Yet another amusing Flange question!

[Jette]

I have the opposite problem as others who have posted about the flange being too high.
https://terrylove.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9419

The only change I have made is ripping out the vinyl and installing some standard floor tiles. Now the flange sits too low and the toilet will not compress, even the jumbo, was ring enough to make a good seal. I don't want to rip out the whole PVC flange from the concrete. Is there an extender product or should I just add tile on top of the flange, or some kind of spacer?

Thanks!

 

[Cass]

If your on a basement you can replace the flange and set it at the right height. If your on a slab or second floor and don't want to cut open the ceiling you can go to Low*s and they sell flange spacer kits that will raise the flange to the height needed.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Jette]

frustrations

Thanks for the suggestion. This I did. Then I found there were no concrete screws holding down the original flange, but it was well stuck in the cement. I drilled new holes in the concrete through the old flange and the new spacer using a concrete bit. Then I tried to drive screws into the concrete, Lowes concrete screws, and each one snapped off, ruining the prospective mounting holes. What feakin junk! Then, with no other apparent choice, I used some Silicone sealant to seal the old flange to the spacer and screwed it up tight with the mounting bolts. Hopefully this will not leak. What do you think? Suggestions or correctionbs? It was this or pull out the original flange or use a double wax ring.

 

[Geniescience]

not siliconized latex

was the silicone real silicone and not siliconized latex? this is the important thing about the material.

did you know that you could drill larger holes, and put in anchors (lead, or plastic) and that would work too? it wouldn't risk breaking concrete screws (which i have never seen happen, to Tapcons). Also you can re-drill over the broken screws too.

david

 

[Jadnashua]

Out of curiosity, were those concrete screws you got from Lowes made in China?

 

[Mikey]

China, schmina...

I've broken off more Tapcons than I can count in my 35-year-old slab, even using a 9.6V cordless and their official Tapcon drill bit. They're junk, IMHO.

 

[Jadnashua]

You must have a lot of aggragate in there...I've been lucky I guess. The quality of the Chinese steel is really iffy, though. You never know what you are going to get.

 

[Molo]

tapcons and his flange

I break tapcons all the time by hand
also, he siad he pulled the flange up to the toilet with the mounting bolts, is that ok?

 

[Jadnashua]

You're still probably okay if the thing is embedded in the concrete, although it would be better if it was attached to the floor.

 

[Plumber1]

If that flange is a little low, I don't know why you didn't slice a second wax ring in half and apply it to the first one. Don't believe you need two whole wax rings. You will get a good seal.............

 

[Gary Swart]

The easiest and least expensive way I have found to anchor into concrete is to drill holes and then use lead ferrels and screws. In the case of a toilet, I use stainless steel screws.