Toilet Flange Install (without much exposed pipe)

I’m getting ready to install a new tile floor in the bathroom I’ve been renovating, and making toilet flange considerations before hand. When I moved the toilet location, I installed a 3 inch 90 elbow instead of a 4 inch to 3 inch closet elbow (which I didn’t yet know existed!).

I knew that I wouldn’t have much 3 inch pipe to work with coming out of the floor from that elbow, but now that I’m at the stage for install, it’s clear just how little there will be. I have an outside fitting toilet flange (pictured) with the steel ring, but if I try to use that one I’ll only have about a 1/2” to glue to after cutting both the pipe and flange extension down. Currently, I’ve got about 1” of 3 inch pipe up to finished floor level, but if I leave that as is, it will stick up 1/2” past the inside bevel of the flange. Cutting the 3” pipe so it’d be below the bevel would leave me with the half inch remaining predicament.

So, is it OK to cut down that 3 inch pipe and only have 1/2” of glue up from pipe to flange? Or, should I use an inside fitting flange given the situation? I’m not sure if they make those with a steel ring, which I’d like to keep, and I was hoping to install an outside fitting as a contingency should anything need to be fixed down the road...

Hopefully this all makes sense, and I really appreciate the good advice as always!

 

Terry's a real plumber, and I'm definitely not, but I had this situation and wasn't happy about not having enough depth there and that forcing me to use an inside flange in a 3" pipe. So I got elaborate. I unglued the section of pipe from the 90 degree fitting socket in the floor. This takes some cojones, because if you screw up you'll be busting out concrete (at least my situation was; basement floor in my house). But I think PVC ungluing is kind of fun - it's like it's taboo or something, because you're not supposed to be able to do it. But it's actually easy and works really well. There exist bits to drill pipe out of fittings, but that doesn't seem clean and seems even easier to screw up. There are a few videos around on how to do it, but basically get a heat gun and/or a torch, and just heat the pipe that's glued into the 90 degree fitting socket from the inside. Keep at it, and use something like a screwdriver to jam between the 90 socket and the piece of now-hot pipe. When the pipe is soft, take a pair of needle nose and stick one side of the jaws between the socket and pipe, and the other on the inside of the pipe, then twist the pliers to peel out the pipe. You'll probably have to move the torch or heat gun around and get other areas warmer to keep going, but it works, and works very well. You'll probably want to cut off the piece of pipe pretty much flush with the top of the 90 degree fitting socket so you don't have to heat the entire length.

Once it's unglued, use a "spigot flange", which goes directly into the socket (spigot) of your 90 degree fitting in the floor. You'll have to trim the fitting to the right length, but this is a very clean solution, and you can get a stainless-flanged spigot flange. I was extremely happy with my results.

https://www.amazon.com/Canplas-1936...stainless+spigot+flange&qid=1602182116&sr=8-1

 

This is a Sioux Chief 888-PTM with a stainless ring. Note the area marked in red in drawing. You might have to cut your PVC down below floor level to let the flange go in, so check before gluing. No easy do-overs.

Canplas 193617SS may have been the long-tail 3 inch spigot closet flange that you were looking for originally.

https://www.canplas.com/plumbing/ct_product/193617ss/

 

Thanks for the excellent options and advice!

 

The outside diameter of the port on the bottom of my toilet is 3 1/4” — Will the inside flange still work?

 

Yes. It's the inside diameter that matters. The OD bottom is about 5/8 or 3/4 inch or so above the floor, so that really doesn't come into play.

 

if that closet ring dosent have a stop in it just glue it at height of finish floor cut it off after glueing , I dont see a problem. code requires screwing it down to floor and you should use screws . you might only have a half inch plus the floor thickness and its getting held down