One of our friends asks how do they fix a chip in the bowl of their toilet that happened when they dropped something in it. Should they fix the hole or replace the whole toilet.
This is a common problem in the bathroom. You wake up and by accident drop something heavy into the toilet and cause a crack or hole in the side of the bowl.
The first thing you have to understand is that ceramic material is very brittle. It is strong and can be formed into many shapes and it will hold a glaze that will last decades longer than paint would last under the same conditions however it is not really repairable.
In this case the damage is within the bowl and under water. This means that over time this hole has a good chance of cracking and the bowl braking. Normally they will break under load like when you are using it but sometimes they will brake when you are away.
For the safest situation the solution is to replace the toilet however if this happens and you are not able to replace it for a couple days and you need to continue using it you could use epoxy to fill the hole if you allow it to cure before refilling the bowl with water.
Repairing a Toilet temporarily with Epoxy
To attempt a temporary repair the first thing you need to do is turn off the water supply and drain the toilet. Drain both the bowl and the tank because you don’t want residual water running down over the epoxy as it cures.
The next thing you want to do is clean the area where the epoxy will be applied and also use sand paper to roughen up the surface of the glaze about a half inch out from the hole.
Be careful to not cause more damage as you work. Allow the area to dry fully and if you have one a hair dryer may help.
The type of epoxy that you use is important. Because the ceramic has probably absorbed water you won’t have good results with a standard 2 part liquid but a putty type epoxy that is pressed well into the hole will probably seal off the area for some time.
Final Note
Remember this is just a temporary fix so don’t rely on it for very long. As soon as you can you should start pricing toilets and the accessories needed like a wax ring and or supply line if needed and replace the toilet.