Should You Caulk A Toilet To The Floor

If you have a toilet that is leaking around the base see the article fixing a toilet leaking at the base.

Should you caulk a toilet to the floor. While you should have bolts to do this sometimes they can become loose overtime. Doing this would cause more harm than good. Caulking around the base of a toilet means an extra barrier to break through on top of the bolts and wax seal. There are two key reasons for caulking the toilet to the floor.

If you don t caulk a toilet to the floor you could find yourself smelling leftover residue from smelly mop water tub water. First you want your toilet to look like it belongs there. Toilets should be caulked to the floor to prevent side to side movement that can break the wax seal and to prevent splashes or overflows from puddling under the toilet and rotting the floor. Cut the caulk tube tip square and drag the caulk gun toward you as you lay in a thick bead of caulk along the inside edge of the tape.

You want to fix the leak as soon as possible to avoid further damage. Caulking around a toilet is usually done to hide the gap between the toilet s base and the floor for cosmetic reasons or to prevent odor leakage. In any regard caulking gives an extra sense of security. It may also stain or leave smear marks if applied improperly which can be difficult to remove without damaging the floor s surface.

Reasons for caulking the toilet base. On some floors this may result in damage if removed improperly. Caulking around the base can help secure your toilet to the floor. After caulking the bathroom wet your finger and run it along the bead of caulking to remove any extra caulk.

It s not done to prevent water from leaking around the base. You may not agree but trust us you re going to want to.