Repair expensive toilet seat
Around 10 years ago I installed a dual-flush toilet. The toilet seat for this model costs just under R500, and I've had to replace 4 times in this period. Instead of replacing, here's how to fix up cracks in a toilet seat.
08/02/2018
ABOVE: Toilet seat after repair - almost good as new!
The toilet set on my dual-flush toilet is a laminated chipboard in a rounded rectangular shape. The toilet was installed about 10 years ago, and in that time I have replaced the toilet seat four times - all with the same problem.
Small cracks appear on the base of the toilet seat, and these eventually expend and swell and the toilet seat has to be replaced. At a cost of just under R500 for the toilet seat, this is becoming an expensive exercise, not to mention that difficult process involved in fitting a new toilet seat, and I decided to see if that can be fixed rather than replaced.
Using the methods shown here, I did manage to repair the toilet seat. The cracks are gone and the seat looks almost good as new. Now I'll wait and see how long the repair lasts.
1. Using a sander I sanded down where the inside board swelled and the laminate was peeling. I also lightly sanded the entire base of the toilet seat by hand, with 180-grit sandpaper. Sanding provides a better key for bonding the paint to be applied.
GOOD TO KNOW: I started the repair process with the toilet seat in place, as I found it very difficult to remove the fixings holding the toilet seat in place. However, I did eventually manage to remove the toilet seat from its fixings. If you can't remove your toilet seat, cover the surrounding area with newspaper to protect from over-spray.
2. The supports on the toilet seat were covered with strips of masking tape. You don't want to get paint on these because it might stick and then peel off.
3. I managed to get my hands on a can of Rust-Oleum Tub & Tile Aerosol (spray paint), but this product is hard to come by. However, Appliance Epoxy spray is also an epoxy paint and will work just as well. A can costs around R170, and I'm hoping the finish will last a couple of years, making it a cost effective alternative to replacing the toilet seat.
4. Follow the instructions on the can, which means shaking well, and apply in even strokes from side to side - overlapping the strokes for a perfect finish. The painted finish is touch-dry in 15 minutes, but takes 3 days for full curing. Since the finish is applied to the base of the toilet seat and not in direct content with the toilet itself, you can reinstall the toilet seat after about an hour.
