Yeah, wax rings are definitely the safer bet. I tried one of those foam seals last year thinking it'd save me some hassle—big mistake. It seemed fine at first, but after a few months, I noticed a slight wobble and ended up with water seeping underneath. Had to pull everything back up and redo it with wax anyway. Lesson learned the hard way, I guess.
Honestly, the messiness of wax isn't that bad once you get used to handling it. Just wear disposable gloves and keep some paper towels handy. A little extra prep goes a long way in avoiding bigger headaches down the road. You're right about shimming too—taking your time to level things properly makes all the difference. Good luck getting it sorted out... plumbing issues are never fun.
I learned this one the hard way myself last summer. Thought I'd be clever and grab one of those fancy foam seals since the hardware store clerk swore by them. It sounded great—no mess, easy install, all that jazz. Well, it was fine for about two weeks, then I started noticing a weird rocking feeling every time I sat down. Ignored it at first (rookie homeowner mistake), but eventually water started creeping out from underneath. Not a fun discovery at 11 pm when you're half-asleep and barefoot.
Ended up having to pull the whole thing apart again and went straight back to wax. Honestly, the wax seal wasn't nearly as intimidating as I thought it'd be. Yeah, it's sticky and messy, but like you said—disposable gloves and some paper towels made cleanup pretty painless. Plus, leveling everything properly with shims really helped stabilize things long-term.
One thing I'd add: make sure you scrape off all the old wax thoroughly before putting down the new ring. I missed a tiny chunk my first try and it caused just enough unevenness to drive me nuts until I redid it properly. Plumbing is definitely one of those tasks where shortcuts rarely pay off... especially with something as finicky as toilets.
Good luck getting yours sorted—I feel your pain on this one. At least you'll have a good story later when someone else runs into toilet troubles.
"Ended up having to pull the whole thing apart again and went straight back to wax."
Same here—wax seals just seem more reliable long-term. Has anyone tried those beeswax rings yet? Curious if they're as effective and eco-friendly as they claim...
Tried beeswax rings on a couple installs last year—honestly wasn't impressed.
- They're softer, so easier to squish out of place if you're not careful.
- Didn't notice any real eco advantage since traditional wax rings are mostly petroleum byproducts anyway.
- Had callbacks on two jobs due to minor leaks after a few months.
I'd stick with regular wax or maybe try a quality rubber gasket if you're looking for something reusable. Beeswax sounds nice in theory, but practically speaking, it's not worth the hassle.
Interesting points, but maybe it's not beeswax itself that's the issue, but rather the install method? I've seen a couple of plumbers online mention they warm the beeswax ring slightly beforehand (just enough to make it pliable but not melty), which apparently helps it seat better without squishing unevenly. Also, did you happen to notice if flange height played into those callbacks? A lower or uneven flange can cause problems with any wax ring—beeswax or petroleum-based.
As for the eco aspect, even if traditional wax rings are petroleum byproducts, wouldn't beeswax still have a slight advantage since it's renewable and biodegradable? I get it's probably minimal in the grand scheme of things, but every little bit counts, right?
Not saying you're wrong—I haven't personally tried beeswax yet—but maybe there's a trick to it we haven't fully explored yet. Curious if anyone else has had success with different installation methods or specific brands...
