# Toilet flange opinion



## Johnny Canuck (Feb 24, 2015)

I was always taught to install the flange so it sits just under the finished floor if possible to ensure the toilet doesn't rock. Not 1/2" but just under.
Other guys say install it above the finished floor and use shims.
Just curious as to which you use.


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## CT18 (Sep 18, 2012)

When i started in houses years ago i was told flush or like you say a little low.


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

On top of finished floor.


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## sierra2000 (Sep 19, 2011)

Sits on top of the floor so it can then be screwed down onto the floor.


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## plumbdrum (Nov 30, 2013)

On finish floor always


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## Pacificpipes (Oct 1, 2013)

Finish floor. The toilet still fits over it. Only use shims when the floor is uneven.


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

On Top... Echo... Echo...


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## 89plumbum (May 14, 2011)

Aff


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## Johnny Canuck (Feb 24, 2015)

Weird. I was taught to screw it to the sub floor whenever possible. Maybe it's the lack of even floors around here. I don't think I ever did one on top of the finished that didn't need shims.


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## KoleckeINC (Oct 22, 2011)

Screw a 2 by 12 underneath, drill it out for a 4" pipe and stub up. Use an inside flange on top of finished floor. Add metal pasco spacer but shave off the 4 corner ears. predrill and countersink stainless screws down into the 2 by 12. Loctite the bolts. see ya in 50 years. So secure you'll break the bowl before the flange.


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## bct p&h (Jan 19, 2013)

Always on the finished floor. Cast iron I stub flush with sub floor and pack and pour the flange on the finish. If it was PVC I used to find out what they were using for flooring and mount the flange on the rough to that height. If it was vct, I'd screw it to the sub floor, tile with backer I'd cut some plywood to the same size as the flange and mount it to that. That was until I did a house and the contractor said ½" backer with ¼" tile. I mounted all the flanges with ¾" plywood under it. When I went back to do the finish half of the plywood was above the tile. Turns out he used a ¼" backer. Still swore up and down he used ½" even after I measured some scrap he left in the garage. That was not a fun finish.
Now if it's PVC I'll stub up a few inches and use an inside cutter on the finish.


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## dclarke (Dec 22, 2012)

I use flange extensions. If it's below the floor. If I know it will be tile I put the extensions under the flange.


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## BOBBYTUCSON (Feb 8, 2013)

i like both applications.


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## paultheplumber1 (May 1, 2014)

Always on the finish floor. I stub up the pvc through the sub floor with a coupling at floor height so the tile guy doesn't tile it too tight to the pipe. Also the stub and the coupling are not glued. That way if they change the floor height we just pull out the stub cut to length then reach in and glue. Then set the flange.


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## Satchmoeddie (Oct 2, 2015)

I like to go above or even with finished floor. Floors, whether wood or wood product sub flooring, or concrete slab on grade or concrete on a pan deck, can be uneven. It can also become uneven. I like the 2x12 idea. I went through an old rotten pine tongue & groove floor lifting out an old stool. Naturally both feet went through and I straddled a joist. My voice came back down an octave or two by the next day.


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## jc-htownplumber (Feb 29, 2012)

Echo


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## chonkie (Jul 31, 2014)

Déjà vu.


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## mtfallsmikey (Jan 11, 2010)

How many times.... bath remodels, cast iron flange, new floor gets laid around it... sitting below floor level, sheesh.
Here's a believe it or not story... got a call one time from a HO, said a toilet just sprung up off the floor about 1", still connected. 3" PVC was run thru a block wall in the crawl, contr. cut the vertical piece to the flange too long, pipe was on a bind, flange secured by framing nails, they pulled out..


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## Johnny Canuck (Feb 24, 2015)

mtfallsmikey said:


> How many times.... bath remodels, cast iron flange, new floor gets laid around it... sitting below floor level, sheesh.
> Here's a believe it or not story... got a call one time from a HO, said a toilet just sprung up off the floor about 1", still connected. 3" PVC was run thru a block wall in the crawl, contr. cut the vertical piece to the flange too long, pipe was on a bind, flange secured by framing nails, they pulled out..


And I thought finding them screwed down with an assortment of various types and sizes of screws was annoying


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Always and only after finished floor.if I have to set a flange on a sub floor and I know how high it needs to be,I will cut short pieces of 1/2" pex pipe as spacers and screw flange down to subfloor


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## hroark2112 (Apr 16, 2011)

I used to do the 1/2" spacers, but recently I started a new method.

Using a 6" hole saw, I cut out a circle of 1/2" MDF. Then I take a 4" hole saw & cut out the middle, leaving a nice round donut of 1/2" MDF. Put the 4x3 closet flange through the hole & screw it down to the floor. Now the tile guy can do whatever he wants.

I hate when the flange is not level, and if you have slightly different length pieces of pipe, the flange doesn't sit level.


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## Dpeckplb (Sep 20, 2013)

hroark2112 said:


> I used to do the 1/2" spacers, but recently I started a new method.
> 
> Using a 6" hole saw, I cut out a circle of 1/2" MDF. Then I take a 4" hole saw & cut out the middle, leaving a nice round donut of 1/2" MDF. Put the 4x3 closet flange through the hole & screw it down to the floor. Now the tile guy can do whatever he wants.
> 
> I hate when the flange is not level, and if you have slightly different length pieces of pipe, the flange doesn't sit level.


That is exactly how I do it.


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

hroark2112 said:


> I used to do the 1/2" spacers, but recently I started a new method.
> 
> Using a 6" hole saw, I cut out a circle of 1/2" MDF. Then I take a 4" hole saw & cut out the middle, leaving a nice round donut of 1/2" MDF. Put the 4x3 closet flange through the hole & screw it down to the floor. Now the tile guy can do whatever he wants.
> 
> I hate when the flange is not level, and if you have slightly different length pieces of pipe, the flange doesn't sit level.


Good way to do it but that takes a lot of time


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## rwh (Dec 17, 2014)

PexUniverse said:


> Here's a quick animation of the flange above the floor and supports being installed.



**** off dpammer


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