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Doug Kanter
 
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Default Fabricating a toilet tank cover

Wood, coated several times with polyurethane, so it'll resist the moisture
from inside the tank.

By the way, if you're ever faced with buying a new toilet, get down to your
local library and find the issue of Consumer Reports in which they
thoroughly tested a bunch of low flush toilets. Some work quite well, and
they are NOT necessarily the expensive ones.


wrote in message
...
I have been fighting with one of these new "water saver" (water
waster) toilets that require the plunger and 5 flushes after each and
every use. I am on a fixed low income and unable to a buy an
expensive toilet. I just got an older toilet, and the price was
right, FREE. The neighbors replaced it because the tank cover was
dropped and broken (and thrown away). They said the toilet works
fine, and I can see it's in good shape, and looks well built. It's an
Eljer, and it has a large tank so it should flush well.

Other than hitting a few local plumbing shops to see if they happen to
have a used cover that will fit, I am not going to even try to buy a
replacement from the company, since I can already imagine the hassle,
price, and shipping cost. I think I can fabricate something from
wood, and make it look nice. And if it dont look nice, I can always
use one of those fuzzy things that women put on toilets. I'd much
rather have a good working toilet than a pretty one !!!!!

My reason for posting this message is to find out if others have
fabricated their own covers and what was used to make the covers.
Any ideas?



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Jim Yanik
 
Posts: n/a
Default Fabricating a toilet tank cover

wrote in
:

I have been fighting with one of these new "water saver" (water
waster) toilets that require the plunger and 5 flushes after each and
every use. I am on a fixed low income and unable to a buy an
expensive toilet. I just got an older toilet, and the price was
right, FREE. The neighbors replaced it because the tank cover was
dropped and broken (and thrown away). They said the toilet works
fine, and I can see it's in good shape, and looks well built. It's an
Eljer, and it has a large tank so it should flush well.

Other than hitting a few local plumbing shops to see if they happen to
have a used cover that will fit, I am not going to even try to buy a
replacement from the company, since I can already imagine the hassle,
price, and shipping cost. I think I can fabricate something from
wood, and make it look nice. And if it dont look nice, I can always
use one of those fuzzy things that women put on toilets. I'd much
rather have a good working toilet than a pretty one !!!!!

My reason for posting this message is to find out if others have
fabricated their own covers and what was used to make the covers.
Any ideas?



A suggestion would be to use Corian or other solid-surface material.You can
make it thick as you please,rout fancy edges on it,and it could be sturdier
than a porcelain original.And there's all sorts of colors/patterns to
choose from.

you might also try one of those conversion kits that turn the toilet into a
hi-pressure flush style,then you may not have to use your plunger so
often,get it all on the 1st flush.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik-at-kua.net
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Joe Bobst
 
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Default Fabricating a toilet tank cover

Any ideas?

See if you can find a sink cutout at a local cabinet shop. They may have
anything from a piece of marble to Corian or other popular materials. One of
those ought to be heavy enough and waterproof enough to do the job just fine.
Take in a pattern and thay might cut it for you for a nominal fee. HTH

Joe

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Tony Hwang
 
Posts: n/a
Default Fabricating a toilet tank cover

Joe Bobst wrote:

Any ideas?

See if you can find a sink cutout at a local cabinet shop. They may have
anything from a piece of marble to Corian or other popular materials. One of
those ought to be heavy enough and waterproof enough to do the job just fine.
Take in a pattern and thay might cut it for you for a nominal fee. HTH

Joe

Hi,
Or just a piece of wood board and glue down tiles on top.
Be creative.
Tony



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Jim Yanik
 
Posts: n/a
Default Fabricating a toilet tank cover

Jim Yanik wrote in
:

wrote in
:

I have been fighting with one of these new "water saver" (water
waster) toilets that require the plunger and 5 flushes after each and
every use. I am on a fixed low income and unable to a buy an
expensive toilet. I just got an older toilet, and the price was
right, FREE. The neighbors replaced it because the tank cover was
dropped and broken (and thrown away). They said the toilet works
fine, and I can see it's in good shape, and looks well built. It's
an Eljer, and it has a large tank so it should flush well.

Other than hitting a few local plumbing shops to see if they happen
to have a used cover that will fit, I am not going to even try to buy
a replacement from the company, since I can already imagine the
hassle, price, and shipping cost. I think I can fabricate something
from wood, and make it look nice. And if it dont look nice, I can
always use one of those fuzzy things that women put on toilets. I'd
much rather have a good working toilet than a pretty one !!!!!

My reason for posting this message is to find out if others have
fabricated their own covers and what was used to make the covers.
Any ideas?



