Many homeowners often try to cut a few corners when attempting a bathroom remodel themselves. They often ask if they should remove the toilet before installing a new bathroom floor. While it is possible to install a new linoleum or ceramic tile floor without removing the toilet, it is not recommended and actually can increase the labor involved in the project. The following post will outline the reasons you should never install new flooring around an existing toilet.
Appearance
Bathroom remodeling can be expensive, even if you are doing it yourself. It just doesn’t make much sense to cut corners and wind up with a half-baked project when your hard-earned money is on the line. Tiling around a toilet to save a few dollars in labor will leave you with an unprofessional installation, and your guests will notice. It is almost impossible to cut flooring, especially ceramic tile or wood, precise enough to fit snugly around a toilet base. The finished product usually results in an uneven and thick joint around the toilet base, a joint that will require additional caulk or grout to conceal.
Difficulty
Removing the toilet before floor replacement can be quite difficult. Whether you hire your plumbing contractor to remove the toilet, or simply do it yourself, your flooring project will be much easier. Toilet bases are often oddly shaped, with many curves and rounded corners. Cutting flooring around these obstacles is difficult even for the most seasoned flooring installer. With the toilet removed, you can carry the tile all the way up to and around the toilet flange. When the toilet is reinstalled, its base will rest squarely on the new floor and cover any edges around the flange, leaving your project with a professional appearance.
Future Problems
In addition, if you fail to remove the toilet before new floor installation, you set yourself up for future problems if you must replace or remove the toilet down the road. Toilets are manufactured with a wide range of toilet base footprints and the chances of finding a new toilet with the exact footprint are slim to none. This could lead to flooring replacement or a shoddy toilet installation if your existing toilet ever fails.
Added Benefits
Removing a toilet provides additional benefits during a bathroom remodel.
- With the toilet out of the way, you have more room to work.
- It allows you the opportunity to inspect the wax ring and toilet flange, which can allow sewage to seep into your home when they fail.
- Your bathroom flooring project will go much smoother and exhibit a professional look when complete.
For answers to your questions, contact The Pink Plumber today.
