Did the same thing a couple months ago after my own wax ring fiasco. Honestly, those wax rings are a pain—one wrong move and you're back at the hardware store grabbing another. Rubber gasket was way easier to handle, repositioned it twice without issues. Yeah, it's pricier upfront, but worth every penny for the lack of mess and frustration alone...
"Honestly, those wax rings are a pain—one wrong move and you're back at the hardware store grabbing another."
Haha, been there myself... Wax rings can be tricky, especially if you're new to plumbing. If you do stick with wax, here's a quick tip: warm it up slightly (just room temp, not microwave-hot!) so it molds easier and seats better. But I agree, rubber gaskets are way more forgiving if you need to reposition. Less mess and fewer trips back to the store is always a win in my book.
"warm it up slightly (just room temp, not microwave-hot!) so it molds easier and seats better."
Good tip about warming it slightly, but honestly, I switched to rubber seals years ago. Had a tenant once who tried installing a wax ring himself—ended up flooding the bathroom below. Lesson learned the hard way... Rubber seals might cost a bit more upfront, but they're worth it for peace of mind. Water damage isn't cheap or fun to fix.
Haha, been there with the wax ring disasters... not fun. Rubber seals are great, but honestly, if you're on a tight budget, wax rings can still do the trick if you're careful. Here's my quick-and-dirty method: warm it slightly (like mentioned), line it up carefully, and lower the toilet straight down—no wiggling! Then sit on it gently to seat it evenly before tightening bolts. Hasn't failed me yet... knock on wood.
"warm it slightly (like mentioned), line it up carefully, and lower the toilet straight down—no wiggling!"
Definitely agree with this—wax rings are solid if you're careful. A couple extra tips I've learned the hard way:
- Check flange height first; if it's too low, doubling up wax rings can help (though it's a bit messy).
- Make sure the bolts aren't overtightened; snug is good enough. Too tight and you'll crack the porcelain... ask me how I know.
- And yeah, warming slightly helps, but don't go crazy—too soft and it'll squish out unevenly.
