Toilet flange on grout?

[Go_Habs_Go]

Hi all,

I'm in the middle of a full bathroom reno and just had the bathroom tiled. The tiler left a bit of a gap around the toilet drain (see photos) because he thought the plumber would install the flange directly to the sub-floor as opposed to on top of the tile. I explained that the plumber wanted to install the flange over the tile so the toilet would have a better seal with the flange.

So the tiler ended up filing the gap with grout to make it flush with the tile around it. Can the flange sit on top of this? Will the grout support the flange?? Or should I remove the grout and then fill the gap with mortar or something more solid?

 

[Reach4]

Your pictures are not that informative. Doesn't show the pipe. Doesn't identify the pipe diameter. Doesn't tell how high the pipe sits. Did you put a lid or a small pie over the pipe for the photo?

If the outside of the pipe is covered in grout, then some kind of inside flange could be used. 3 inch or 4 inch?

Closet flange over grout is fine; you can screw into that. Having space left around the pipe for an outside flange would have been better probably.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Go_Habs_Go]

Thanks for the reply, here are some additional photos. The drain is a lead toilet sleeve that is still closed at the top. Drain is 4" across and about 1.75" above the tile. The plumber said he would come back once the floor was tiled to cut the top of the pipe and install the flange. Agree that it would be better to install the flange over the tile but not sure if the tile is close enough to the drain pipe to be able to do that now.

 

[Jeff H Young]

the plumber will set a flange and w/c no prob.

 

[Reach4]

Ahh. New photos give good info. That may be a styrofoam or other spacer made for the purpose, which does reserve room for an outside closet flange.


https://www.firstsupply.com/Product/WHC012140

 

[Jadnashua]

While grout isn’t quite as strong as say concrete, it’s probably stronger than plain cement based thin set...it’s strong enough by far in compressive strength for anything you’d want to do around a toilet. Now, depending on the tile, the plumber may need a diamond bit to efficiently drill holes to anchor the new flange, but is something he normally would be prepared for. And, yes, the correct place for the flange is on top of the finished floor, but numerous times, because the contractor doesn’t want to call the plumber back after the floor is finished, it gets mounted on the sub flooring. It can work, but may require a thick wax ring or a stack to seal, and the thicker the wax, if you get aggressive about plunging, should it become necessary at some point, it’s easier to blow out the wax seal.