Water around the base of the toilet means the wax seal between the toilet and the floor flange has failed. The seal is a ring of wax that compresses between the toilet and the drain pipe, preventing water and sewer gas from escaping into the bathroom. Wax seals last 20 to 30 years. They fail when the toilet rocks, the floor settles, or the wax simply dries out and cracks over decades.
Replacing a toilet seal takes an hour, costs $5 to $15 for the seal itself, and requires removing the toilet entirely. It is the most involved toilet repair but still a manageable DIY project. Here is how to pull the toilet, replace the seal, and reset the toilet so it does not rock, leak, or break the flange bolts.
Signs the Toilet Seal Has Failed
Water on the floor around the base of the toilet. The water is clean, not from an overflow. It appears after flushing or randomly. The toilet rocks when you sit on it. A toilet that moves breaks the wax seal. The seal cannot flex indefinitely. A rocking toilet always leaks eventually. A sewer gas smell in the bathroom, particularly around the toilet base. The wax seal also blocks sewer gas. A failed seal allows gas to escape between the toilet and the floor. Water stains or soft flooring around the toilet base. A slow leak over months or years rots the subfloor. If the floor feels spongy when you step near the toilet, the leak has been active for a long time and the subfloor may need repair.
Wax Ring vs. Wax-Free Seal
A traditional wax ring is a ring of beeswax or petroleum wax with a plastic sleeve in the center. It costs $5 to $10. It has been the standard toilet seal for a century. It works on any toilet and any flange. It is forgiving of slight misalignment and flange height variations. The downside is that wax is a single-use material. If you set the toilet and later need to lift it for any reason, the wax ring must be replaced. Wax also softens in high heat, which can be an issue if the bathroom floor has radiant heating.
A wax-free seal is a rubber or foam gasket that compresses between the toilet and the flange. It costs $10 to $15. It is reusable. If you lift the toilet, you can reset it on the same seal without replacing it. Wax-free seals are cleaner to install because there is no sticky wax residue. They are ideal for toilets with radiant heat and for homeowners who want to avoid the mess of wax. The downside is that wax-free seals are less forgiving of flange height issues. If the flange is recessed below the finished floor, a wax-free seal may not compress enough to create a watertight seal. A wax ring is the safer choice for non-standard flange heights.
If your flange is flush with the finished floor or slightly above it, which is the correct installation height, either seal works. If the flange is recessed below the floor by more than 1/4 inch, use a jumbo wax ring or stack two wax rings. Wax-free seals work best with flanges that are at or above the floor.
Step One: Remove the Toilet
Turn off the water at the shutoff valve behind the toilet. Flush the toilet and hold the handle down to drain as much water from the tank as possible. Disconnect the supply line from the fill valve. Use a sponge or a wet-dry vacuum to remove the remaining water from the tank and the bowl. The less water in the toilet, the less water spills when you lift it.
Pry the plastic caps off the flange bolts at the base of the toilet on each side. The caps snap off with a flathead screwdriver. Under the caps are nuts on the bolts. Remove the nuts with an adjustable wrench or a deep socket. If the nuts are rusted and will not turn, cut them off with a hacksaw blade or a rotary tool. The bolts are sacrificial. Replace them with the new bolts included with the wax ring kit.
Rock the toilet gently from side to side to break the wax seal. The toilet is held to the floor by the wax, the bolts, and possibly a bead of caulk around the base. If the toilet is caulked to the floor, cut the caulk with a utility knife before rocking. Lift the toilet straight up. It weighs 60 to 100 pounds. Lift with your legs, not your back. Set the toilet on its side on a drop cloth or a piece of cardboard. Do not set it directly on the bathroom floor. Water and wax residue will drip from the bottom.
Step Two: Clean the Old Wax and Inspect the Flange
Scrape the old wax off the bottom of the toilet and off the flange with a putty knife. Wear gloves. Wax is sticky and will transfer to everything you touch. Place the old wax in a plastic bag and dispose of it. Do not flush wax down the toilet. It will clog the drain.
Inspect the flange. The flange is the metal or plastic ring that sits on top of the drain pipe and is screwed to the floor. It is what the toilet bolts to. Check for cracks, breaks, or corrosion. A cracked flange must be replaced or repaired with a flange repair ring, which costs $10 to $15 and screws over the existing flange. A flange that is loose from the floor must be re-secured with new screws into the subfloor. If the flange is damaged beyond repair, call a plumber. Replacing a glued PVC flange inside a finished floor is not a beginner DIY project.
