As we all know, Kohler is one of the best companies for making toilets, showers, and other baths accessories. It is the most used brand in the United States. Its popularity is growing day by day; not only in the US but also outside of the USA. Moreover, it is one of the brands that sell high-quality products at very affordable rates.
Its toilets are one of its more sold accessories and also America’s most famous. These toilets are available in almost all the big retailers, so you don’t have to worry about their availability.
The Kohler toilets are comfortable as they have the same comfortable height of the seat as a standard chair. Moreover, they offer comfort as well as greater ease for users. Many people often ask, how to install a Kohler toilet? Installing a Kohler toilet is quick and easy. However, still, you may face some trouble while installing it.
Therefore, we have thought to write an article on its installation process so that you don’t face any trouble. In this article, you will get to know the installation process, Kohler toilet installation problems, and many more.
Let’s start with installation.
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Kohler toilets installation
Kohler toilets are one of the most used toilets in the US because of their low low price and mass-market reach. However, the installation process is not that difficult. In this guide, I’ll give some tips so that you can smoothly install the toilet.
How to install a Kohler toilet – Kohler toilets 10 inches rough-in
The design of the toilet is simple, but it is clean and gives an efficient performance. It is an innovative 1.28-gallon configuration setting that offers significant water savings of up to 16,500 gallons per year, compared to an old 3.5-gallon toilet, without sacrificing flushing power. The seat, as well as height, offers comfortability.
For a toilet installation process, continue reading.
Materials Needed
As we mentioned earlier, the installation is not that difficult. However, you will still need to have tools that will help you in installing the toilet. Therefore, make sure to have the following tools:
- Kohler Highline toilet
- Tape measure
- Pipe Wrench
- Supply Shut-Off Valve
- Level
- Safety Glasses
- Sponge
- Rubber gloves
- Wax ring
- Oscillating tool
- Socket wrench
- Channel-lock pliers
- Toilet seat
The installation instructions are written in the manual. Please review the manual before you start the installation. Lastly, if you encounter any errors during the installation, contact directly to the company. They will love to assist you.
Kohler Toilet Tank Installation
The installation process of the Kohler toilet is not that difficult as other toilets. Follow the following steps to install the toilet:
- Remove the Old Toilet
- Place the Toilet on the Drain Flange
- Compress the Wax Ring
- Check the Measurements
- Secure T-Bolts at Toilet Base
- Prepare the Toilet’s Tank
- Tighten the Bolts of the Tank
- Level the Toilet Tank
- Cut Off the Mounting Bolts
- Connect the Water Supply
- Attach the Toilet Seat
1. Remove the Old Toilet
First of all, turn off the water supply to your old toilet. After that, wear gloves and flush the toilet. If there’s still water in the tank sponge that out. If there’s a shut-off valve, disconnect its supply as well.
In the next step, remove the old toilet. Most toilets are installed with a wax ring that fits at the bottom of the drain opening. So, remove the old wax ring if there’s any. However, we’ll recommend buying a new wax ring instead of Kohler’s wax ring because that is not that good. Try to buy an extra-thick wax ring so that it will make sure a tight seal.
For applying the wax ring, turn the new toilet upside down. Keep in mind that don’t do this on a hard surface, do this on a soft surface to prevent leaking or breaking.
2. Place the Toilet on the Drain Flange
Turn the toilet upright so that the bowl of the toilet is upward. After that, carefully place the toilet on the drain flang, so that T-bolts on the flange passes through mounting holes at the base of the toilet. Keep in mind that the wax ring should be stuck in the toilet as you turn it to the right.
Be careful that soft wax doesn’t clean floors or walls when you do this. Wax can be difficult to clean. It helps to have an assistant for this operation.
3. Compress the Wax Ring
In the next step, press the toilet bowl down with a lot of weight and compress the wax ring. The wax rings are quite easy to compress to any degree you need. Apply your full weight so that the toilet base fully touches the floor.
4. Check the Measurements
After the toilet touched the floor, take a tape measure to check the measurement of the toilet between the back wall and the toilet bowl. A good measurement is to measure each side from the opening of the tank bolt to the back wall.
