Hello everyone,

A few months ago we had some water damage from a leaky toilet. I decided I would pull up the linoleum since it had water damage and put some new stuff down. As I pulled up I found there was mold and significant damage to the sub-floor. We had a 2-week old baby at the time which caused us to panic a little about the mold.

I hired someone to come in and remove the black mold. I paid them to cut out some subfloor and other areas in the bathroom and they removed the vanity and toilet.
I also had some water damage from above the ceiling where the swamp cooler is, so they had to cut out drywall as well.

It was a lot of money, more than I could afford, and the quote on the put back was up there too, so I told them I would do all the put back myself. I now have a large hole of sub-floor I need to patch in order to put down new vinyl and finish the bathroom back up. I have purchased some 3/4 inch plywood which is what the rest of the sub-floor consists of, in order to replace it. However, I realized that the toilet pipe and flange stick right up in the middle, so I can't just cut a hole and drop it over it because the flange needs to attach to the sub-floor.

My question is, where and how do I go about cutting the toilet pipe or removing the top portion of it in order to fit the new sub-floor patch over it, and then how do I patch it back together again?

(My neighbor is a plumber, and usually gives me advice, I have also paid him to do work for me, but he seemed not interested in this when I asked him. I may have to approach him again, or just pay someone else, but I would prefer not to. I am not great at this kind of stuff.)

Thanks for any advice. I have included a couple of pics to show what I'm talking about. :)

This is pretty basic cut ( hack saw ) between the 2 90s pipe and get a 3" coupling 90 and another closet flange for over the pipe and a section of 3" pipe. Lay this all out dry all of the connections make sure the closet flange is 12" to its center from the FINISHED back wall and side to side of what you need. The short stub for the closet flange can be flush to the new floor. Once that's done and this is real important pencil/ fine sharpie each connection you made. Check to make sure there is enough pipe in the fittings now take apart and glue to the MARKED spots. This way as you put it back together it will come out at the exact length and height you just dry laid out. It looks like you are up against the joist I would wedge in besscarry and strapping right above 90 and this will hold. Now you can put your ply floor down precut a hole big enough for your closet falange that's going on later after floor is down Lay ply dry and test flange to clear ply hole and re trim ply if needed. Install floor the closet flange next Note I don't know what the finish floor is tile etc you want the stub up pipe for the closet flange top be that height so think a bit ahead.
Now if you feel that to tuff you can added some 2x4 braces from joist to joist and bow in the existing flange. The ply can no be in two Pisces and the 2x4 that are flush o existing joist are the added floor nailer's. Note: is that a 6' smashed heat run that needs addressed in the joist bay?

Signed 21 boat

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Wow, I really appreciate your answer. There's some terminology here that I am not familiar with. As far as I can tell there is one 90, should I cut above, or below that or in the middle of it? What kind of adhesive do I use to glue back together new pieces? What is besscarry and strapping?

Yes, I believe the heat run is a little smashed, but still has airflow, I'm not sure how to quickly repair it, so I figured I would leave it. There was already a toilet in this spot, so I wasn't really looking to add or change much, just repair what was there. Thanks again.

Hi Royhobbs...

21 boat is not here now... see if I can help some.

Look at my pic below. You want to cut the elbow off where marked. Be careful of WIRE and ceiling below... ;) If you have a sawzall with a bimetal blade use that for 3/4 of cut then use a hacksaw to finish the job.

You will need to purchase:

ABS primer (if needed... read cement can)
ABS cement
3" ABS coupling
3" ABS Street 90 degree fitting (street end gets cemented into coupling)
2 foot piece of 3" ABS pipe (if can find it in this length)
4"x3" ABS closet flange (also referred to as a 3" closet flange).

Then you prime/cement the coupling and street 90 into place... leveling the 90 side to side with a torpedo level. This should place the 90 back EXACTLY where the old one was (should be at 11.5" to 12" to center of elbow from finished wall).

Then DRY-FIT (DO NOT PRIME/CEMENT) piece of pipe into street 90... say 6" long piece... and duct tape other end for now. Now install floor as needed. Cut a 5 inch hole around the 3" pipe.

Then remove the dry-fit pipe, place flange into floor and measure the piece you will need to install the flange to the street elbow (around 3".. my guess). Then prime/cement the pipe into the flange and then the flange into the street elbow until it sets tight down on top of floor.

Then secure the flange to the floor with SS or zinc screws and proceed to install the toilet. Let us know if need help with that, too... ;)

In terms of the heat duct I would just squeeze the sides a bit to undo some of the damage... but not big deal in this case.

Hopefully that was clear...

MARK

Thank you very much, your instructions were very clear and I appreciate the shopping list as well as the edits on my photo. Is a sawzall just a reciprocating saw? I do have that tool, not many others.

I think I'm going to give it a shot. I don't have tools to cut a hole in the plywood, I'm thinking of either borrowing a jigsaw from a friend, or I've heard of a hole cutter. Don't know which would be better. Either way thank you very much.

A sawzall is a very fast hack saw. A hack saw will work it will be a little tight and take a little time. A gig saw is best to use not a hole cutter. A cheap compass is good to make the round circle for jig say cut. I tried to past a Sawzall pic. Just goggle Sawzall and hopefully that's the tool you have and that's perfect. Use a metal blade in it to cut the pipe it makes a smooth cut and won't jump around when cutting, There's two basic metal tooth blades get the bigger tooth metal blade.

Signed 21 Boat

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Reciprocating saw is a sawzall... ;)

Jigsaw with compass as 21Boat pointed out will work best here.

Finally, in picture below you will see that I drew in some 2"x6" blocking to span the joist bays. You should toenail (nail at angle) these into joists along both cuts in floor. You don't have to be as picky along back wall floor, but front cut is critical to have strong floor after patch... ;) Then, use a construction adhesive to join plywood to joists (spread a pencils thickness of adhesive on joists/blocking before laying plywood.

Good luck!

MARK

.

Ok, so I have cut a piece of plywood and fit it into the section that is opened. I have also cut a hole and glued in the first two pieces of pipe. I'm going to cut the next piece and attach the subfloor. My question is, does the new flange need to be flush with the subfloor? Does it need to be flush with the vinyl stuff I'm putting in? Or does it need to be up a little higher?

I will post more photos of my eternally slow progress. :)

Thanks.

Hi Roy...

You want to dry fit the pipe in the PVC elbow for now.. in other words, just stub a piece of pipe in place for now. Then install the floor as you plan too, leaving about a 5 inch hole around the toilet pipe.

After floor is installed and after the tile (or vinyl) is installed you will remove the dry fit pipe and then you will place a new closet flange in the hole and you will measure the piece of pipe you need to install the flange so it sits on top of the tile floor. Then you cut the pipe, prime/cement the elbow and flange and install the flange.

Then, plan on securing the flange through the tile and into the subfloor... may need a 1/4" masonry bit to drill through tile (but not through subfloor).

Then install the johnnie bolts and wax ring, toilet, etc...

Let me know if that made sense... ok?

Good luck...

MARK

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