A suggestion would be to use Corian or other solid-surface
material.You can make it thick as you please,rout fancy edges on
it,and it could be sturdier than a porcelain original.And there's all
sorts of colors/patterns to choose from.



Also note that Corian-type material is PLASTIC,and thus water-resistant.
No problems like you would have with wood materials.

Or you could cast one in concrete,and coat it with epoxy paint.
Much more difficult,IMO.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik-at-kua.net
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Greg O
 
Posts: n/a
Default Fabricating a toilet tank cover


"Joe Bobst" wrote in message
...
Any ideas?

See if you can find a sink cutout at a local cabinet shop. They may have
anything from a piece of marble to Corian or other popular materials. One

of
those ought to be heavy enough and waterproof enough to do the job just

fine.
Take in a pattern and thay might cut it for you for a nominal fee. HTH

Joe


Yup, probably charge you just a bit more than what a correct replacement lid
from the factory would be.
Greg

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Jim Yanik
 
Posts: n/a
Default Fabricating a toilet tank cover

"Greg O" wrote in
:


"Joe Bobst" wrote in message
...
Any ideas?

See if you can find a sink cutout at a local cabinet shop. They may
have anything from a piece of marble to Corian or other popular
materials. One

of
those ought to be heavy enough and waterproof enough to do the job
just

fine.
Take in a pattern and thay might cut it for you for a nominal fee.
HTH

Joe


Yup, probably charge you just a bit more than what a correct
replacement lid from the factory would be.
Greg


Well,the OP did say he wanted to fabricate the lid himself.
IIRC,you can buy non-Corian brands of solid-surface material,although I
don't know about available sizes of the pieces or their cost,or where to
buy them.
Maybe he could buy scraps from a countertop fabricator.Then choice of
patterns and colors will narrow.
Buying a full sheet of solid-surface material WILL be very expensive.
I suspect then he'd merely go with some sort of wood.
I'd use something like cypress,teak.

(NOT particle board!!) B-)

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik-at-kua.net
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Doug Kanter
 
Posts: n/a
Default Fabricating a toilet tank cover

"Jim Yanik" wrote in message
...
"Greg O" wrote in
:


"Joe Bobst" wrote in message
...
Any ideas?

See if you can find a sink cutout at a local cabinet shop. They may
have anything from a piece of marble to Corian or other popular
materials. One

of
those ought to be heavy enough and waterproof enough to do the job
just

fine.
Take in a pattern and thay might cut it for you for a nominal fee.
HTH

Joe


Yup, probably charge you just a bit more than what a correct
replacement lid from the factory would be.
Greg


Well,the OP did say he wanted to fabricate the lid himself.
IIRC,you can buy non-Corian brands of solid-surface material,although I
don't know about available sizes of the pieces or their cost,or where to
buy them.
Maybe he could buy scraps from a countertop fabricator.Then choice of
patterns and colors will narrow.
Buying a full sheet of solid-surface material WILL be very expensive.
I suspect then he'd merely go with some sort of wood.
I'd use something like cypress,teak.

(NOT particle board!!) B-)


Almost anything will work if it's finished correctly. I built a wooden thing
for my canoe to serve as a mounting bar for fishing rod holders and other
stuff. Made it from oak. I finished it with 5 coats of exterior
polyurethane. That was 10 years ago. It's been rained on, dunked, put away
wet in the garage and frozen, and other than the spot where the
quick-release hardware contacts the wood, there is no wear and no fading.


  #10   Report Post  
MAG
 
Posts: n/a
Default Fabricating a toilet tank cover

In article , old-
says...
I have been fighting with one of these new "water saver" (water
waster) toilets that require the plunger and 5 flushes after each and
every use. I am on a fixed low income and unable to a buy an
expensive toilet. I just got an older toilet, and the price was
right, FREE. The neighbors replaced it because the tank cover was
dropped and broken (and thrown away). They said the toilet works
fine, and I can see it's in good shape, and looks well built. It's an
Eljer, and it has a large tank so it should flush well.

Other than hitting a few local plumbing shops to see if they happen to
have a used cover that will fit, I am not going to even try to buy a
replacement from the company, since I can already imagine the hassle,
price, and shipping cost. I think I can fabricate something from
wood, and make it look nice. And if it dont look nice, I can always
use one of those fuzzy things that women put on toilets. I'd much
rather have a good working toilet than a pretty one !!!!!

My reason for posting this message is to find out if others have
fabricated their own covers and what was used to make the covers.
Any ideas?


Geezer-

I know you're mostly interested in fabricating, but here's another idea:

Visit a salvage yard that handles plumbing fixtures. You can probably
pick up a matching lid for the toilet for just a couple bucks, or a
whole salvaged toilet with lid for just a couple more.

Marc


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Pat
 
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Default Fabricating a toilet tank cover

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