Toilet Flange Options

[Ryan Bennett]

Hi all-

I have a basement bathroom that I am renovating and was hoping for some expert support on how to handle setting the toilet properly. This particular bathroom had a smell of sewage gas, which made sense since the toilet was sitting about 1/2" off the finished floor in the back, where the previous owners had shimmed with two pieces of copper piping. When I removed the toilet, I found a flange that was bolted to the finished floor/subfloor (concrete), but was not properly done as it had a significant gap between the flange and the finished floor. To make matters worse, the flange they used was a 3-inch fitting, which did not snuggly fit into the drain pipe. I suspect this is how gasses were allowed to escape, even with a wax ring.

I went to replace with a new flange, but I now have this problem:

The previous owner cut an old flange off flush with the floor, leaving the pipe fitting that was glued inside the 4" drain pipe still attached. This has now made a 4" drain pipe into about a 3.25" ID. This not standard, which is why the previous owner placed a 3" flange and left play on either side. Below are a couple options I have thought of:

Option 1: Use a metal flange repair ring so I can bolt to the floor, and rely on a reinforced jumbo wax ring with horn that will seal. Is this sufficient?

Option 2: Make cuts on the left over flange fitting and chisel off. I would prefer to do this so I can use a standard flange that I can glue to the drain pipe, however I am reluctant to possibly do damage to the drain pipe. If that pipe would crack, it would cause a mess of trouble since the subfloor is concrete.

I have attached pictures to go with my story.

Thanks

 

[Tuttles Revenge]

is that a concrete floor under the wood? Is that PVC that we're looking at? If so, it doesn't have a metal ring? Or did it get removed?

If its concrete and that is plastic/PVC and it doesn't or won't move, I would take Door Number 1. guestimating that the sealing surface looks about 1/2" from the finished floor. Bolt down a stainless ring with long stainless/brass bolts bolted to the flange.. Dry set and level/shim the toilet (something new I learned from Terry on this site) then place your wax and set.

 

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[Reach4]

Option 1, except you did not say how far down the pvc ring is. You might need more wax.

You could also look at the Danco Hydro Seat, which is like repair ring with a tail.

 

[Ryan Bennett]

is that a concrete floor under the wood? Is that PVC that we're looking at? If so, it doesn't have a metal ring? Or did it get removed?

If its concrete and that is plastic/PVC and it doesn't or won't move, I would take Door Number 1. guestimating that the sealing surface looks about 1/2" from the finished floor. Bolt down a stainless ring with long stainless/brass bolts bolted to the flange.. Dry set and level/shim the toilet (something new I learned from Terry on this site) then place your wax and set.

Thanks for the reply. It is concrete and it is PVC, so you were right in those assumptions. I actually just put new flooring in, so now the finished floor is sitting about 1/4" above the concrete subfloor. The previous set up had no metal ring, but it was a normal plastic flange with a fitting measuring 3" so it did fit inside this off-standard opening, just had too much play around the sides.

 

[Tuttles Revenge]

If the floor is only 1/4" above the flange, you're likely only going to use a jumbo wax ring to make that work. 2 rings stacked maybe..

 

[Ryan Bennett]

Thanks for your feedback guys. I was actually able to get that pipe fitting out of the drain pipe. It was never primed and glued so it came out pretty easily after I made one cut with the sawzall. I was able to use a new flange and the toilet is seated with no leaks.

Thanks!

 

[Tuttles Revenge]

It was never primed and glued so it came out pretty easily after I made one cut with the sawzall.

Thats sorta scary...