Buying clearance with 14" unifit and offset flange

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Suzanne Shwaluk

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Hello All, let me start by saying 'Thank You'! I was going nuts re: toilet analysis paralysis. This forum has restored some measure of sanity. It's fun being amongst other toilet geeks.

I am renovating a powder room bath that has a 31" clearance from centre of toilet seat edge to door (when the door is swinging open/closed). I am tall and my husband is taller 6'7". I believe that he even has Jamie beat.
This is not my first toilet rodeo but it is my first where clearance is an issue.

So I have searched through this forum and found great advice which has lead me to consider Carlyle ll 1 gpf.

We live in Canada as some of you may have picked up on. Extra points if you find clue. So need to comply with code here.

My plan is to push wall back to turn 12" into 14" then use 14" unifit to push toilet back 2 inches. There is space behind the wall. I am also laying tile somewhat higher than usual to decrease the 1.25" dropoff from hardwood on hallway laid by previous owner. The floor is poured concrete and we are in a highrise condo so I cannot move the drain.

I have two questions for you folks:

1. Does using 14" unifit have any negative affect on flushing characteristics due to adding 2 more inches to distance to drain? I cannot find any complaints on the forum regarding difference in flush charateristics between 12" and 14" unifits. I don't won't to make an any assumptions so I would appreciate a definitive answer on this.

2. Can I 'go for broke' and use an offset flange with 14" unifit to gain a total of 3" clearance? Is this acceptable under Ontario Building code? Will this setup have a negative affect on flushing characteristics?

I have managed to stump retailers and plumbers with these questions so I am counting on you!
 

Terry

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The performance between the 12" and the 14" will be the same.

I would not bother trying to install an offset in the drain.

Before you try moving a wall, you may want to open it and look to see if there are pipes in the wall. Look before you make that leap.
 

Reach4

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1. I don't think so. You might also consider Vespin II. It is the same size I think. Different style and price.

2. Here is what I did with aprox 13 inch offset: I used a 12 inch Unifit, and mounted it such that the edge of the opening in the 4 inch flange (yellow) was in line with the edge of the output hole (orange) of the Unifit adapter. I would consider getting a 14 inch Unifit and doing something similar -- make new holes for your actual closet bolts. If your closet flange also has a big enough hole, you could get to almost 15 inch offset I think. I added the drywall screws through two sized of fender washers for extra hold. Those drywall screws were probably not needed.

I am not a pro, and the work is hidden. I don't know if most professionals would feel comfortable doing such non-standard thing.

If you were considering putting in an offset flange, you might be able to just put in a regular flange depending on construction you are dealing with. But this Unifit thing lets you extend with an existing flange.

My tiles were ceramic with wood beneath. Ceramic tiles are easier to drill than porcelain. I drilled 6 clearance holes through tile.
img_2.jpg
 
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Suzanne Shwaluk

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The performance between the 12" and the 14" will be the same.

I would not bother trying to install an offset in the drain.

Before you try moving a wall, you may want to open it and look to see if there are pipes in the wall. Look before you make that leap.
Thanks Terry! I new I came to the right place. NB Yep. I looked before leaping to see how much space behind wall. There are pipes but they are back by about 3.5"
 

Jadnashua

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What's critical is where the center of the toilet flange is relative to the wall. When that is exact (10, 12, or 14"), on the Carlyle, there's approximately 3/4" between the tank and the wall, REGARDLESS of which UniFit adapter you have (obviously, if it's 10", you need the 10" Unifit, and the same for the others). Without knowing your actual rough-in value, no way to say which adapter might work, and what projection it will have into the room. That toilet is 28-1/4" long, then add the nominal 3/4" behind it, and you have 29"...less than your door swing limitation. IOW, the toilet will sit exactly in the same place on either a 10, 12, or 14" rough-in when you use the proper UniFit adapter.
 

Suzanne Shwaluk

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What's critical is where the center of the toilet flange is relative to the wall. When that is exact (10, 12, or 14"), on the Carlyle, there's approximately 3/4" between the tank and the wall, REGARDLESS of which UniFit adapter you have (obviously, if it's 10", you need the 10" Unifit, and the same for the others). Without knowing your actual rough-in value, no way to say which adapter might work, and what projection it will have into the room. That toilet is 28-1/4" long, then add the nominal 3/4" behind it, and you have 29"...less than your door swing limitation. IOW, the toilet will sit exactly in the same place on either a 10, 12, or 14" rough-in when you use the proper UniFit adapter.
Thanks for details. I am in process of moving wall back away from the toilet flange to create a 14" rough in. I am having a plumber install toilet. Would you add any 'wiggle room'? Eg make the rough in 14.5"?
 

Suzanne Shwaluk

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1. I don't think so. You might also consider Vespin II. It is the same size I think. Different style and price.

2. Here is what I did with aprox 13 inch offset: I used a 12 inch Unifit, and mounted it such that the edge of the opening in the 4 inch flange (yellow) was in line with the edge of the output hole (orange) of the Unifit adapter. I would consider getting a 14 inch Unifit and doing something similar -- make new holes for your actual closet bolts. If your closet flange also has a big enough hole, you could get to almost 15 inch offset I think. I added the drywall screws through two sized of fender washers for extra hold. Those drywall screws were probably not needed.

I am not a pro, and the work is hidden. I don't know if most professionals would feel comfortable doing such non-standard thing.

If you were considering putting in an offset flange, you might be able to just put in a regular flange depending on construction you are dealing with. But this Unifit thing lets you extend with an existing flange.

My tiles were ceramic with wood beneath. Ceramic tiles are easier to drill than porcelain. I drilled 6 clearance holes through tile.View attachment 35613
Interesting solution. So if I understand this correctly, you bought yourself another inch by aligning the unifit such that it was not alligned to the centre of the flange but offset back towards your wall by an inch? That would be easier than using a flange. Just have to make sure that the entire opening of the adapter is still within the diametre of the flange.
 

Reach4

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So if I understand this correctly, you bought yourself another inch by aligning the unifit such that it was not alligned to the centre of the flange but offset back towards your wall by an inch? That would be easier than using a flange. Just have to make sure that the entire opening of the adapter is still within the diametre of the flange.
Yes. 10 tiles is about 10.5 inches. There is some wiggle room without drilling since the provided slots are wider than the closet bolts. My closet bolts were not quite square to the wall, so I drilled my holes to match my bolts.
 

Jadnashua

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You still didn't answer the question of 'what is your current rough-in?'

If it's a standard 10, 12, 0r 14" now, using the right Unifit adapter would put the tank about 3/4" from the wall. If, say, it's now 12", and you move the wall back 2" making it 14", and then you used a 14" Unifit adapter, the tank would still have 3/4" behind it (less, if you fudge it). You can't move the toilet back any further than when it touches the wall...you really do want at least a little wiggle room behind it for air circulation and to prevent clunking against the wall if you choose a 2-piece (not an issue with the Carlyle, since it's one-piece and no flex).

Making the rough-in 14.5", without modding anything else, would just push the toilet that extra 1/2" further away from the wall. If you say made it 13.5", given the normal 3/4" gap behind it, that would make it now only 1/4". The whole advantage of the Toto system using the Unifit is that the exact same toilet will sit exactly the same place on the floor when using the appropriate adapter when you have either a 10, 12, or 14" rough-in. Most other companies tend to make the tank thicker or thinner, and not change the bowl, which can make the whole toilet longer or shorter...the Toto stays exactly the same.
 
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