Seth Greenberg
DyaDya
Hi all,
I am making a toilet repair. Here is where I am and what I am thinking. I have a 4 inch ABS DWV pipe that now sits open about 4 inches below the surface of the tiled floor which I think generally speaking is pretty far away.
The pipe elbows 90 degrees about 1.25 inch below its open top. So... I want to somehow connect a flange that will sit on top of tile once i put it all back together. I am a dyi enthusiast and am trying to do it "right" instead of fast. My time is not an issue.
You will note i removed the tile around the drain and cut away part of the sub-floor to allow part of the joists to be available to support a new piece of sub-floor i will cut and insert over the area. i will of course cut a hole in the new sub-floor piece to expose the pipe. And then i will cut a hole in a new piece of tile and put down cement board and the tile so i basically have a solid top over the drain pipe with a diameter maybe just a little bigger than the pipe. I think that's the right way to do it?? My biggest concern is what flange to use and how to connect it.
I have included a picture showing:
- the 90 degree elbow about 1.25 inches below the drain top opening.
- a 4" measurement line attempting to indicate there is 4" from the
drain opening to the surface of the tile. Of course that's hard to
see exactly when looking birds-eye as the picture is.
- a blue pen outline showing the exposed joist that will be used to
support my sub-floor insert. I have exposed joists on 3 sides for that support.
Right now here is what i think are my choices:
1- use a 4" collar coupler. this coupler fits on the outside of 4 inch pipe. I believe I can push it 1 to 1-1/4 inch down over the current pipe before it hits the elbow. Then use a 3 x 4 flange with a 4 inch extension that i can buy locally. I will probably have to cut about 3/4" off the extension down to ~ 3.25" and it will go down the collar about 1.75 inches then.
2- Use 3 inch pipe inside of the 4 inch pipes to join them instead of a 4" outside coupler. Basically couple the 4 inch DWV pipe and a 4 inch flange from the inside instead of the outside.
3- I knew i needed something longer than 4" to connect to my pipe and no local places had anything. I didn't think they existed. But i found a 3 x 4 with a 6" extension on line! I could cut abut .75 inches off it and it would fit right into the 1.25 inches i have just before the elbow with just 1 gluing connection instead of 2 for the inside or outside coupler method.
My thoughts:
#1: It keeps the largest inside diameter available down to the elbow at 4 inches. That sounds like a good thing but i don't know if that is a particular advantage over having only 3.5 inches. Toilet openings are only ~ 2.25" so I don't know if its a big advantage having anything bigger than 3 inches anyway.
#2: I can't really see any advantage here. But i listed it just in case I am missing something.
#3: Advantage is just one gluing and it keeps everything inside going down. ie if there was a breach on the outside collar waste could potentially leak to the outside of the pipe. Disadvantage is that i am now reducing my pathway to the elbow to 3.5 inches from 4 inches. Question: is it somehow wrong to use a 6" extension flange?? I couldn't find any locally and wonder if they are just not popular or maybe just not needed enough to stock.
My conclusion: I think #3 is probably the best, but it that is mostly based on the idea that cutting my inside dimension to 3.5 inches does no harm over #1 where it is 4" all the way.
Additional question: I have shown a picture of the potential 6" extension flange that i can buy online. It has a painted top and is from Plumbfit. I don't see any other options for this type of flange. Does this brand and a painted top seem ok?
Bonus questions: I was planning to sub-floor and tile pretty much up to the pipe diameter thinking this gives me the best protection in case of a leak and the most strength. This means i have to connect the flange through the tile, backer-board, mortar and sub-floor. Should i drill out a hole through the tile until the sub-floor so my screws don't have to go through the tile and mortar, or should i try to use tapcon screws long enough to enter the sub-floor. Or something else. I guess i am wondering if i should try to use a specific strong screw that just attaches to the wood and not be limited to a tapcon that is needed if going through the other stuff. (or something else)?
