toilet nightmare

[soulgazer02]

We have refloored a small bathroom and took out the toilet to get a better finish. However, when we removed the toilet the flange that holds the johnny bolts broke. We have been trying to put down a new flange onto a concrete floor... nightmare... the concrete cracks when we try to drill and there a various gaps around the area needed to secure the flange. How on earth do we get this thing secure so we can put the toilet back? thanks

[hallerb]

Is flange plastic or metal?

In any case you can break out all the concrete around the flange and replace it.big job lots of hassles

Its easier to breeak out areas where flange bolts go and cement in new ones

use small masonary bit then go larger cement new bolts in place let cement dry at least a day

[Jeff Wisnia]

I had eggsackly the same problem a few years ago, and it was a stamped steel flange which had pretty well rusted out. Set in cocrete as yours is.

I broke and pulled off the rest of that flange.

Then I took a short piece of strapping and drilled two 3/8" holes through it matching the spacing of the two bolt holes in the toilet bowl, to make a template.

I used a masonry bit to drill a pair of 3/8" holes about 2" deep in the right spots on either side of the drain opening, per the template.

I bought a couple of 4" long 5/16" galvanized bolts, turned their heads down to 3/8" diameter so they'd slide down the holes, and cemented them in with Rockite. (Rockite is the trade name of one brand of quick setting expansion cement often used for setting machinery mounting bolts into concrete floors.) I used the same cement to level out the floor where the original stamped steel flange had been sunk into the cement floor.

The toilet bowl fit over the bolts perfectly. The bolts stuck up a bit to high for their decorative caps, but a few seconds with an angle grinder fixed that. I had to use a couple of plastic shims to keep the toilet from rocking fore and aft, 'cause whoever originally put the concrete floor and tiles down left a slight hill around the drain opening. I shoved some tile grout between the bowl bottom and the tile floor to pretty things up.

So, however cruddy the concrete surrounding the drain is, if you can create clearance to set in two bolts like I did, even if the holes you drill aren't perfect, Rockite will make 'em act like they are.

Worked for me, YMMV

Jeff

[Speedy Jim]

You need to supply more info.

Slab home?

Pipe material below the flange? Could be lead, plastic, copper, cast iron...

3" 4"

??

Go to:

down to Expansion Flanges.

DEPENDING on the type of soil pipe embedded, the exp flange may offer almost enough security. If you can, consider drilling holes in the concrete at a steep angle to avoid breaking the concrete. Use stainless screws and expansion plugs.

[Dennis Turner]

How about a PVC flange that fits just inside the old one? That's what I used a few years ago. Works fine, and is available at most any plumbing supply. Easy, too. No breaking concrete, just apply glue and shove it in.