Total amateur - Reinstalling toilet. Flange & Wax Seal questions.

[czech99]

Update 7/16*

just a small update. i ended up using jumbo wax rings on all. downstairs bathroom no problems. the 2 upstairs they seem to rock ever so slightly left to right (havent caulked yet). i think its the floor though. i have to really push down on the bowl to get it to move. shims dont naturally slide under, so there is no gap. will caulking take care of the slight play im having?

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Original quetion:

Hello everyone, wife and I just bought our first home. Yay and scary. Had new flooring installed in the entire house.

After new floor has been laid down the flanges (1 downstairs and 2 upstairs) all sit flush with the floor. Researching this subject yield varying opinions and is making my head spin and making me second guess myself on everything.

I'm now completely scared since reading horror stories of leaking toilets, etc. I don't want to ruin my ceiling with a leaking 2nd floor toilet. I'm confident in the downstairs, cause its just concrete slab so I can deal with a small leak on that. I'm just paranoid now about upstairs.

So to make a long story short. Is it absolutely fine if it's flush as long as the wax ring makes contact? I was thinking of just buying 1 and install it, then removing to see if it a) made a seal and b) got compressed. If all looks well, put new seal again and move on with my life?

Here are some pictures of the flanges at flush level. Do they look like they are in good shape too? I'll clean them up a bit more as well.

 

[Reach4]

I think you are fine there. Many do fine even recessed recessed 3/8 inch. Those need more wax and care.

Do get your shims in position before the final drop onto the wax. You don't want to de-compress wax, so you don't want to insert shims after you drop the toilet.

Shims are mainly to prevent rocking. I took the added step of leveling the toilet. That is seldom done. My slant was sleight, but I decided to do it anyway.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[czech99]

I think you are fine there. Many do fine even recessed recessed 3/8 inch. Those need more wax and care.

Do get your shims in position before the final drop onto the wax. You don't want to de-compress wax, so you don't want to insert shims after you drop the toilet.

Shims are mainly to prevent rocking. I took the added step of leveling the toilet. That is seldom done. My slant was sleight, but I decided to do it anyway.

Ok thanks, so do a dry run with no wax seal. insert shims as needed to level toilet, lift, add regular wax seal (not jumbo?) and place toilet back down evenly. tighten and caulk front and sides and leave rear un-caulked so potential leak could escape and be seen, vs ruining sub floor.

Sound right?

 

[Reach4]

Jumbo sounds good, probably equivalent to being between one regular and two regular rings. See https://terrylove.com/forums/index....rings-that-is-the-question.48351/#post-355172

 

[czech99]

thanks

 

[czech99]

just a small update. i ended up using jumbo wax rings on all. downstairs bathroom no problems. the 2 upstairs they seem to rock ever so slightly left to right (havent caulked yet). i think its the floor though. i have to really push down on the bowl to get it to move. shims dont naturally slide under, so there is no gap. will caulking take care of the slight play im having?