How to Replace a Toilet Seat

Few things are as annoying as a toilet seat that has broken off its hinges. It ruins the whole experience when you try to spend quality time on the throne. If your seat is compromised, it's time to find a replacement and get your toilet working like new. If you need to learn how to replace a toilet seat, follow these instructions. We'll go over removing the toilet seat first, then how to install a new one. But first:

Can You Fix It Without Replacing It?

It's possible that the seat isn't broken. You may need to tighten the bolts or replace the wingnuts securing the bolts into place. It's an easy job, but if you haven't done it before, how would you know how to tighten a toilet seat? Lucky for you, that article will tell you what to do.

Before You Start Your Replacement Project

You should know that toilet seats are not universal. The common configurations are elongated and round, but there are more. Most likely, you have one of those two. You need to figure out what size you need before you buy a new seat. If you need to know how to measure a toilet seat, we have a help article for that, too!

How to Remove a Toilet Seat

If you have a screwdriver, you're in luck because that's all you're going to need to get this project done.

Find where the seat hinges are bolted down and move the bolt covers out of the way by prying them off with the screwdriver.
Feel around on the underside where the bolt is to find where it comes out of the bottom. Locate the wing nut and hold it in place with a wrench (optional).
Now, use the screwdriver to turn the bolts counterclockwise, slide the wingnuts off, and remove the bolts.
The seat should now come right off.

How to Install the New Toilet Seat

plumber showing how to replace toilet seat

Slide the new seat into place.
Run the bolts through the seat holes and the toilet, locking it in place.
Hand-screw the wingnuts onto the bolt ends.
Hold the wingnuts still and use the screwdriver to tighten the bolts (turning clockwise) until the installation is secure.
Pop the bolt covers into place.

Get a Quiet Close Seat

We highly recommend that you go with a slow-close toilet seat. If you have sleeping babies in your home, then this is a must. You don't have to bend over to place the lid down softly. You can flick your wrist, and the seat will quietly return to its place. If you've shopped around for these, you know they can be a bit expensive. We have unbeatable deals on these two ProStock options:

At PlumbersStock, industry professionals can contact us for special deals when they buy bulk. And homeowners with big projects buying bulk can hit us up, too.