Changing toilet -- ran into problem. Floor mount, Rear outlet

[Tilly]

Hello.

I read this forum through Google search and decided to join. I recently purchased a colonial house from 1811 and decided to change the upstairs toilet since it was from 1979. The toilet itself flushed terribly so I went with a Toto which was recommend by you all. I was excited to install the toto today and my mouth dropped when I ripped out the old toilet. The flange seems to be mounted on the wall, very close to the floor. I cannot use the toto for this so will be putting that toilet downstairs.

Can someone please advise as to what are my current options? I broke the old toilet apart so that is no longer functional.

Thank you for your help. I am not a professional and literally get by reading forums and watching YouTube videos.

First two pics are from inside the bathroom. Last pic is from the other side of the wall where there is a sink/powder room. As you can see the toilet pipe is horizontal with a slope down to the sewer pipe.

 

[Jadnashua]

What you need, is a floor-mounted, rear-outlet toilet. IF you search on those terms, you'll find some suggestions here on the forum.

On a totally different issue, while I know you didn't do it, setting tile directly on planks like you have is just waiting for them to debond and potentially crack...planks just move too much as the temperature and humidity levels change...plywood is required on top of planks for any reliable install long-term.

The alternative would be to move the drain line into the floor at (ideally) 12" from the finished wall, then you could use your new Toto (or almost any other toilet).

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Tilly]

What you need, is a floor-mounted, rear-outlet toilet. IF you search on those terms, you'll find some suggestions here on the forum.

On a totally different issue, while I know you didn't do it, setting tile directly on planks like you have is just waiting for them to debond and potentially crack...planks just move too much as the temperature and humidity levels change...plywood is required on top of planks for any reliable install long-term.

The alternative would be to move the drain line into the floor at (ideally) 12" from the finished wall, then you could use your new Toto (or almost any other toilet).

Thank you for replying.

I took a look early this morning and luckily the tiles are on plywood which is great.

I am really interested in doing the alternative and installing the flange on the floor. My only issue is that the drain pipe is on floor level on the other side of the wall (you can see this in the third pic that I posted). With that said, if I mount the flange on the floor it would be below the drain pipe. Would that be an issue?

My drain pipe runs horizontally across my kitchen. You can see the pics. The upstairs bathroom is literally in the corner of where you see the refrigerator and the drain pipe run across all my cabinets (it's horizontal but it's slightly turned downward).

 

[hj]

1. If you install another rear outlet toilet which would be IMMENSELY cheaper than trying to install a floor outlet one, you will not be able to put it on top of the tile because that would make the drain line too low, and you will NOT find another toilet that fits the opening in the tile either, so the tile will either have to be replaced or patched AFTER the new toilet is in place.
2. If you decide to put a floor outlet toilet instead, be prepared to open your wallet, because it will become a major remodeling job.

 

[Tilly]

Thanks guys. I will just pick up the Gerber #21-310 Ultra-Flush and keep it rear outlet due to costs. The website states that the rear outlet rough in is 4.25 inches but it looks like my wall bolts are 4 inches from the wooden plants to the bolts. Would I still be able to get by with the 4.25 inch toilets even though my rough in is 4 inches?

Looking at this one:

http://www.gerberonline.com/item.aspx?itemid=393

Thank you.

 

[Jadnashua]

I am really interested in doing the alternative and installing the flange on the floor. My only issue is that the drain pipe is on floor level on the other side of the wall (you can see this in the third pic that I posted). With that said, if I mount the flange on the floor it would be below the drain pipe. Would that be an issue?

Yes, it would be a major issue! Through the floor, you'd require a constant downward path for the waste to flow via gravity. This would put the pipe a ways below the floor since the elbow has some height...then, it needs to maintain at least a 1/4" per foot slope until it can go down at a faster rate.

 

[Terry]

1/4" isn't make or break with that.
Gerber has the floor mount rear outlet bowl, and the Maxwell gravity floor mount, rear outlet bowl.

 

[Tilly]

I wasn't able to get the Gerber so I went ahead and ordered the American Standard Yorkville. According to the installation instructions, the bolts from the flange are 4 inches off the floor which is exactly what I have.

Any recommendations on the flange? If you look at my original pics up top it looks pretty shot.

I went ahead with this one:
American Standard 2876.016.020 Yorkville Pressure-Assisted Elongated Toilet, White
Thank you.

 

[Jadnashua]

Take something like a putty knife and scrape all of the wax off. Rear-outlet toilets generally require a special seal, not just wax.

 

[Tilly]

Hello all.

Toilet has arrived and I am going to try and tackle the issue over the weekend. It has a very similar footprint so I will have to cut maybe a few millimeters of the tile.

Next problem on the agenda is taking the old flange off. Should I even do it? It seems to be stuck on there pretty good. I did rip out some type of yellow plastic insert and it broke on one side so I will need to replace it. The flange looks to be in good shape but it's covered head to toe in wax. Any advice what I should do in this case? Should I attempt to rip it all out or keep the same flange? If I need to rip it off how do I even attempt this? It looks like the flange and pipe are together and perhaps the pipe is glued to the drain pipe?

Please take a look at the pics of the flange. This waxy stuff is pretty nasty stuff. I did order a neoprene gasket for this toilet so no more wax.

 

[Jadnashua]

I think that plastic was part of the old wax ring, so not something you have to worry about. Scrape as much wax off as you can. There's probably s solvent that would let you get it all off, but, I THINK, all you need to do is just get it smooth. That was a typical wax toilet ring (not the right thing on rear-outlet toilets as I understand it).

 

[WJcandee]

So...how did it go? Photos?

 

[Tilly]

So...how did it go? Photos?

Yup, I just got around to installing the fillup hose yesterday and toilet works great. Please do not mind my language in the video, it was the first flush LOL. It took me an entire weekend to get this toilet in since I do not have all the necessary tools and had to hit up Home Depot on multiple occasions. I still need to change the tiles, add grout, repaint the walls, change the circle thing around the filler pipe and replace the mouldings. Once I glued on the neoprene gasket the toilet really stuck away from the wall but got closer with each tightening of the flange bolts. I cannot tell whether it leaks yet and I do not know how to check. On a side note, can regular group suffice for around the toilet or will that have to be some type of special seal?