When your toilet flange is too high, your toilet may leak water and rock back and forth when used. Both the leaking and the rocking can warp or break the floor. A leaking flange can also rot the subfloor and lead to the accumulation of mildew and mold.
What is the correct height for a toilet flange?
The optimum toilet flange height is approximately ¼ inch above the floor to achieve the best seal and overall fit. If the previous flange is too low, purchase one that is designed to sit on the finished floor and provide the optimum toilet flange height.
Should a toilet flange be level with the floor?
When you install your toilet flange, it should be installed on top of the finished floor, and it should also be installed perfectly level. If your flange sits even or below the floor, then it’s wrong. It has to sit evenly on top of the finished floor. This is very important.
How to raise a toilet flange?
The tile-over method for raising the closet flange involves placing a tile over the existing flange, which will create a new level surface to support the toilet’s bigger and heavier wax ring.
Does the toilet flange need to bolted to the floor?
Yes, you have to screw or bolt the toilet flange to the floor. If you do not, you risk not securing the toilet enough to prevent rocking that may damage the wax seal, the drainage pipe, or the floor.
Should toilet flange be flush with finished floor?
A best practice is to install the toilet flange on top of the finished floor. If you install the toilet flange flush with the finished floor, or even below the finished floor, leak paths will form, because the flange won't be at the correct height to accept the horn at the bottom of the toilet.
Can a toilet flange be lowered?
Trim the Waste Pipe Another fix to lower the flange height is to remove the flange with the toilet, then trim down the waste pipe that comes up through your bathroom floor. Ensure that the opening of this pipe is at the same level as the floor.
What happens if the toilet flange is not level?
0:171:52Level Up An Out of Level Toilet Flange - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou take that space where you put it on top of the flange make sure your layout arrows are whereMoreYou take that space where you put it on top of the flange make sure your layout arrows are where they're supposed to be you belts and this down with either 60 or 80 grit sandpaper.
How do you adjust toilet flange height?
1:283:17Toilet Flange Height After Tiling - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThey make different thicknesses. Or you can stock them if you need to and the way this worksMoreThey make different thicknesses. Or you can stock them if you need to and the way this works basically is I've already removed the screws from the old flange. Okay. And there is some plate.
How high can a toilet flange be off the floor?
1/4 inchCheck the Flange Height The optimum flange height to aim for is 1/4 inch above the finished floor. This typically allows for almost any type of wax ring to be used and still ensure a good seal.
How much does it cost to lower a toilet flange?
If your toilet is creaking or wobbling, you may need to replace the flange. For a plumber, replacing a toilet flange is a quick and easy job. Replacing a toilet flange costs $145 to $165 on average. However, that's assuming no other complications pop up.
Does a toilet need to be perfectly level?
Most toilets in the home can function even if they are not level. However, if a toilet isn't level and rocks side to side or back and forth, it can quickly damage the wax seal and flange, resulting in leaks. It is best to verify that it is level when installing a toilet.
How do I fix the gap between my toilet and floor?
Apply a thin, even bead of caulk around the base of the toilet to cover the gap along the floor and hide the shims. If necessary, smooth the caulk with your finger, wiping your finger clean frequently with a paper towel or a rag.
How do you shim a toilet flange?
0:241:36How to Install Toilet Shims : How to Fix Toilets - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipMake sure that when you're putting the shims at the base of the toilet you aren't lifting the toiletMoreMake sure that when you're putting the shims at the base of the toilet you aren't lifting the toilet too high and separating the wax ring that's your seal to keep the water from flowing. Out.
Should you caulk around a toilet?
Caulk keeps your toilet secure the floor, and avoids any chance of injury or toilet malfunctioning. It's actually required by the International Plumbing Code to caulk a toilet to the floor, and now knowing the reasoning behind it, why would you not want to?
How do you raise the toilet flange after tiling the floor?
A better solution is to raise the height of the flange.Measure the distance from the top of the toilet flange to the top of the finished tile floor.Purchase a toilet flange extension ring thick enough to raise the toilet mounting surface so that it's approximately 1/4-inch above the level of the finished tile floor.More items...
Can you use 2 wax rings when installing a toilet?
You can certainly install a toilet with multiple wax rings, in fact sometimes it is necessary to make sure you don't have a leak. The most common case is when a homeowner will install a tile floor (or really any thick floor).
Can toilet flange sit lower than floor?
In a typical toilet installation, the floor flange that sits inside the drain opening below the toilet should be positioned so that its bottom surface rests flush against the finished floor or no more than 1/4 inch above or below the floor.
What is an adjustable toilet flange?
Unlike a standard flange, which is centered on the waste pipe, an offset flange is off-center—that lets you shift the location of the toilet by a couple of inches (left, right, forward or back).
Should there be a gap between toilet and wall?
