I had a plumber put in the sewer line, vent and water line for a bathroom in my basement. I am going to install the fixtures (toilet, sink) and do all the other finish work. Right now the connection for the toilet is just a PVC pipe sticking out of the ground (we haven't cemented the hole back in yet). What do I need to do to be able to install the toilet? What parts do I need?

Cement the hole and install your flooring. Once the flooring height is set cut off the PVC flush with the new floor and install a toilet flange made for PVC. New toilets usually come with everything you will need including a wax ring for mounting the toilet. Flanges :: Oatey.com top row right side should be what you want if the bend is PVC

Thanks so much. Sounds like it will be easier than I thought!

What are you putting on the floor for a finished product?

Ballenger gives good information, but be sure you allow enough room just below the finish floor product. The flange is easier to adjust up, then down.

You don't want any rocking if you can help it. So, after you cement it in, figure out what your finished floor height will be - and go a little lower. The flange will actually add a little height if it fits into the pipe, and if it fits around it - you don't want any sticking out.

Hi everyone... I'm back from a vacation and hoping to get back to my regular posting schedule over the next couple days.

I stopped in on this question 'cause I wanted to be sure we covered all our bases here... ;)

Leeloocatz, can you tell us what pipe size is run for your toilet? If it is 4" then you can proceed to install the cement around the pipe as instructed above and then you can install the finish flooring and then cut the pipe flush to the finish floor using a sawzall. THEN you can install a 4" STREET closet flange (one that fits inside the 4" pipe).

If you have a 3" PVC pipe, then you will need to wrap enough cardboard (or foam wrap) around the pipe so that you have 1" thickness of the cardboard (or wrap) and then pour the cement around the pipe. The idea here is that once the cement dries you will pull the cardboard (or foam wrap) out from around the pipe which should leave you a 1" space around the pipe. Then you can install your flooring and then you will cut the pipe down to the correct height (you will need an INSIDE PIPE CUTTER... see image below. Sold at all home improvement stores) to install a regular 4"x3" PVC closet flange (don't get hung up on the 4"x3"... you want a flange that will fit over 3" pipe and that is called a 4" pipe and that is called a 4" closet flange).

You cannot install a 3" street closet flange...or even if you can find a 3" PVC street flange you will not want to install it as it chokes the 3" pipe down to 2" drain... major problem!

You could also try to guess the correct height for the flange and pre-install the flange on the PVC pipe. Here, you would want to install the new flange in such a way that it sits ON TOP of the finished floor. Only issue here, is that the finish flooring would need to be set in under the flange... sometimes a problem depending on the flooring you plan to use (tile is hardest to work with).

Anyway, I hope I was clear on this. If not, pop back and let me know.. O.K.?

Welcome back Mark! Hope you had a great vacation . You've been missed around here.

Yeah, glad you are back Mark! Good vacation? Does mean I can go now? (laughing)

Good to have you back, Mark !

Me, I'm going to take a nap. Not a plumber but do quite a bit of this work, usually doing all carpentry and tile work too. Only difference is in the tools, I don't have that rotary cutter so I use a combi blade on a reciprocating saw. Theflange can sit on top of the finished floor or the top of the flange flush with the finished floor, both work fine with no spacers needed.