1960s Garage toilet on concrete

[RLeeK]

Oh knowledgeable ones!

We had a toilet in our garage but that was many years ago and I want to put one back.

After I removed the toilet this is what I saw. The cast iron continues out to the septic tank and upward as the vent. Lots of iron.

Is that the remainder of my flange? If you can see into the cast iron pipe do you think that it looks ok? Would you Replace the flange and keep the cast-iron?

Thank you

 

[Helper Dave]

Is there even a flange there, or is that dark ring just a stain from the wax? Can you feel a ridge there at all?

Back in the day, those four bolt toilets were sometimes installed in basements (or apparently garages) just right over a pipe with the wax, and no flange.

It looks too smooth to the floor to be useable anyway, so you should use a Twist-n-set type flange. They sit right in the pipe, and twist to expand a rubber gasket for the seal.

Hopefully the run of cast iron pipe is still intact. If not, that's a LOT more work and money to fix up. If you can get a camera run through there to check, that might be worthwhile.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

You might consider a HydroSeat.

 

[Jadnashua]

Is the ID of the pipe 3" or 4"? Flanges that fit inside of the pipe work much better with a 4" pipe than a 3" one. Not saying one won't work, it's just that it's not as likely to work well. To seal well, the pipe needs to be in fairly good condition, or the gasket won't seal.

If you can get room around the pipe, then you could lead a new flange around the existing pipe. That may be beyond your skill level and available tools but a good plumber should be able to accomplish that.

The other thing(s) to consider is where the flange center is relative to the wall and any other obstructions. Ideally, the center is 12" from the finished wall, then you'll have lots of choices of toilets. Plus, code wants 15" either side of the centerline of the toilet to any obstructions, so that can affect where a wall, sink, tub, shower, etc. may be impinging on the area. They also want some room in front of the toilet for your knees, too. Note that an elongated toilet may be longer, but your knees will be in the same location as if you were sitting on a round one without the benefits of the extra length.

 

[RLeeK]

Sorry for the delay gentlemen it’s summertime and I had bugs and humidity to avoid.

There is a gasket as a better picture illustrates. I was apprehensive, then I decided to heck with it and I started scraping. Turns out it was a prehistoric wax ring. The inside was still waxy.

As you pointed out Helper Dave it appears to my untrained eye that it’s just an iron pipe with bolts straight up and nothing but a wax ring. No flange.

It looks like it’s 4 inch pipe and the center is 12 inches from the back wall jadnashua.

I’ve already begun looking at the Hydroseat, which I think is a great suggestion Reach4. And I saw an episode of this old house where they do use the twist inside flange or the one with the set screws that expands the gasket.

I guess I’m comfortable using any one of those great suggestions.

Thanks again

 

[MACPLUMB]

The best way is to use one of these,

ZURN CF2982-CI4 Closet Flange, Torque Set, Test Cap, 4"

ZURN

I have Installed these many times when I had
a broken flange, available at Walmart, you just need to get a Rotary hammer drill to cut out a little concrete around the pipe, much more reliably then the twister flanges which tend to pull loose !