Installing Toto Nexus on Unleveled Floor

[Bjferri]

My floor slopes where I'd have to shim the toilet 3/8". This will be my first Toto and we’re thinking of getting the Nexus…installation appears to be strait forward. My questions are: Can I install the UNIFIT Rough In flushed to the floor then install the shimmed toilet over that or do I have to level/shim the UNIFIT Rough In as well? I called Toto tech department and they’re aren’t that technical but they said when the toilet is placed in position on the floor over the UNIFIT, 2†of the toilet’s Spigot Outlet goes into the UNIFIT’s rubber sleeve, so I thought there may be room to shim the toilet? Does anyone know?

I don’t know if the Nexus has a thick enough bottom lip to shim or if I should do something else? I even asked Toto would it be easier if I got a different toilet instead. This is the Charm part of older homes…

 

[Jadnashua]

Those will be some significant shims, but yes, you should be able to do it. You'd probably want to then fill the rest of the space with a grout, if you are tiling, to make it look finished since I'd prefer more support than just the shim. You could probably make a full-sized shim out of say Plexiglass or something that wouldn't be affected by the potential moisture. I say that verses plywood, but if you wanted, you could use a quality ply as well, recessed a little, then caulked. That would also be a big caulk joint, so a backer rod might be needed. I don't think the slight angle for the UniFit adapter will be a problem.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Bjferri]

The floor will be congoleum so I can't use a grout. Can I use floor tile as a shim? I can cut several pieces and and maybe liquid nail them in place then place the toilet over that then caulk? Thanks...

 

[Terry]

Do not glue the toilet to the floor.
If there is ever a problem, you will be breaking it up with a hammer to remove it.

Many floors are uneven.
We use the composite door shims that HD sells. They score and snap off real nice. They have a very gradual slope to them, which makes for easy adjustments.
Just secure the adapter to the floor,
Drop the bowl into the adapter, shim at the back of the bowl, forcing the front of the bowl to the floor, and then tighten up the bolts at the back.
After the bowl is shimmed and snug, then you can think about caulking the bowl at the floor.

 

[Bjferri]

I'm sorry - I meant glue shims to floor. It's the side I need to shim, not the back.

Thanks for the picture - it's a beautiful toilet! Clean lines.

BTW - thanks for a great website!

 

[Jadnashua]

How flat is the floor? How level is it? If the slope is constant, and the floor is flat, I'd consider a solid shim. I think you'd notice a toilet 3/8" off level. A power plane or belt sander might make quick work of a plywood or even a plexiglass plate. Cutting out holes for the drain and other mounting shouldn't be too bad. Then caulk the joint.

Is the finished floor already down? Could you address this prior to that?

 

[Bjferri]

The floor is very flat with a constant slope. If you can explain how to make a solid shim out of plexiglass I'll do that. I'm very handy. One side of the shim would have to be 3/8" while the other, paper thin? Would I have to trace the bottom shape of the toilet first for the plexiglass shim?

The finished floor isn't in yet. A contractor will install luan then congoleum over the subfloor.

If you can explain it I'll do it - I reallly like that idea.

 

[Jadnashua]

Thick plexiglass is expensive, so if you bought some scraps that were thin, you could laminate them to save sanding a lot of material off. I've never done this, but it should work, and the plastic wouldn't be affected by moisture. But, you shouldn't have moisture there in the first place, so it would probably be easier and cheaper to just do it with a piece of plywood. If you set the toilet down, traced around it, then cut it a little inside, it would leave you a space to caulk it and cover the edge. A belt sander would make quick work of it. Sanding plexiglass can be done, but if you go too fast, it melts and makes a mess.

If you did use plexiglass, you could probably make it the same size as the bottom of the toilet.

If the floor isn't finished, have you considered flattening it? Then this wouldn't be an issue.

 

[Bjferri]

I'm going to use your thick plexiglass suggestion...

Let me run this by you first. If you see the picture above that Terry sent, this is the space and location of where my toilet will go, except where he has a wall, I have the foot of a tub. Knowing this, and knowing a contractor is going to come in and lay luan down, should I (could I) level that small area before the luan is applied (I don't want to do the entire bathroom)? If so, should I use a self leveler? If I do, how do I transition from that area that is leveled to where you walk up to the toilet that isn't as leveled?

Thanks!

 

[Jadnashua]

I guess it really depends on the topography of the whole room. If you were going to level it, it probably would be best to do the whole thing. If the becomes too big of a problem overall, you'd have to decide. There are various self-leveling products. Some of them are fairly expensive. Hard to say without a picture of the overall room and layout.

Note, ideally, the toilet flange is installed on top of the finished floor.

 

[Bjferri]

When the existing toilet gets ripped up before the new floor is laid, the toilet flange will no longer be on top of the finished floor. Are there flange extensions for this situation?

 

[Jadnashua]

Yes, you can buy extensions. If the flange is not in pristine shape, you might consider having a new one installed once the finished flooring is installed, which is where it was designed to be.

 

[Bjferri]

Thanks again...

 

[Markts30]

Novel idea - if the room is not done yet - why not have the floor levelled?

 

[Bjferri]

The room is near completion and the floor will be last...I don't want to level the entire floor. I have a 1920's cast iron tub I just had reset and I don't want to move it again to level the entire floor. If I can get away with Just the small section like the picture above where the toilet will rest I'd be very happy with that, otherwise, I'll use plexiglass as a full shim.

 

[Jadnashua]

It would be hard to come up with a clean way to level part of the floor.

 

[cindy moore]

When the existing toilet gets ripped up before the new floor is laid, the toilet flange will no longer be on top of the finished floor. Are there flange extensions for this situation?

The answer is yes!

 

[cindy moore]

The floor is very flat with a constant slope. If you can explain how to make a solid shim out of plexiglass I'll do that. I'm very handy. One side of the shim would have to be 3/8" while the other, paper thin? Would I have to trace the bottom shape of the toilet first for the plexiglass shim?

The finished floor isn't in yet. A contractor will install luan then congoleum over the subfloor.

If you can explain it I'll do it - I reallly like that idea.

‍♀️ Lord help em!