Wax or Rubber Flange Seal on Toilet?

[MarkF48]

My anticipated project for the beginning of the week on an existing toilet. Has had wax for 20 or so years and has been replaced a couple times over the years. Pros, cons of each?

 

[TractorGuy]

I have never used a rubber seal but I have never had a wax seal leak.

 

[mddorange]

I recently purchased a new American Standard toilet and it came with a wax seal.
Like JDguy, I have never used anything but wax and have never had one fail.
A wax seal has the ability to allow for some movement and still not fail.

 

[turnkey4099]

I recently purchased a new American Standard toilet and it came with a wax seal.
Like JDguy, I have never used anything but wax and have never had one fail.
A wax seal has the ability to allow for some movement and still not fail.

And so does the "rubber" one plus the waxless rubber one is reuseable. I first used one back in about 1990. pulled toilet once due to a plug-up, put it back and have had no leaks. They are also one whole lot less messy to deal with, no cleanup whant pulling the toilet. I'll never go back to wax.

 

[3Ts]

I used wax for a long time, even after the rubber ones came out. But, technology keeps advancing in materials and applications. I use rubber now. Like Turnkey says:

They are also one whole lot less messy to deal with, no cleanup whant pulling the toilet. I'll never go back to wax.

 

[mbohuntr]

I used wax for a long time, even after the rubber ones came out. But, technology keeps advancing in materials and applications. I use rubber now. Like Turnkey says:

If you have an uneven floor, the wax seals will repeatedly fail, the rubber doughnut style will not.

 

[jaxs]

In light of the fact gap to be filled between toilet and flange varies so widly from one installation to the next,the average homeowner can not choose the correct thickness of rubber(if the store even offer's choices). I've seen wax compressed almost completely out of joint then other joints that required 2 wax rings to seal. Rubber isn't going to work on both plus everything between.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I have had several wax rings fail, thinking about using the rubber seal. Need to fix 2 toilets now, the leaks has caused some floor damage.

 

[TomSeller]

I have never tried rubber, wax seems to have always worked for me. Maybe next time I will look at rubber since my floors are pretty solid, not much movement.

 

[ruffdog]

I saw a "This Old House" episode a while back and they were saying how good the rubber ones were.