[Crestwood]

Hi - I'm renovating a bathroom. I removed the old wet bed floor/tile and am ready to install the new flooring but just realized that the toilet flange will sit about a half inch above the new tile when I'm done. My understanding is that it should sit at floor level.

It's a brass flange which appears to soldered to the 3" waste pipe. I could try to unsolder it with a canister MAPP gas torch I suppose. But then what?

What is the best way to remedy this?

Thanks!

[massplumber2008]

Hi Crestwood:

Is this pipe accessible from the basement? If so, may be easiest to cut the pipe in the basement and then transition over to 3" PVC pipe and new flange using a shielded clamp (see picture below).

May also be able to make the 1/2" up by laying the concrete board in thinset mortar...

Otherwise we can discuss working on the brass flange!

Let me know what you think...

MARK

[Crestwood]

Unfortunately it's a second floor bathroom and not accessible underneath. I could cut out the floor if I had to, but I'm hoping that's not necessary.

Attached are some pictures that'll make the situation more clear.

Thanks for your help!

[Milo Dolezal]

Proceed as follows:

1. Measure how much your ring sticks up.
2. Cut out 2'x2' piece of ply around your toilet ring.
3. Than, cut it in half so you can remove it. Save this piece, you will reuse it.
4. Cut your 3" copper waste vertical pipe below the floor.
5. Cut off the extra height that you've measured before cutting the floor.
6. Install No-Hub coupling and connect the two pieces of pipe together.
7. Install one half of old sub-floor, than the other half.
8. Put in brass / s.s screw into each hole in the ring

It should take you no more than 1/2 hour to do...

[hkstroud]

If you can get it hot enough with the Mapp gas torch to unsolder you should be able to resolder. Going to be difficult to sand and clean up the pipe with wood that close, won't hurt to cut out a little. Looks like you are right next to a joist. Cut as shown to next joist , then replace when flange is lowered.

[Milo Dolezal]

I think pipe is too big for MAPP gas torch. Maybe 2 torches opposite each other could do the job. But I would use acetylene tank with wide open torch tip. Heat all the way around. Have 2nd person to help you with large channel locks to wiggle it out.

Re-soldering will not be easy... and cheap, either - especially now when price of solder goes up by 45% on Monday... :eek:

[hkstroud]

I agree Milo, remember I said "if". Actually Mapp gas is hotter than acetylene but Crestwood will probably need a Turbo head even with acetylene. Maybe Crestwood could get all his friends to help with their torches.

[ballengerb1]

OK you removed the old tile and are ready to install a new flooring material. What is the new material and how thick is it. Sounds to me that it would be easier and cost effective to install a sub flooring material like Hardibacker board or plywood to shore up the floor so t it sflush with the flange. Much easier han cutting that pipe.

[Crestwood]

I've got 1/2" cement board down already elsewhere in the bathroom. The tile + cement board + adhesive still leaves the flange height about 1/2 inch too high. I don't want to continue to build the floor up because that will make the bathroom floor a lot higher than the hallway outside (which always annoyed us before starting this project).

I'm leaning now toward the suggestion to open the floor and cut the pipe... then use a coupler to connect the remaining waste pipe to a new 3" PVC closet flange. Followed by re-installing the plywood and securing the flange to the floor (when the tile is in).

Unless someone has another solution that makes more sense I think this is the winner...

[speedball1]

What material is the waste pipe made of? Regards, Tom

[ballengerb1]

Thanks for explaining "which always annoyed us before starting this project" So you are curing an old problem by lower this floor, that makes totyal sense. Don't forget to answer Tom's question, are your drain pipes copper?

[Crestwood]

Sorry for the response delay... I've been out of town for a few days.

The waste pipe is copper and the flange is brass.