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?
We’re looking for great examples of your own household intelligence too!
(Images: Sarah Coffey)