How to Install a Toilet in Star: Flange, Wax Ring, and Bolts
To install a toilet, shut off the water, drain and remove the old toilet, and scrape off the old wax. Check that the closet flange is solid and level with the finished floor. Then set a new wax ring, lower the bowl straight down onto the flange bolts, tighten the nuts a little at a time, and connect the water to test. Bring a helper for the lifting. The flange is where most installs go wrong.
The steps below cover each stage, with the checks that prevent leaks. If the flange is broken, the floor is soft, or water has been seeping, stop and call our team at (208) 679-8357. Our toilet repair plumbers handle those problems every week.
- Open 24/7 for emergencies
- Licensed and insured
- Clear price before work starts
- Call to book, no forms
Before you buy: measure and gather
Measure from the wall behind the toilet to the center of the flange bolts. Most are 12 inches, but 10 and 14 inch rough-ins exist. A toilet built for 12 will not fit a 10 inch rough-in.
| Item | Why it matters | Check |
|---|---|---|
| New wax ring (or wax-free seal) | Seals the bowl to the flange | Match the ring to the flange depth |
| Closet bolts | Hold the bowl down | Brass or stainless, new each time |
| Supply line | Feeds the tank | A new braided line, the right length |
| Shims | Level the bowl on an uneven floor | Plastic, trimmed after setting |
| Putty knife, bucket, towels | Clean-up and draining | Old rags are handy |
The installation, step by step
Shut off, flush, and drain
Close the stop valve, flush, and sponge out the tank and bowl. Disconnect the supply line.
Unbolt and lift the old toilet
Remove the nut caps and nuts, rock the bowl loose, and lift straight up. It is heavy, so ask for help. Plug the drain opening with a rag to block sewer gas.
Scrape the old wax and inspect the flange
Remove every bit of old wax. The flange should be solid, not cracked, and sit level with or slightly above the finished floor.
Set the new wax ring and bolts
Put the new bolts in the flange slots, then press the wax ring onto the flange or the bowl horn, not both.
Lower the bowl and press down
Line the bowl up with the bolts, lower it straight down, and press with your weight. Do not twist or rock it afterward.
Tighten, connect, and test
Tighten the nuts evenly, a half turn at a time, until the bowl is snug. Attach the tank if separate, connect water, flush several times, and look for drips.
The flange: where most installs fail
The flange is the ring on the floor that connects the toilet to the drain. If it sits below the floor, a standard wax ring may not seal, and an extra-thick ring or a flange spacer is needed. If it is cracked or rotted, a repair ring or a new flange is the fix.
Flange too low
A flange spacer or thicker seal raises the seat. Do not stack two wax rings and hope.
Flange cracked
A repair ring screws over the old one if the floor beneath is solid.
Floor soft or stained
Stop. Old leaks may have rotted the subfloor. Fixing the floor comes first.
A soft floor can also mean a slow leak you have not seen yet. Our leak detection team can trace one before you build on a damaged subfloor.
Call (208) 679-8357. Our line is open 24/7 and same-day appointments are available when the schedule allows.
Permits and ownership rules in Star
The Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses says a permit is required when any plumbing work is performed. Homeowners may buy a permit only for plumbing on their own residence and related outbuildings, never for commercial buildings. Unlicensed plumbing work carries civil penalties.
What that means: before you swap a toilet in a rental or commercial space in Star, check who may legally do the work. For your own home, call Star City Hall at (208) 286-7247 or DOPL and ask if a like-for-like toilet swap needs a permit. Do that before you start, not after.
Source type: Idaho DOPL
Homeowners in Middleton and Eagle should ask their own city building department the same question, because local handling varies.
When to stop and call a plumber
Call us if you find
- A broken, rusted, or corroded flange that will not hold bolts.
- Soft or stained subfloor around the old toilet.
- A drain that backs up when you flush, which points to a clog, not the toilet.
- A toilet that still leaks at the base after you reset it once.
- A new toilet being installed in a spot with no existing drain.
If the drain is slow, our drain cleaning team can clear it first. We confirm the price before work starts, and we are open 24/7.
Toilet installation questions from Star homeowners
No. Wax ring seals are single use. Once the bowl is lifted, the wax is compressed and will not seal a second time. Always put in a new one.
Snug, then stop. Porcelain cracks when over-tightened. Alternate sides in half turns, and check that the bowl does not rock.
The floor is uneven or the flange sits too low or high. Add plastic shims under the bowl, then trim them and caulk if needed. Persistent rocking points to a flange problem.
Idaho says a permit is required for plumbing work, and homeowners can only buy one for their own residence. Check with your city building department about a like-for-like swap.
Moving a toilet needs a new drain and vent path, which is plumbing work with permit and inspection steps. We cannot say what is under your slab or floor from here. Call (208) 679-8357 and a plumber can plan the route.
Want a plumber to set it?
Call (208) 679-8357. We will explain the work and the price before we begin.
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