Flange orientation wrong!

Greg98 · Apr 21, 2011

The pic below shows my closet flange as I set it in place to lay out the notches I made in my floor tile. Floor is now tiled, and as you can see, I have the large holes (for the johnny bolts) lined up at 9 and 3 o'clock.

I really don't want to drill any more holes in my tile - would I be OK if I drilled a few holes in the flange? I'm mainly wondering if it would be OK to have the screw heads slightly proud of the flange.

Thanks in advance.

SacCity · Apr 21, 2011

Last few of these fittings that I used the stainless steel mounting ring fit in a grove.
As such I was able to spin it to the correct location after instalation.
May need to use a screwdriver or such to get a bit more leverage.
Michael

Sponsor · 2022-01-29T12:20:58-0800

Greg98 · Apr 21, 2011

Hi Michael,

Thanks for the response, but the problem isn't that I've set the flange in wrong - it's not installed yet. The problem is that I've notched my tile in such a way that, when the holes for the sub-floor line up, the largest part of the johnny bolt slots are going to be at 3 and 9 o'clock. My options appear to be either drilling new holes in my tile (which I don't want to do) or drilling new holes in the flange itself. if I do that, the screws are going to stand slightly proud of the flange.

I guess the real question is, when the toilet is installed, how much space is there between the top of the flange and the toilet?

Gary Swart · Apr 21, 2011

There is plenty of room. Lots of use use a nut on top of the flange to secure the flange bolt in position and upright. I prefer #12 stainless steel screws long enough to at least reach 1/2 into the sub flooring to anchor the flange.

Greg98 · Apr 21, 2011

Excellent. Thanks Gary, that solves my dilemma.

Greg98 · Apr 21, 2011

Wouldn't a spanner flange work for this? All I need is something to hold the bolts in place when I fasten the toilet down. If I got a spanner flange I could just slip it into the underside of the flange, correct?

Gary Swart · Apr 21, 2011

You're getting too fancy. The only reason for securing the flange bolts is to make it easier to set the toilet squarely onto the wax ring without skewing it. It can be done...it is done without firming the bolts up, but a couple of nuts stand them up straight and keeps them from moving around while you ease the toilet over them.

Greg98 · Apr 21, 2011

I think I must be missing something, so I apologize for being thick, but what keeps the bolts from coming through the large hole in the flange? Isn't that why you slide them into the thin part of the groove?

JohnjH2o1 · Apr 21, 2011

Why not turn the flange to the correct position and drill new holes in the tile to screw the flange down. Use a carbide or diamond tip bit.

John

Greg98 · Apr 21, 2011

Thanks John. I would, but this is particularly tough/brittle porcelain, and the holes would be precariously close to the notches that are already in the tile, so I'd be asking for trouble if I tried drilling close to those areas.

Cacher_Chick · Apr 21, 2011

I can't tell where your drilled holes are, but if your flange bolts slots are not aligned at 3 and 9 just fill the holes and drill new ones where they belong.

If the flange bolts will lock in at least 1/2 way up the slot, it should be fine.

If your tile is cut properly, the flange should barely fit in over the pipe, and you will have plenty of tile to drill. Spend the money on the diamond bit, it works.

Greg98 · Apr 21, 2011

Unfortunately they're not really "holes", but notches I cut with a tile saw, so they're pretty wide. I'm really trying to avoid drilling into the tile - two of them are installed under my wainscot, so any mishap would open a HUGE can of worms.

Gary Swart · Apr 21, 2011

Flange bolt have a very wide head. They fit through the wide space in the flange then slid into the narrow slot. You square the end of the narrow slot to 3 and 9, not the the wide holes.

Jadnashua · Apr 22, 2011

Assuming you got good thinset coverage under the tile, and you use the right drill bit, there is little chance of cracking the tile. Use a diamond core bit. It works more like it's sanding its way through the tile than cutting it like a drill bit through wood.

LLigetfa · Apr 22, 2011

Judging by the long shadow on the pic, it looks like you haven't glued it in place yet. If so, you could countersink the new holes you drill with a punch on a block of wood so that the screw heads recess just like the factory holes do.

Gary Swart · Apr 22, 2011

It isn't necessary to countersink the new holes, there is plenty of room on top of a flange for screw heads. Don't over thinks this problem.

Flange orientation wrong!

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