Help with tile and flange

Going to install new toilet in remodeled bathroom with new tile. I always saw the flange screwed to the sub floor, so this is how I did my floor. Now reading this site and seeing a thread that had a cut away of a toilet with the flange, I can see that it is better to have it on the finished floor. I did not install the flange yet so I can still correct / improve this. Can I just put some mortar down, let it harden and screw the flange down, or should I go through the hassel of cutting tile to fit in there. Right now the plastic flange sits slightly higher than the tile. Reading this site, I'm going to go with the flange with a metal ring which I understand is slightly shorter. Any thoughts.

Well, you do want it screwed down into the subfloor. You do want a nice flange with a metal ring. (There's a Sioux Chief one that is good quality, and there are also other good ones.) And you do want it to be above the level of the finished floor.

That's the optimal setup. And you can achieve that, so I would go ahead and do that.

I wouldn't worry about actually attaching it to the top of the tile.

And, for what it's worth, at the end of the day we see flanges flush with the finished floor all the time on here, and we just recommend that folks use two wax rings to fill the gap.

You could just use some tile scraps as shims, even use thinset to anchor them, if you want, leaving gaps to run the screws into the subfloor. This would bring the bottom of the flange to the same height as the tile around it.

Is that a 3" flange that fits INTO the riser pipe? IF so, toss it and get one that fastens to the outside of the pipe. It makes no difference WHAT is under the flange to raise it as long as it is solid.

hj: looks to be the case. Also, it looks like the number is 43509, which is an Oatey 3" Inside Fit PVC Closet Flange, so that confirms it.

http://www.oatey.com/products/drain...es/inside-fit-closet-flange-with-plastic-ring

thanks for getting back to me on this. I'm going to set some tile down to bring it up. I know I can do the double wax ring, but the idea of a blow out if I were plunging it concerns me. From the homeowners before us, I have to redo all the drywall in the foyer under this bathroom. So any chance of preventing something is worth the effort.
I do plan on switching flanges to one with a metal ring. I was however going to keep it inside fit. I just think that it has less of a chance to leak should the glue joint fail or something. The opening measures 2.75" and the opening of the toilet is about 2.125", is it really that much of a difference? I understand that the outside fit is a bigger opening, but everything has to get through the 2.125" hole, so nothing should be bigger than that. Is there some other reason that I am not aware of?
Thanks everyone.

FWIW, the joint isn't really glued together...it is called cement, but it really is a solvent welded connection...the cement literally melts the plastic on the fitting and pipe, and when the solvent escapes...it is one piece.

Turning corners with the waste can be problematic...it's best to maximize that last turn. It can also make it tougher to use a toilet auger, if you needed to.

Jim, thank you for the reply. I was just reading some other posts about flanges. I saw a response you gave, talking about how some toilets my have a 90 degree turn at the discharge. I looked at my toilet and it does turn 90 degrees. I can see how that can create a problem with the flow of the waste. Looks like I will go with the bigger flange, Thanks again for getting back to me.

Glad you changed you mind about the inside fitting flange. You could do the math and see just how much the inside fit would reduce the 3" pipe. If the pipe was 4", you could go with an inside fit, but bad idea with a 3". Also the metal ring is spot on. Since you are still in the construction phase, fit the flange on top of the finished floor. Yes, 2 wax rings work and would likely be just fine for years to come, but since it's easy enough to set it right, that would be the wise thing to do. Blowing out wax rings is only done with excessive plunging. The best way to avoid that is to install a Toto toilet since there rarely ever have to be plunged. ( Can't say "never", because sure a heck someone would say, "Well duh, my 3 year old tried to flush a towel and it clogged my Toto")