I'm really starting to understand why the sellers of our home told us "good luck" at closing 5-years ago...
After dealing with the screwed up shower drain last month, my daughter's toilet started leaking around the base 3 weeks ago(right before we had company coming in). I already had a wax ring, so I pulled up the toilet & discovered this mess.
This is in the original post-war concrete slab, and it looks like cast iron pipe to me. For whatever reason the PO didn't install a toilet flange before he laid tile.
1.) I presume(hope) there's a toilet flange designed for installing into old/flush iron pipe like this?
2.) What's my best option for cutting the tile in situ? Is there some type of hole cutter saw designed for tile?
Chop away as much tile as is needed to sit the wax ring on the sub/concrete. Use a wax ring that has the rubber insert. Use two, stacked, since they'll be sitting lower than the toilet (on tile).
That should take care of sealing. For anchoring the throne, we use a steel repair ring.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Pasco-21013-Quick-Ring-Closet-Toilet-Flange-Repair-/173893246081
anchored with expanding nails. I like the big ones, 4" or more. And the holes are drilled with a rotary hammer. Dirty, but not complicated. I probably have to install 2-3 a month.
Pro tip: get a second set of nuts for the toilet bolts and put those bolts on the repair flange before installing it. Much easier.
should end up looking like this:
I'll 2nd the wax ring with rubber insert. It sticks down into the pipe so nothing should leak.
this is the fluidmaster ring
Thanks guys! I did use a wax ring with a the rubber insert, but I didn't think about stacking 2 of them.
How do I chip away the tile without shattering the whole thing - just use a hammer & chisel?
In reply to Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) :
Hammer and chisel and caution. It's not super critical, I just like to because I'm a bit of a masochist.
stack two rings. Better to clean up excess wax than to not seal properly. Make sure you can feel the wax squish as you settle the toilet down.
And please, caulk the base. All the way around if you can. It acts as an adhesive and helps keep the toilet from developing a rock, which will unseal the wax.
I see stuff like this and wonder WTF is wrong with people? How do you do that and sleep at night?
Go look for something called a polylok extend and lock. It is a tapered fitting you can hammer down into the pipe and then use transition glue to attach the proper ABS flange. I presume the bolt holes are already there or how was the toilet held down before?
Good advice given above. It can be amazing what you find in old houses. Fortunately they have been around long enough people have figured out solutions!
The bolts holding the toilet are there if you look, just covered with wax. The bolts are not the issue.
In reply to barefootskater (Shaun) :
Thanks!
Fortunately the PO took care of the rocking...
Yes, that's a paint stir stick stuck to the bottom of the toilet, but it does seem to work.
In reply to bearmtnmartin (Forum Supporter) :
Thanks, I'll check the local plumbing house for one!
