Toilet flange problem

[oldVermonter]

First, thanks to everyone for the wonderful info you provide. I have learned so much from reading your discussions over the past few years. And thanks to Terry's family for keeping his legacy alive.

Background:
-I am replacing a 20-odd-years-old Kohler toilet (2F of a wood frame house) with a new Toto Drake.
-The old toilet has never leaked since we bought the house 12 years ago, we are just refurbishing the bathroom.
-Part of that is to replace old sheet vinyl with the newer "luxury vinyl" planks, which raises the floor ~3/16 inch.
-The PVC part of the flange is very close to the new floor grade, which is not high enough, as I understand it.
-I see no sign of deterioration of the existing flange.

What I was hoping to do:
-Attach a 1/4" Oatey spacer to raise the flange height above the new finished grade.

However:
-The PVC part of the flange doesn't sit perfectly flush with the metal part, it sits ~1mm higher. And, it isn't perfectly level (Not sure exactly what I'm looking at, but my guess is they didn't cut the drainpipe correctly.) The metal flange is perfectly level.
-The Oatey spacer sits fine on the PVC flange, but it is of course, also slightly off level. And there is an space between the spacer and the metal flange. I'm concerned I would overstress the spacer when I screw it down to the flange/floor.

So:
-I would be grateful for your advice.

Thank you!

 

[Breplum]

At this point I can't recommend a course of action because steps that should have been undertaken to raise the metal flange were not.
So, just secure the flange to the floor with non corrosive (brass, S.S. or special coated) to act as a solid anchor for the new closet bolts. Use an extra thick no-seep wax ring.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[oldVermonter]

At this point I can't recommend a course of action because steps that should have been undertaken to raise the metal flange were not.
So, just secure the flange to the floor with non corrosive (brass, S.S. or special coated) to act as a solid anchor for the new closet bolts. Use an extra thick no-seep wax ring.

Breplum,

Thank you for the quick response. Should I worry about the spacer flexing when I fasten it down? As I mentioned earlier, it doesn't sit flush on the metal flange.

Just to make sure, this is the product I am talking about:

Oatey Closet Flange Spacer

If it was really the right way to go (ugh), I could remove the floor to work on the flange. It's a floating floor, so disassembly is certainly doable.

 

[Reach4]

I would consider a Danco Hydroseat over wax.

People say to not pin a floating floor down, but I think pinning things down at the toilet is ok. Just make sure that there is enough gap on the perimeter. The amount of gap needed for thermal expansion would be proportional to the distance from the toilet, I think.