OT: Toilet installation

[Josepi]

I have installed a new toilet, well actually replaced one and moved the better one to my ensuite.

The plumber thought I was doing ceramics and put a 3/4" plywood under the toilet flange.

I thickened the floor with 1/2" plywood and sheet gooded the area. Now the toilet sits about 1/8" off the floor and can rock. I am afraid to tighten the bolts down any further for fear of breaking the porcelain commode.

My thoughts are too drive a few cedar wedges at strategic balance points and then silicone caulk the whole thing around the edges. One problem may be floating vinyl sheet goods.

Anybody else resolved this issue in a better fashion?.

Also, Do you caulk yout toilets to the floor typically?

Thanx

[Rich]

I have used cedar shims on uneven floors. Then I will use matching grout caulk if tiled. This is only when uneven. Typically if I do the tiling that does not happen. If the toilet sits flat I don't caulk, don't see a need to. You can usually tighten the bolts tighter then you think. I've installed probably a hundred and never cracked one yet. Tomorrow will probably be the first, hahaha. But if the floor is that uneven no matter how much you tighten don't think it will keep the toilet from rocking.

Rich

rentmyhusband.biz

[whit3rd]

It sounds like your wax gasket has been squeezed completely out, and the toilet is pressing on the flange. You must correct that, or the seal won't work.

It'll take something under the periphery of the toilet foot, that lifts it 1/2 inch or more, and that is tough enough to take the stress. Not caulk. Maybe make a template and cut a plywood plate, or build up a pedestal of mortar? Close to ideal would be a couple of thicknesses of concrete backer board (strong, ready for stress immediately on assembly).

The toilet pedestal takes the weight to the floor. The wax ring to the flange only seals against gasses, you do NOT want it to be the support.

Caulk after it's in, but only as a seal for floor-mopping. If the floor is uneven, some kinds of fiber-cement concoctions can be useful.

[RicodJour]

Plaster works well. You can recess the plaster a bit, and then finish it off with caulk if you need a certain color.

R

[Leon]

The plumber thought wrong, get him back out to fix his mistake.

It is common to see "lead" shims used to take the wobble out.

Yes

[dadiOH]

To elaborate on that thought, I usually lacquer the underside rim of the john, set it, shim as necessary with three narrow wedges and run mortar or thinset under the rest of the bottom. When the mortar is hard I pull the wedges and mortar where they were. The lacquer - wax works too - helps release from the mortar if you have to ever take the john up again.

[Father Haskell]

1/8" isn't that much of a gap. Fix with shims and silicone caulk.

[Hoosierpopi]

JOE:

The response that told you the SEAL should not take the weight is correct.

If the PLUMBER raised the FLANGE three quarter inches above the rest of the floor - you have a problem.

That flange is supposed to be level (or slightly below) with the finished floor. If your commode is restin on the flange you need to raise it up, not just caulk or fill the gap!

You could cut (out of cement tile backer board, say) a shape to match that of the commode "footprint" - and cut a hole in that to match the flange. Then cement this shape to the sub-floor and rest the commode on it and fasten with the flange bolts. Key is to get the surface even, or slightly above, the commode flange so that the surrounding surface, not the flange, takes the weight.

PS Grouting a commode to a tile floor will insure against re-cycling that commode