Removing the Fixtures

Here is the next step in showing you how to tile a bathroom floor. Step 2 in tiling a bathroom floor is the removal of the sink and the removal of the toilet. You may be tempted to tile around them but the right way to do it is to remove them; it will look nicer in the end too. Removing a pedestal sink, like I have to do, is an easy step. You turn off the water, unscrew the water supply lines, unscrew the drain pipe, and then unscrew the bolts holding it to the floor and wall. You can then easily lift it up and away.

The next step I will show you is how to remove a toilet. This is also useful if you are trying to remove flooring or if you need to know how to fix a toilet. You want to turn off the water just like when you are removing any plumbing fixture. You then should flush the toilet to drain the tank. Use a large sponge to remove the rest of the water from the toilet bowl. It is advantageous to remove the tank from the bowl and replace the seals. I won’t be doing that in my renovation because the toilet is rather new. The next step is to disconnect the water line usually on the bottom of the tank on the back left. I have American Standard toilets but you may also have a Toto toilet or a Kohler toilet, there are many brands but they all work the same.



Then you unscrew the nuts on the toilet bolts. You may need to hold onto the bolt with a pair of locking pliers so it does not spin when you are unscrewing the nut. If this is the case, place a rag between the bolt and the jaws so you do not damage the threads. Once the nuts and washers are off you are ready to lift the toilet bowl straight up off of the bolts and set it aside.

You then want to remove the old wax ring and scrape off anything left of it. You can remove the toilet bolts at this time also as you will get new ones with the new wax ring. Be sure to stuff a rag in the drain when you are done to prevent septic gases from leaking up into your space.