The wax ring on my toilet basically felt apart (due to rocking I think) and rotted the wood sub-floor. I am going to tear out the floor down to the joists and replace it. I had vinyl over a plywood subfloor. I have cast iron drain pipes and an intact cast iron flange.
Since the flange would only be even with one layer of plywood, it will not be level with the finished floor. I was thinking of using one of these synthetic (Ultraseal?) rings that can compensate.
- What’s the durability of these synthetic rings? Greater than wax?
- Do I need to add flange spacers so that the flange is level with the finished floor?
- If I need to add flange spacers, how do you “seal” the space between the original flange and the spacer, i.e. do I caulk it? Do I need to worry about a water proof seal?
Is there a better alternative than using a synthetic ring?
Replies
"Since the flange would only be even with one layer of plywood, it will not be level with the finished floor."
If you are saying that the toilet flange will be slightly lower than the finished floor, I don't see why a simple wax ring would not work. The wax will fill the gap and prevent any leaks.
Rick
A "simple" wax ring won't work, but an extra-thick one will, or two of them stacked together.
So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable Creature, since it enables one to find or make a Reason for everything one has a mind to do. --Benjamin Franklin
I've replaced every wax ring I've come across so far with the plastic sleaves that have the rubber washer at the top. The washer seals to the lip of the toilet, and the whole thing provides a slight upward pressure against the botttom of the toilet so it stays sealed even with movement.
Re-usable to, and no mess. Never had a leak.
Rebuilding my home in Cypress, CA
Also a CRX fanatic!
Parenting has always been a mix of sage life advice and inexcusable laziness.
Yeah, we've had very few reports of the things, and some outlets stopped selling them, so there's not much word of mouth one way or the other. Good to here of some experience with them.
So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable Creature, since it enables one to find or make a Reason for everything one has a mind to do. --Benjamin Franklin
I'VE USED the foam ring a couple of times and like the other person said about having that constant up lift pressure. It is a fairly dense foam and as you tighten the nuts to compress the foam, the foam doesn't want to compress. I'm always petrified that I'm going to break the toilet if I tighten the nuts so I have never sucked the toilet down to the floor nice and tight. The toilet ends up rocking abit which doesn't look professional. Has anyone ever tested to see how much pressure it takes to break a toilet at the bolt hole?
The foam gasket came into my mind a few days ago after laying some electric in floor heating in a customers home. I wondered if the electric mat was too close to the closet flange and was concerned about the wax seal melting as per some horror stories. A foam seal would solve that problem without a doubt.
roger
The ones I've seen aren't a foam gasket but rather two giant O rings and a couple of large diameter plastic tubes that the O rings "roll" on.
So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable Creature, since it enables one to find or make a Reason for everything one has a mind to do. --Benjamin Franklin
Yes, the one you describe is exactly the one I was talking about.Rebuilding my home in Cypress, CA
Also a CRX fanatic!
Parenting has always been a mix of sage life advice and inexcusable laziness.
Hmmm. I've never seen those before. The ones I've used looked just like the wax one but foam.
roger
Have you tried setting the seat cover down and having someone substantial sit on the unit whilst you tightened away? Seems like that would take out the play to the floor, ......and if not - hummm...better check to see if the toilet rocks WITHOUT the seal in place ... too high a flange height, possibly?Having replaced a rotten floor under a toilet with a too high flange, I now test the toilet/flange/floor spacing BEFORE I put in the seal.Mike D
Mike has a good point. In addition to that, I once bought an American Standard Plebe unit that had a warped base casting. I had to do a little surgery with a masonry blade to get it to sit solidly.George Patterson
Actually that is a pretty good idea though I'm usually alone when doing these sort of things. It's been a few years since I used a foam one but if I ever used one again I would try to get the toilet "down" first then tighten the nuts rather than trying to suck it down with the nuts. Good tip. thanks.
roger
I'm another one who replaces or installs "new" with the Fernco gaskets.
I put one in my own house, and a whole bunch more in customer homes. I'm not a plumber.
I have never had a leak. In fact, one of my foster kisds did the impossible - he plugged my Toto toilet with 2 rolls of toilet paper. I had the toilet apart and cleared out, and back on with the re-used seal nice and tight in 35 minutes.
Did I mention, it was at 11:45 pm? Nobody was open and an emergency plumber would have cost me $200.00.
I'll use them every time.
Quality repairs for your home.
AaronR Construction
Vancouver, Canada
Wasn't it nice when the HD on Terminal Ave was open 24-7. I don't think you would have found a Fenco there but you could have gotten a wax seal.Martin
You also need to address the rockin' toilet.
I've always set mine in a line of sanded grout, under the perimeter of the base, no matter what the floor.
When the toilet doesn't rock it's easier on the seal and bolts/flange too...buic
Yeah, that my rule whenever I set a toilet -- do whatever it takes so that there is ABSOLUTELY no rocking.
So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable Creature, since it enables one to find or make a Reason for everything one has a mind to do. --Benjamin Franklin
Thanks everyone for your help. For more on this continuing saga, see this thread:
http://forums.taunton.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=tp-breaktime&ctx=1&cacheTag=15-5&msg=91997.1
There is an ABS/wax combo ring made specifically for this application. It is a extra-thick wax ring with a flanged 4x3 ABS 'nipple' that extends down through the new flooring thickness into the existing 3" waste pipe, be it lead, ABS, or CI. It is fool proof, cheap (about $5), and a no-brainer to install.
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not brought
low by this? For thine evil pales before that which
foolish men call Justice....