I hear you on the wax mess—scraping that stuff is never fun. But I’ve actually seen a couple rubber rings fail, especially if the floor isn’t perfectly level or the flange sits a bit high. Wax seems to handle those weird gaps better, at least in my experience. Maybe it’s just the older houses I end up working in... sometimes you gotta pick your poison, I guess.
I get where you’re coming from—wax does have that “old reliable” vibe, especially in houses where nothing’s quite square. But I’ve actually had decent luck with the thicker rubber seals, even on uneven floors. Here’s what I usually do: I double-check the flange height, shim the toilet if needed, and use a reinforced rubber ring (the kind with the plastic core). It’s less messy and easier to reset if you ever need to pull the toilet again. Wax is forgiving, but man, once it’s squished, it’s done... Maybe it just depends on the quirks of each house?
Had a midnight call once—tenant panicking, water everywhere. I used to swear by wax, but after that mess, I switched to the rubber rings with the plastic core too. They’re just less hassle if you ever need to pull the toilet again, and I don’t worry as much about a bad seal if the floor’s a bit off. Still, I always check for leaks after install... can’t be too careful when it comes to water damage. Wax is fine, but one wrong move and you’re starting over.
I used to swear by wax, but after that mess, I switched to the rubber rings with the plastic core too. They’re just less hassle if you ever need to pull the toilet again, and I don’t worry as much about a bad seal if the floor’s a bit off.
I get where you’re coming from—those midnight floods will make anyone rethink their go-to materials. But I’m still not totally sold on the rubber rings, at least not for every job. Wax has its drawbacks, sure, but I’ve seen those rubber rings fail too, especially if the flange is sitting too low or the floor’s really uneven. Wax is messy, but it’s forgiving in a weird way; you can usually smoosh it into a weird gap and get a good seal, even if things aren’t perfect.
That said, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve had to redo a wax ring because someone nudged the toilet just a hair during install. You’re right about that—one wrong move and it’s back to square one, scraping up wax and cursing under your breath. The rubber ones are definitely easier if you’re pulling toilets for inspection or repairs all the time.
Here’s something I’ve wondered: do you trust the rubber rings for older houses where the flange is lower than the finished floor? Or do you stack them up with spacers? I’ve had mixed results when things aren’t level. Sometimes I feel like manufacturers oversell the “universal fit” claim.
And yeah, leak checks are non-negotiable. Even after a “perfect” install, I’ll sit there and watch for that first drip. Water damage is brutal—seen too many floors rot out because someone thought it was “good enough.”
Curious if anyone’s tried those foam gaskets? I’ve heard mixed reviews but haven’t used one myself yet.
Rubber rings are hit or miss for me, especially in those old houses where nothing’s level and the flange is halfway to the basement. I’ll use spacers if I have to, but honestly, sometimes wax just fills weird gaps better. Pulled a toilet last month—rubber ring looked fine, but it was barely sealing on one side because the floor sloped. Ended up going back to wax for that one. Haven’t tried foam gaskets yet... heard they squish out if you overtighten, which sounds like a headache I don’t need at 2am.