Generally, a 1-inch gap between the back of a toilet and the wall is normal. Building codes require 15 inches from the center of a toilet to the back of a wall, resulting in a one-inch gap. If there is more than a 1-inch space, we recommend using an offset flange.
How do I fix the gap between my toilet and floor?
Apply a thin, even bead of caulk around the base of the toilet to cover the gap along the floor and hide the shims. If necessary, smooth the caulk with your finger, wiping your finger clean frequently with a paper towel or a rag.
What Causes Toilet Flange to be Too High?
Smart remodeling companies always get to the root cause of an issue to prevent reoccurrence. We don’t want to blame anyone, but preventing an issue before it happens is the easiest way to save money.
Simple Fix When Toilet Flange Too High
Those who are reading this article probably have their flange installed too high and now looking for a simple solution.
How to keep toilet from moving?
Get your toilet in place and set your toilet on four rubber shims. These rubber shims will keep your toilet from moving while you’re working on the flange. Take your mixed grout and pack it into the gap. Make sure you do this all around the toilet. Wait 24-hours before the grout to dry. Once dried, remove the shims.
What to do after you remove shims?
After you have removed the shims, grout the gaps where you pulled the shims out from.
How to make grout stronger when it's dry?
Another thing you should do is add moisture to the grout when it’s drying. Grout dries faster when it has moisture in it. Use a spray bottle to add moisture. This will help the grout become strong as it dries.
How long does it take for grout to dry on a toilet?
Make sure you do this all around the toilet. Wait 24-hours before the grout to dry. Once dried, remove the shims. Some of these might be a little hard to remove, but they will eventually come out. After you have removed the shims, grout the gaps where you pulled the shims out from.
What is the best flange for a toilet?
The Twist N Set is one of the best flanges you can use. It has a water tight seal and goes into the pipe several inches. You’ll then want to drill 4 pilot holes into the floor. If your bathroom floor is concrete, make sure you use concrete screws. Set your toilet onto the flange and tighten up the screws on your toilet.
How to get a fitting out of a pipe?
To get the fitting out from the inside of the pipe, you’ll want to make two score cuts, less than an inch between each other, on the inside of the fitting. Use a blade of some sort to do this. Make sure when you’re cutting, you don’t go deeper than the fitting.
How to fix a flange that is too high?
Grout is an excellent tool to use when the flange is too high. To use grout to fix your flange: Start by mixing your grout. You don’t necessarily needed to follow the instructions on the package. Instead, put a small amount in a something that looks like a yogurt container and make the container a 6 to 1 grout to water ratio.
What to do if toilet flange is too low?
If the toilet flange is too low, you can put flange extensions. Flange extensions with spacers may increase the height of the pipe. As a result, you can put your desired flange above the extension later when the height is reached. This will give the low floor a height to put the flange.
Is a toilet flange supposed to be level with the floor?
Not exactly, it should be just above the floor tile. If the floor doesn’t contain tiles, the flange can be almost to the level of the floor. The gap should be ¼ from the floor.
Should the toilet flange be flush with the tile?
Yes, the toilet flange should be flush with the tile. Actually, the bottom surface of the flange should be put just above the floor.
Can a toilet flange be flush with the finished floor?
Yes, a toilet flange can be flush with the finished floor. The flange flush should be attached to the finished floor.
How to make a toilet look like it was grouted?
Tip: when leaving gaps in the grout around shims, neatly curve the end of the grout bead inward under the toilet: don't leave it ragged. This curve make it easier to create a smooth, invisible overlap when you close the gap the next day , so it looks like everything was grouted in one pass. (This is analogous to feathering the edge of a painted area, so then it blends nicely when the adjacent unpainted area is later covered.)
What happens if a toilet rocks?
If the toilet rocks due to an uneven floor, it can break the wax seal and damage the flange. Evidently plumbers in the "olden days" used to commonly do this as the "right way, darn it" to install a toilet. In fact, some took the time to follow a procedure which goes something like this:
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What is the meaning of "back up"?
Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
Is a toilet raised before grouting?
For comparison of grout bead size, here is an identical toilet in another location, also grouted with the same material, but which is not raised. This toilet already sat on the floor, before the grout was applied, which was done for cosmetic reasons and any additional stability it might provide.
Can you leave a gap in the grout in the back of a toilet?
Optional: leave a gap in the grout in an inconspicuous place (back of the toilet) for releasing any leakage. I'm aware of the arguments for it, but I decided against it. I'd rather not have a water spill on the floor going the other way under the toilet, or create a crevice for pests to crawl into.
Can you use a toilet flange to raise the floor?
It not only can be used to raise toilets, but it will take care of any unevenness in the floor (or the toilet itself) even if the flange isn't too high. If the toilet rocks due to an uneven floor, it can break the wax seal and damage the flange.
