Toilet Flange - tile install

Jerome8283

Jerome8283

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Do I need to remove the flange to prepare for tiling? It sits on a platform now. Pls see the pics below. I'm thinking I may be able to chip away at the top tile platform. Once I get this free I can easily remove the tile underneath. After installing the new tile I may be at the right height?

Or, chip top platform away, remove the tile, cut the flange off, and install a new one and extender if necessary?

IMG_9306.JPG
IMG_9305.JPG
IMG_9307.JPG
 
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You are asking for a lot of aggravation unless you go all the way back into the floor and make that riser come straight up. That's why they put a platform there so as to get that flange to sit on the floor flat.

Your problem is bigger than you think.
 
Could you expand on your comment a bit? I'm suggesting leaving the flange as is providing I can remove the platform. Why would you say this is creating aggravation because of the work required to chip the platform away?

Can someone else share their thoughts as well?
 
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Hard to tell from the pictures, but it looks like if you were to leave the flange where it is, it would be way too high above the new tile floor, resulting in a rocking toilet. I'd remove the flange and platform, do the tile job and set a new flange properly.
 
The flange is glued in. Is there a way to remove it? I assumed not which is why I'm thinking the way I am.

I will be installing Ditra on the floor first. So, the floor would consist of thinset, Ditra, thinset and tile.
 
The new pic confirms my suspicion -- there's no way you can leave that flange there stuck up in the air unless you do some serious shimming of the toilet, and that will probably not look very good. Do you have access to the waste plumbing below, or is all this on a slab?
 
The bathroom is on the second level, above the first floor bathroom. The subfloor is 2 layers of ply, 3/8 and 5/8. There is a lot of play with the drain/flange. If I pull up gently there's about an inch or more space. The platform is secured by two screws, no mortar. With the screws in I can jiggle the platform.

I know this is a stretch but I may be able to lift and tile under and leave the platform as is. The challenge is maintaining the lifted position while I tile.

Or, pull up the floor and replace. :mad:
 
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Actually, the challenge is fastening the flange to the new tiled surface. If you can do that, you may be OK, although you might be violating the First Law of Plumbing. I'd go ahead and pull up the flange as high as you can, do your demolition, and then see if you can press the flange down to where the new tile surface will be. While it's in that position, pour a gallon or so of water down the hole and see if a puddle forms where you can see it. If it does, you've violated the First Law, and will have to remove the flange and do it right.

If no puddle, things might be draining OK, although there may be stress on the waste pipe which might evolve into a leak over time -- your call. You'll be able to set the tile under the flange just fine with the amount of clearance you've got.

I'm a little confused by your "leave the platform as is" statement. I assumed you'd be replacing all that with a uniform tiled surface. If you're goint to leave the platform, what's the problem?
 
What I mean is, lift the platform and flange as it is, tile underneath and let it back down. The platform will remain with new tile installed underneath. It will look as it does now except the new tile will be in place of the current in the picture.
 
In some locales, that platform is required by code. Don't know about yours.

It appears that you have an elbow nearly immediately below the flange. Taking the platform out and lowering the thing might disrupt the proper slope. But, if you want to remove the platform, you would need to cut out the flange and maybe more, and then replace it after you get your new tile in place.
 
jadnashua said:
In some locales, that platform is required by code. Don't know about yours.

It appears that you have an elbow nearly immediately below the flange. Taking the platform out and lowering the thing might disrupt the proper slope. But, if you want to remove the platform, you would need to cut out the flange and maybe more, and then replace it after you get your new tile in place.
Click to expand...

You're right. There does appear to be an elbow. Looks like I'll have to attempt tiling beneath the platform.
 
As cockeyed as that pipe coming through the floor, I don't see how the flange can be glued to the pipe. Or is my visual perspective wrong?
It looks like the plumber really screwed up.
 
plumber1 said:
As cockeyed as that pipe coming through the floor, I don't see how the flange can be glued to the pipe. Or is my visual perspective wrong? It looks like the plumber really screwed up.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure it's glued. I will take another look.
 
It's definitely glued.

I'm no plumber but I agree, this is one screwed up installation. It works though. It has for the ten yrs I've been here.

I unscrewed the platform and I can literally rotate it around so getting to the tile won't be too bad. I just hope I can get all of the tile up.

See the attached pic where I turned the platform.

IMG_9308.JPG
 
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A close examination may show that you could cut the elbow and flange off, then you could get rid of the plate. If you can check the slope of the line, you may have enough flexibility along with picking a different brand of flange to allow it to fit on a and be the right height. Before I kept the existing plate, I'd tear out enough celing below to check it out.
 
What is on the floor now? Is that gray stuff tiles, or vinyl? It looks like ceramic tile, but I'm not sure.
 
Ceramic tile. I already pulled up more than half the ceramic tile in the room. The room is gutted with the expection of this area.
 
I was hoping you'd say vinyl.
I agree that I would definately go from the bottom and get that flange replaced with one at the proper height and angle.
That platform is hideous. If you must keep it, though, I would have it trimmed to the shape of the toilet, rather than being rectangular.
I have a funny feeling that the reason that the flange is sticking up like that is that there might have been a drainage problem. If the slope wasn't right during the original install, and it needed to be increased, they may have just pushed the elbow/flange further up into the floor, just to increase the slope. Sounds hack, I know, but I could see someone doing that....
How else do you explain a flange sticking up like that, and at such an angle, coming up out of a second story wood floor? It would have been super easy to just screw it flush to the plywood. I bet there is a slope problem.
 
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Pewterpower said:
I was hoping you'd say vinyl.
I agree that I would definately go from the bottom and get that flange replaced with one at the proper height and angle.
That platform is hideous. If you must keep it, though, I would have it trimmed to the shape of the toilet, rather than being rectangular.
I have a funny feeling that the reason that the flange is sticking up like that is that there might have been a drainage problem. If the slope wasn't right during the original install, and it needed to be increased, they may have just pushed the elbow/flange further up into the floor, just to increase the slope. Sounds hack, I know, but I could see someone doing that....
How else do you explain a flange sticking up like that, and at such an angle, coming up out of a second story wood floor? It would have been super easy to just screw it flush to the plywood. I bet there is a slope problem.
Click to expand...

I have to think on this. I'm not sure I want to pull down walls in my master bath beneath this one. I'm really leaning toward leaving what is working alone. Yes, the platform is not the nicest looking thing but maybe I can do something to improve on its appearance. Cutting it to the shape of the toilet is not a good idea. If I should have to replace the toilet I would be force to find one that matches the shape of the platform.
 
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