A toilet is a place where you can find yourself in the middle of your own private world. It’s also one of those places that people don’t like to talk about, but it needs to be talked about because it’s something that we all have to deal with daily. No one wants to admit when they need to change a toilet seat, but it is a common need for many homeowners. A common reason for this is an accident. Many people struggle with taking the loose toilet seat off and replacing it. This is not a simple task and can be frustrating.
There are many toilets, and not everyone has the same bathroom. Some bathrooms come equipped with a toilet seat that swivels around so that you can see what’s going on underneath. Other normal toilets will have a toilet seat that doesn’t move at all. This means that you need to use a toilet seat or toilet paper holder if you want to keep things clean. If you would like to know how to replace a toilet seat without access to the underside, then this article will help you learn more.
Table of Contents
Consideration for Selecting a Toilet Seat
There are many toilet seats with special covers you could buy. You might think that they are very expensive, but there are some really nice ones out there. The first thing that you should do when looking for a new toilet seat is to make sure that it matches the rest of the room. If you go into a store and look at the toilet seats, you won’t be able to tell someone who loves their homemade which one. They may even say that a company that specializes in making them made them. But most companies just throw together whatever they can get their hands on. So, you need to make sure that you pick a toilet seat that looks good and fits well with everything else in the room.
Types of Toilet Seats
Toilet seats come in many styles, shapes, and designs. Some are made to be used by a single person, while others are designed for multiple users. You can find toilet seats that have a variety of features, including:
- Flushing mechanisms
- Locking mechanisms
- Anti-skid surfaces
- Water-saving options
- Easy cleanup
Before tightening the toilet seat, ensure that you know how to do it. You should know how to tighten the toilet seat before tightening it. Toilet seats can come in five basic types:
- Top fixing toilet seats
- Bottom fixing toilet seat
- Quick-release toilet seat
- Toilet seats with plastic bolts
- Toilet seats with metal bolts
The most important thing when buying a new toilet seat is to make sure it fits your bathroom correctly. If the toilet seat is too big or too small, it will not fit properly and may cause problems such as leaks or overflow. It’s also very important that the toilet seat has an anti-skid surface because this helps prevent slipping and sliding issues.
Related Products
The necessary tools are required to replace a toilet seat with no access underside
With a little know-how and the right tools, anyone can replace a toilet seat. However, this job can become more complicated if the underside of the bowl is not accessible. Sometimes there is no room to get your hand or wrench into the space between the bowl and the tank. If you cannot remove the nuts holding the seat in place, it can be very frustrating, but there is a simple solution that will help you get this job done. Here’s what you’ll need:
- A long, flathead screwdriver
- An adjustable socket wrench (or pair of pliers)
- A chisel and hammer (optional)
- Plastic putty knife or scraper
- Disposable gloves and goggles (if you want to protect your hands and eyes)
- A rubber mallet or hammer
How to replace a toilet seat with no access underside
When your toilet seat breaks, it’s not a fun deal. It might happen in the middle of the night or on a weekend when you know it’s going to be hard to find someone to do the repair right away. And when you call someone, they’ll likely charge you an exorbitant amount of money—maybe even more than it would cost to buy a whole new toilet! But what if your toilet is just fine, except for the seat? You wouldn’t want to throw out the whole thing just because the seat has broken, but what can you do without access underneath?
You may think that your only option is to call for the help of a plumber, but there are some things you can try first. If you can’t get underneath the toilet for any reason (such as a pedestal sink or a tankless toilet that is encased in the wall), you can still replace the seat. The first step, as always, is to remove the old seat. You’ll need to access the nuts that attach the seat to the bowl:
Preparing to replace a new toilet seat
- Go to the hardware store and buy a small mirror with a handle on it, some duct tape, and two rubber bands.
- Put one of the rubber bands over the top of the mirror and around its handle, so that you can hold it in place with your hand.
- Stick the mirror down vertically inside your toilet bowl so that you can see the hidden screws or seat fixing bolts under the seat. This is why you bought duct tape; use it to secure the mirror in place if necessary.
- Something to keep an eye out for before you begin. Keep an eye out for any hidden screws or joint bolts. These are normally found near the back of the toilet seat, either hidden in plain sight or in inaccessible locations. Check the hinges of the seat for any hidden buttons once more.
Videos
How to Remove and Install a Toilet Seat
How to remove and then install a Turner Hastings toilet seat. The luxury of a soft closing seat and quick release ...
How to fix a toilet seat with hidden fixings
How to fix a loose toilet seat, soft close hidden bolts toilet seat fixing #loosetoiletseat #toilet
How to fix a loose toilet seat with hidden bikes. This is a square push button flush toilet seat with soft closing lid. Takes no more ...
Replacing the toilet seat
- First, make sure the new seat has the same size and shape of bolts as the old one. Then, take a piece of paper or tape and lay it out on your floor. Place your seat on top of it so you know where to put the holes for your new seat bolts.
- We need to identify the parts. Most new toilet seats come with a set of bolts, nuts, and washers. You may also see plastic bits that fit inside the bowl to secure the bolt. These typically come with instructions on how they work.
- Once you know where to put the bolt holes, get yourself some 1/8-inch-thick washers. Each bolt requires two washers, one for the head and one for the nut that keeps it all together.
- Now we need to remove the old seat. However, you can usually remove these just by unscrewing them and pulling them up—you may need to apply some force.
- Access holes in toilet bowls are common, but we can also find them under a rubber gasket at the mounting point.
- You can remove the entire tank with a wrench if you can’t find any easy access points and your toilet is older.
- If everything else fails, cut the bolts on either side of the seat with a saw (hacksaw or jigsaw). This will allow you to replace it entirely with no damage done to your toilet. After installing your new seat, remove any plastic caps covering holes (especially on extended seats) to avoid water damage or mildew.
- The next step is to discard the old seat, clean the area, and make sure it’s dry so your new seat can be installed properly.
- Then, from below, place your metal bolts into the holes in your new seat. To ensure that there is no space between the toilet bowl and the seat, you will need to push down on the top of the toilet bowl as you tighten it down from below using your bolts and nuts.
- After replacing the seat, use an adjustable wrench to tighten the bolts on both sides. Once tightened, you should be able to test out your new toilet seat by sitting on it.
- The last step is to position the seat correctly. You don’t want to tighten the screws only to find the seat out of alignment. Loose toilet seats frequently wobble to the left or right, so be patient. Before proceeding, get the help of another individual to determine whether the seat is absolutely central. If it feels solid, you’re ready!
Related Products
Conclusion
If you’re trying to replace your toilet seat and don’t have access to the underside, your best bet is to try using a toilet seat installation kit. This will include everything you need to get the job done—and it’ll be easy. It’s unnecessary to use this kit, but it’s definitely easier than other methods, and you can use it for future replacements as well.
We hope this guide has been helpful to you in getting your toilet seat replaced. Please reach out if you have questions, and we’d be happy to help!
