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Setting Toilet with Putty

13K views 59 replies 36 participants last post by  PeckPlumbing 
#1 ·
Pulled this toilet and it was set with putty, not a wax ring. Probably original to the home (built in early 70's). The toilet was solid and not rocking, and the flange is still in good working order. Even though almost all the putty is gone, and it is rock hard, I wonder if a wax would still be there after 40 years. I use wax, and only wax, anyone use putty?
 

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#7 ·
I think it is a shame we still set toilets with wax or putty or foam or whatever it is out dated and shows how backeards our industry is.

If I invented a new plumbing fixture and told you plumbers we will connect it to our pipes by a flange 2 bolts and best yet a wax gasket you guys would laugh me out of the industry.

It is crap and needs to be updated. to much property damage is done by this garbage way of connecting a fixture to pipes.

I forgot, it is all the other plumbers who don't know how to set a toilet.
 
#9 ·
I think it is a shame we still set toilets with wax or putty or foam or whatever it is out dated and shows how backeards our industry is.

If I invented a new plumbing fixture and told you plumbers we will connect it to our pipes by a flange 2 bolts and best yet a wax gasket you guys would laugh me out of the industry.

It is crap and needs to be updated. to much property damage is done by this garbage way of connecting a fixture to pipes.

I forgot, it is all the other plumbers who don't know how to set a toilet.
Not all progress is good...give me a thermocouple and not a circuit board, and when the new toilet installation design is ready it will get value engineered by those who dont care about property damage...they will have already divested the companies who supply the raw materials from the manufacturer from the distributor and the warranty will be worth zip...and the plumber's insurance can pick up the tab...no thanks....its not the flange..its the floor....
 
#13 ·
saysflushable said:
I think it is a shame we still set toilets with wax or putty or foam or whatever it is out dated and shows how backeards our industry is.

If I invented a new plumbing fixture and told you plumbers we will connect it to our pipes by a flange 2 bolts and best yet a wax gasket you guys would laugh me out of the industry.

It is crap and needs to be updated. to much property damage is done by this garbage way of connecting a fixture to pipes.

I forgot, it is all the other plumbers who don't know how to set a toilet.
Actually they have a new seal that's a rubber ring like a wax one but has a stub that fits in the pipe that has fin like ribs around it .... I've never used one tho If it ain't broke don't fix it
 
#15 ·
Bought one once, carried it around for a while and looked at it, but could never bring myself to actually use it. It's a nice idea, but IMHO toilet bottoms aren't always perfect enough for that sticky side to seal to, plus centering could be a problem. Toilets are mostly very poorly made. I never trusted the thing and finally threw it away. Until they invent a really good new way, the old ways are the best ways.

I know it still uses a wax seal, but I really like the way Toto's higher end crappers set, with that odd plastic thing you set first and then just drop the toilet into. Refine something like that and I think you might really have something. Toilet can wobble all it wants and the seal is still good (NOTE: My toilets DO NOT wobble. But I repair lots of other "plumbers'" wobbly WC's).
 
#17 ·
My buddy at the supply house gave me a few of the rubber seals a few years back. We used them and had no issues. I think they're really only only good for new installs. The toilet needs to be clean to allow the seal to stick to it. We didn't use them on anything getting a final air test though. Not sure how they'd do with that. Heck, we don't use the Kan't Leak seals with the horn because of them not holding their final air tests.

Around here all commercial work gets final air test but residential depends on the area you're in.
 
#18 ·
... Heck, we don't use the Kan't Leak seals with the horn because of them not holding their final air tests.

Around here all commercial work gets final air test but residential depends on the area you're in.
Wow! :eek: Tough inspectors! Sounds like stories I heard about Saskatchewan - or was it Manitoba? - being ultra tough on final inspections. A final air test here would be DIFFICULT. All that roof climbing... So many roofs these days are WAY too steep for plumbers.

I climbed up on one the other day and laid there on my belly for 30 seconds or so, decided, "Nope. Not going up there. Me afraid!", and climbed back down. I made the owner, a framer, climb up and cap the pipe, and he was none too comfortable. His shoes were slipping downhill on the shingles on this stupid-steep roof as he squatted to tighten the cap on my vent.

EDIT: Just now noticed the word "commercial" in that sentence. It wouldn't be so tough on most flat commercial roofs. But still a real PITA.
 
#31 ·
Almost always on the flange. It helps hold the bolts where you want and makes centering easy. I absolutly hate kant-leaks (extra thick wax w/ the plastic horn). OK in a pinch but I'd rather use a flange extension ring and a regular wax ring. Not so much wax squishes down the hole when you can control the anular difference.

Haven't pulled many WC's lately that were set with putty. Ran across it alot until the mid '80's; most were very sound, some were awful with rotting floorboards, etc. But I see that nowadays with poorly set WC's on wax. meh. Wax is fine and it's cheap. You can even call it "eco-friendly because they'e made by bees. :laughing:
 
#59 ·
I always use silicone between the flange extenders. Just like previous post, I guess 'cause that's how I was taught. Never had a problem though. Wax always gets set on flange however. Again, it holds closet bolts steady(unless ya use extra nuts & washers to hold bolts to flange).
 
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