Check the flange height. The flange should be flush with the finished floor or up to 1/4 inch above it. If the flange is recessed below the finished floor, use a jumbo wax ring or stack two wax rings. If the flange is more than 1/4 inch above the floor, the toilet will rock on the high flange. Use a flange extender or shim the toilet base to compensate.
Insert the new flange bolts into the slots in the flange. The bolts are T-shaped and slide into the wide part of the slot, then are rotated to lock into the narrow part. The bolts stand upright. Use the plastic bolt caps that come with the bolts to hold them in place while you set the toilet. The caps prevent the bolts from falling over as you lower the toilet onto them.
Step Three: Install the New Seal and Reset the Toilet
Place the new wax ring on the flange with the plastic sleeve facing down into the drain pipe. The wax ring sticks to the flange. Press it down firmly. If you are stacking two wax rings, place the first ring on the flange, press it down, and stack the second ring directly on top. The wax rings will compress together when the toilet is set.
Alternatively, place the wax ring on the bottom of the toilet, centered over the drain opening. The wax sticks to either surface. Placing it on the flange is easier because you can see the alignment. Placing it on the toilet is messier because you are handling the toilet upside down, but it ensures the ring is centered on the toilet outlet. Either method works.
Lift the toilet and lower it onto the flange bolts. The bolts must pass through the holes in the toilet base on each side. This is the moment of truth. Lower the toilet slowly and align one bolt, then the other. If the toilet contacts the wax ring and you need to reposition, lift straight up, reposition, and lower again. Do not slide the toilet sideways on the wax ring. Sliding smears the wax and creates a leak path. Lower the toilet until it contacts the floor. Press down firmly on the rim of the bowl. Do not sit on the toilet to compress the wax. Your body weight is enough to compress the ring. Sitting on an unsecured toilet can crack the porcelain or break the flange.
Step Four: Secure the Toilet and Reconnect
Place the plastic washers and the nuts on the flange bolts. Tighten the nuts by hand, then snug them with a wrench. Alternate between the left and right bolts, tightening each a little at a time. The goal is to compress the wax ring evenly and hold the toilet securely without cracking the porcelain. Overtightening is the most common cause of a cracked toilet base. The nuts are tight enough when the toilet does not rock and the nuts do not turn by hand.
If the toilet rocks after tightening, shim it. Use plastic toilet shims, not wood shims, which compress and rot over time. Slide shims under the low side until the toilet sits solid. Trim the shims flush with the toilet base with a utility knife. A toilet that rocks will break the new wax seal within weeks. The toilet must sit solid on the floor before you reconnect the water.
Reconnect the supply line to the fill valve. Turn the water on slowly. Watch for leaks at the supply line connection and around the toilet base as the tank fills. Flush the toilet several times. Check for water around the base after each flush. Run your finger along the joint between the toilet and the floor. If it is dry, the seal is good.
Caulk around the front of the toilet base with a bead of silicone or acrylic caulk. Leave the back of the base uncaulked. The gap at the back allows you to see water if the seal ever leaks. A fully caulked base hides a leak until the floor rots. A partially caulked base with a gap at the back reveals the leak while it is still a small problem.
Replace the plastic bolt caps over the flange bolts. The caps snap onto the bolt heads and cover the unattractive nuts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I stack two wax rings if the flange is low?
Yes, but use a jumbo wax ring instead, which is a single thicker ring designed for recessed flanges. Stacking two standard rings works but is more likely to shift out of alignment when the toilet is set. If you use two rings, stack them directly on top of each other on the flange and press them together before setting the toilet. A jumbo ring is the better choice if it is available.
My flange is broken and I cannot replace it today. Can I just use extra wax?
No. Wax seals the gap between the toilet and the flange. It does not replace the flange. The flange holds the toilet to the floor. If the flange is broken, the toilet will rock, the wax seal will fail, and the leak will return. Install a flange repair ring over the broken flange. It costs $10 to $15 and screws into the subfloor, providing new bolt slots and a solid surface for the seal. This is a permanent repair that does not require replacing the original flange.
I replaced the seal and it still leaks. What did I miss?
The toilet is rocking. Shim it. The flange is recessed too far below the floor and a standard wax ring is not thick enough to make contact with the toilet. Use a jumbo ring. The wax ring was not compressed evenly because the toilet was slid into position rather than lowered straight down. Remove the toilet, discard the wax ring, and start over with a new ring. The flange is cracked and allows water to bypass the seal at a break in the flange ring. Inspect the flange with a flashlight before installing the new seal. The new seal cannot compensate for a cracked flange.
Last modified: June 22, 2026