This will make sure that the base of the toilet is far from the wall and it can easily accept the toilet tank. Lastly, it will also make sure that the base of the toilet is square to the wall.
5. Secure T-Bolts at Toilet Base
In the toilet package, there’s a plastic washer, metal washer, and nut. Add these onto Two protruding brass T-bolts that stick up from the floor via the mounting holes on the toilet base. Tighten the bolts of the toilet at the base.
Keep in mind that you shouldn’t overtighten the nuts. However, if you do so, the base of the toilet can be crack. To avoid this, do not use a socket wrench, instead use channel-lock pliers to tighten the bolts.
6. Prepare the Toilet’s Tank
The special feature of the toilet is that the gasket bolts at the bottom of the tank need to be returned to the tank to fit the toilet bowl properly. This is compulsory and if you don’t do this the tank bolts will go down via the mounting holes in the toilet bowl. It won’t be too long.
Once the gasket around the bolts is forced to return to the holes at the bottom of the tank, carefully place the tank on the toilet so that the 4 tank bolts extend via the mounting holes.
7. Tighten the Bolts of the Tank
In the next step, tighten the nuts on the tank bolts with your fingers. After that, tighten the nuts a bit more with a socket wrench. However, do not overtighten the nuts. The tank can be crack if you overtighten the nuts. Moreover, do not unevenly tighten them as well.
8. Level the Toilet Tank
Next, level the toilet tank on the toilet base. For leveling, place the surface of the bubble level on top of the tank to check the level. If the tank is not level, you don’t have to worry about it. You can level the tank by loosening or tightening the nuts that secure the bolts of the tank.
9. Cut Off the Mounting Bolts
The Kohler toilet comes with one set of bit-long bolts. On the other hand, other toilets come with two sets of floor mounting bolts which allows you to select the bolts that perfectly match your toilet flange.
As the Kohler’s toilet comes with bit-long bolts, therefore, you have to cut off the tops of the mounting bolts. By doing so, the caps will be easily fit over bolts.
For cutting the bolts, use a mini-hacksaw if you don’t want to cut in a hurry. And, if you want to quickly cut the bolts use an oscillating tool with a metal-cutting blade. Keep in mind that rightly cut off the bolts so that the caps can be easily fit on the bolts.
Lastly, during the cutting, if the toilet loosens the nuts, hold the nuts with pliers so that the nuts do not loosen again and you can be easily cut off the bolts.
10. Connect the Water Supply
After cutting off the bolts, almost you are at your final stages. In the next step, install the water supply. If you want to install the new water supply tube for a new toilet, connect it now. In case, you want to use an existing water supply tube, connect the existing tube to the tailpiece on the water supply valve that extends from the bottom of the toilet tank.
It is best to tighten the mounting nut onto the valve tailpiece with a hand. However, if needed you can tighten slightly more with channel-lock pliers.
Lastly, fill the toilet tank with water. Once it’s full, place a try or pan under the valve tailpiece and check for leaks. If there’s any leakage, tighten the connections a bit more until the leakage stops.
11. Attach the Toilet Seat
After completing all the above steps, you have to attach the toilet seat. Unfortunately, the Kohler toilet doesn’t come with a toilet seat. Therefore, you will have to buy the seat separately. Lastly, the installation of the seat is not that difficult. For knowing the seat installation process, click here.
Kohler Toilet Installation Problems
There are some problems that may occur while installing of Kohler toilet. However, some common problems include:
- Water Running Continuously or Sporadically
- Poor flush or no flush
- Long or Noisy Tank Fill Cycle
- Trip Arm Strikes the Underside of the Tank Lid
- Many more.
FAQ’s
Conclusion
To conclude here, Kohler Toilets are one of the most famous toilets in the United States. The prices of these toilets are cheaper. Also, they are available in almost all the big retailers, which makes them more appealing. These toilets have the same comfortable height of the seat as a standard chair.
Moreover, the installation of the Kohler toilets is quick and easy. You don’t need special skills to install the toilet. Just use simple tools and install the toilet within an hour. Lastly, if you found this guide helpful, please share it in your circle.
