Closet flange too high

dank

My first post to this forum... first - thanks in advance for people's time to review...

I did over my bath, ripped up the tile floor and 3/8 plywood under it. Installed 1/4 Hardibacker and re-tiled. The toilet flange is now above the floor and the toilet wont even sit flush on the flange/floor without a wax ring (I figured this out by going thru 2 wax rings).

It is Sch 40 PVC - 3". Under the floor is a 90 and the flange goes straight into the 90. The flange is not set all the way into the female end of the 90, but that is neither here nor there.

I have read different options...
1) cut into the finished ceiling underneath and re-do it. The wife would not be happy with this option.
2) cut it flush and use an inside closet flange. So basically the flange would go inside the cut off male end of the existing flange. The negative part here is that it reduced the inside diameter of the 3" pipe. I did though measure the outflow hold in the toilet and it is 2.5" - so maybe the reduced ID is not that bad? The toilet is a American Standard Cadet 3 one piece - it is supposed to have 5 stars flushing power.
3) cut it flush to the floor and obtain a tool to cut out the male portion of the existing cutoff flange. I saw a tool online for about $70 - it seemed to have 2 circular portions to it... one that must guide the tool in the pipe and the other that cuts the pipe out. The concern I have is that I is that I do not have a length of pipe there.. the closet flange goes right into a 90. so I am thinking the guide poertion might not go deep enough into the 90 to allow me to cut out the whole male end of the existing flange.
4) Bite the bullet - spend the $150-200 and call a plumber who has experience doing this.

Any advice would begreatly appreciated...

just a guy

option 2 is the way to go. Don't be concerned with the reduced diamater. I'm a plumber by trade and we use the internal flanges all the time. Generally when were laying out bathrooms, we don't have an exact elevation for finished floor so we just stub up pipe and cut flush with floor afterwards.

Snav

yeah, option 2 - no sense in making it really complicated when you have an acceptable and affordable solution readily available.

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dank

so... the inside flange is in essence going inside the 3" pipe (which is really a 3" 90 that has a stub of the flange that was cut off). I have not checked out an inside flange to see what it gives me for an inside opening. I cent remember if I put it in my original post.. but the toilet outlet is only 2.5"... so... as long as the ID is larget than 2.5 - I guess I am probably OK.

plummen

how much is it off by?

AllanJ

Cut a piece of plywood to make a platform to raise the toilet up a fraction of an inch. For example to fit the footprint of the toilet plus a half inch all around the perimeter. Sand and paint to look nice.

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dank

yes... raiding the toilet would be an option... but then I would need to make this crazy shape lift and then have a 3/4" bead of caulk around it. Not quite the look I am going for. I think that the best option is to try the inside closet flange and then if that clogs or does not work well... I guess I would have to them open the ceiling.

Snav

I think it would be easier to open the floor in the bathroom - if it comes to that.

You tiled, right? You'd have to be careful about your cuts and replacement, but you can repair that seemlessly - but repairing a ceiling is a bit more challenging.

I think raising the toilet surround isn't a bad idea, actually - you could trim it with small mosaic tiles, no one would be the wiser.

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spark plug

...Or it could be built up with plaster (to make up the difference) and left to dry. someone did it at my house 3 years ago and it holds like day one. Sturdy as ever!!