Thanks very much for any thoughts or advice you have to give.
I am making a toilet repair. Here is where I am and what I am thinking. I have a 4 inch ABS DWV pipe that now sits open about 4 inches below the surface of the tiled floor which I think generally speaking is pretty far away.
The pipe elbows 90 degrees about 1.25 inch below its open top. So... I want to somehow connect a flange that will sit on top of tile once i put it all back together. I am a dyi enthusiast and am trying to do it "right" instead of fast. My time is not an issue.
You will note i removed the tile around the drain and cut away part of the sub-floor to allow part of the joists to be available to support a new piece of sub-floor i will cut and insert over the area. i will of course cut a hole in the new sub-floor piece to expose the pipe. And then i will cut a hole in a new piece of tile and put down cement board and the tile so i basically have a solid top over the drain pipe with a diameter maybe just a little bigger than the pipe. I think that's the right way to do it?? My biggest concern is what flange to use and how to connect it.
I have included a picture showing:
- the 90 degree elbow about 1.25 inches below the drain top opening.
- a 4" measurement line attempting to indicate there is 4" from the
drain opening to the surface of the tile. Of course that's hard to
see exactly when looking birds-eye as the picture is.
- a blue pen outline showing the exposed joist that will be used to
support my sub-floor insert. I have exposed joists on 3 sides for that support.
Right now here is what i think are my choices:
1- use a 4" collar coupler. this coupler fits on the outside of 4 inch pipe. I believe I can push it 1 to 1-1/4 inch down over the current pipe before it hits the elbow. Then use a 3 x 4 flange with a 4 inch extension that i can buy locally. I will probably have to cut about 3/4" off the extension down to ~ 3.25" and it will go down the collar about 1.75 inches then.
2- Use 3 inch pipe inside of the 4 inch pipes to join them instead of a 4" outside coupler. Basically couple the 4 inch DWV pipe and a 4 inch flange from the inside instead of the outside.
3- I knew i needed something longer than 4" to connect to my pipe and no local places had anything. I didn't think they existed. But i found a 3 x 4 with a 6" extension on line! I could cut abut .75 inches off it and it would fit right into the 1.25 inches i have just before the elbow with just 1 gluing connection instead of 2 for the inside or outside coupler method.
My thoughts:
#1: It keeps the largest inside diameter available down to the elbow at 4 inches. That sounds like a good thing but i don't know if that is a particular advantage over having only 3.5 inches. Toilet openings are only ~ 2.25" so I don't know if its a big advantage having anything bigger than 3 inches anyway.
#2: I can't really see any advantage here. But i listed it just in case I am missing something.
#3: Advantage is just one gluing and it keeps everything inside going down. ie if there was a breach on the outside collar waste could potentially leak to the outside of the pipe. Disadvantage is that i am now reducing my pathway to the elbow to 3.5 inches from 4 inches. Question: is it somehow wrong to use a 6" extension flange?? I couldn't find any locally and wonder if they are just not popular or maybe just not needed enough to stock.
My conclusion: I think #3 is probably the best, but it that is mostly based on the idea that cutting my inside dimension to 3.5 inches does no harm over #1 where it is 4" all the way.
Additional question: I have shown a picture of the potential 6" extension flange that i can buy online. It has a painted top and is from Plumbfit. I don't see any other options for this type of flange. Does this brand and a painted top seem ok?
Bonus questions: I was planning to sub-floor and tile pretty much up to the pipe diameter thinking this gives me the best protection in case of a leak and the most strength. This means i have to connect the flange through the tile, backer-board, mortar and sub-floor. Should i drill out a hole through the tile until the sub-floor so my screws don't have to go through the tile and mortar, or should i try to use tapcon screws long enough to enter the sub-floor. Or something else. I guess i am wondering if i should try to use a specific strong screw that just attaches to the wood and not be limited to a tapcon that is needed if going through the other stuff. (or something else)?
Thanks very much for any thoughts or advice you have to give.