What kind of toilet flange is this? And how can I lower it?

[saccpa]

Hi all,

We recently purchased a 1922 home that had been remodeled in stages over the years. The guest bathroom appeared to have been remodeled about 30 years ago. My wife and I decided to replace the floor tile and some other fixtures, including the toilet. The underlayment for the previous floor was this weird substrate I had never seen before - like mortar between two plastic netting sheets - and was really thick. For this installation, we used hardie backer and 3/8 tile, which means the flange is now much higher than the floor and any modern toilet will not fit properly without rocking.

All that is to say - how the heck do I get this thing off? It looks like there are some compression clamps about four inches down the pipe from the flange, but are those part of the flange or something else?

Any help is much appreciated!

 

[Reach4]

Is this showing the space under the closet flange? That shows a banded coupling, and that may show you will have a relatively easy time. Confirm that the picture is oriented with up as up.

Those screws are not part of the closet flange. Now will you be able to turn the screws? Don't try yet.

Even better, it looks like you might have a compression toilet flange. That would be extra-good news. How about a photo from above with the rag gone, and a lot of the wax scraped out around the top side bolt heads?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/JONES-S...r-Cast-Iron-or-Plastic-Pipe-C40-420/100175841

Get ready to measure the OD of that pipe.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[saccpa]

Yes, up is up in that photo.

Here is a view of the top and side with better lighting and rag removed. Please excuse my poor tiling - it's a work in process.

 

[Reach4]

I think the black in the middle is part of the old wax ring.

I would loosen the four top bolts, and try to lift that closet flange.

Then figure out how to shorten the pipe, and put that same flange back, or get a new compression flange.

Is the ID of the pipe 4 inch, or 3 inch? I am guessing 4 inch, but check.

Before putting the flange back in place, put in wood to screw into to hold the flange down. The rim should sit on the flooring.

https://www.jonesstephens.com/wp-content/uploads/cad_drawing/Product-Cad-Drawing---c40420.pdf.pdf

I think you have the 2-inch version. There are also 3 and 4 inch versions that reach deeper.