Are you looking to get your toilet seat replaced? That may sound like a fairly simple job — but if you’re doing it for the first time, you might be confused about a thing or two. Namely, the toilet seat fittings. How many types of them are there, and which would be the best for your toilet seat? And how do you even fit them?
If these are some of the questions that have plagued your mind lately, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll explore everything you need to know about toilet seat fixings right here. So when the time comes to choose, you’ll have no issue whatsoever!
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What Are Toilet Seat Fittings?
As you know, your toilet works much like a door does — you can raise the seat to open it and then close it by putting it down. But in order to work that way, a toilet seat needs something akin to hinges. And that’s precisely what toilet seat fittings are — small hinges on the back of the seat that keep it bolted down.
Naturally, when you’re buying a new toilet seat, these fittings are the first thing you should think of. If you purchase the wrong type, you won’t be able to fasten the seat onto the toilet. And that’s something you obviously want to avoid!
Types of Toilet Seat Fittings You Can Buy
Luckily, it’s not easy to go wrong with toilet seat fittings — after all, there are only two types to choose from. So let’s take a good look at both and see how they differ:
Bottom Fitting Toilet Fixings
Bottom fitting fixings are more traditional of the two — it’s mostly older toilets that have these. You’ll recognize this type of fixings easily enough — they’re bolted into the pan and then tightened underneath.
To check if your toilet has bottom fitting fixings, reach behind the toilet and try to find a bolt. If you can feel it, be certain that that’s the type of toilet seat you should be looking to buy.
Top Fixing Toilet Fittings
Unlike bottom hinges, top fixing toilet fittings require no deep holes in the pan. They are fixed directly onto it and tightened from the top too. Most modern toilets nowadays use these fittings instead of the bottom ones — but always make sure to check before purchase.
And how do you check if your fittings are top fixing? Well, once again, put your hand behind the toilet and try to find a bolt. If you can’t feel anything, your toilet seat must be a top fixing one.
How to Replace a Toilet Seat With Either Fitting
Replacing a toilet seat is no rocket science, but it can be tricky when you don’t know what you’re doing. Thus, we’ve prepared this short guide to help you quickly replace your toilet seat regardless of the fitting you have.
Replace Bottom Fitting Toilet Seat
If you have a bottom fitting toilet seat, start with locating the fixings on the back of the toilet. Usually, you’ll find a winged nut holding the bolt in place — in that case, simply remove it by hand. If, however, you find a regular nut on the bolt, loosen it up with pliers or a wrench.
When you finish that, simply lift the seat up and remove it. Now you can begin fixing a new seat on the toilet. Before you do, though, make sure to thoroughly clean the area where fittings will go.
To install your new toilet seat, simply put the new bolts into the holes on either side of the toilet. Then, screw on the nuts under the pan, but don’t fasten the bolts too tight yet. You need to check the position of your toilet seat first.
Replace Top Fitting Toilet Seat
Replacing the toilet seat is just as simple if you have top fitting fixings. All you need to do is remove the seat, open the fixing caps using a screwdriver, and unscrew the bolts under them. Once the bolts are loosened, take out the fixings, and you’re ready to install a new toilet seat.
The first thing you need to do is place two plastic plugs that come with the seat into the toilet pan. After that, put a metal washer on top of each plug, and then add a hinge over it all. Insert bolts into their designated slots on the hinges, and screw them on. Finally, check if the seat is properly aligned before you tighten them entirely.
Are you more of a visual learner? Then check out this video that will teach you how to replace a top fitting toilet seat.
In Conclusion
Now that toilet seat fixings are no longer a mystery, shopping for new ones will be a piece of cake. So go ahead and replace your old toilet seat with a new and improved one! After all, why hesitate?
