Toilet Flange Is Now Below Floor Level

Large bolts thread up through.

Toilet flange is now below floor level.

The perfect height for the toilet flange is to be the same level as the finished floor. That meant my toilet flange was now 1 25 below my new floor. To make the long story short my thicker mortar bed mesh backer liner thinset and new floor tiles all added up to raising the overall height of the floor by approximately 1 25. This is very important.

It has to sit evenly on top of the finished floor. A toilet drain flange can sit above or below the finished floor level. When installing the toilet flange you need to check that it s the correct height and is also perfectly level. When the toilet was removed the toilet wax ring was still in its original shape.

In a typical toilet installation the floor flange that sits inside the drain opening below the toilet should be positioned so that its bottom surface rests flush against the finished floor or no more than 1 4 inch above or below the floor this ensures that the flange makes a watertight seal against the wax ring that fits between the drain opening and drain outlet horn on the underside of. A sign that the wax ring was not sealing the toilet from sewer gases or preventing water escaping from under the base of the toilet. To get the necessary clearance from the floor you can add a toilet flange extender which is quick and easy to install. The installation process is the same for a tile floor a hardwood or carpeted bathroom floor.

The reason being is because the toilet recesses into the flange when fully installed but when the flange sits even or below the floor the toilet can t properly recess into the flange. Flange extenders are commonly sold in 1 4 inch and 1 2 inch sizes to raise the height of the existing flange 1 4 or 1 2 inch. If your flange sits even or below the floor then it s wrong. If the toilet flange is at the incorrect height it will cause problems with the toilet connecting onto the plumbing.

Here you can see the results of a toilet having been installed on a toilet flange that is below the floor level.