow out of proportion and are no big deal (like repainting and papering an old hutch---done in a nite and looks great). Anyway, while I never would have thought to call a handyman for this, I may, in fact, need to, or bribe some friends for help...

I recently changed my toilet seat to a Whisper-close one too. It's more expensive, but brings me pleasure (in its own way!) several times a day so I feel it's worth it. And it is really super-easy to do, even if you are completely clueless.

Also it is a very hygienic thing to do when moving into a new apartment/house I think.

Yep. In our old rental, we switched out our toilet seat because the old one was discolored from cleaning products. But it was super cheap--so the bolts were plastic and were stripped. We had to saw through them.

It was a pain, but it was worth it. Getting the grody seat out of there made a huge difference.

Speaking from experience, DO NOT throw away your old toilet seat or bolts before fully installing the new one. Sometimes the new bolts or nuts just don't quite fit.

*sigh*

Ooooh, that's what we have. Soft closing Bemis toilet seats!

Ideal timing...was just thinking about getting a new seat! I rent, but the one in my bathroom is hideous and now the plastic hinge cover just broke. Thanks for the tutorial!

As the mother of FOUR BOYS I learned to do this early on. I now consider it a cleaning task, not a handy project. Every 6 months the toilets get new seats.

I totally don't get it.

Why would you replace the toilet seats every six months just because you have boys? Seems terribly excessive. They wash you know..

That's hilarious. Whether or not boys wash has nothing to do with the fact that they PEE everywhere. Toilet seats become stained and really gross. So, yeah, I change them. Not excessive. Hygienic.

no, I mean that you can wash toilet seats... I hear that you can wash boys too though..

Regardless, still totally ridiculous.

Seems to me that it's cheaper and less wasteful to just teach the kids how to aim properly or sit down when they pee.

Ah but the therapy expenses of a boy who was made to sit down while he peed will last a lifetime....

Nothing wrong with cleaning off the toilet daily/weekly/whatever. I imagine what we are replacing for here is aged/discoloring pee, which shouldn't be a problem if the toilet is wiped down regularly.