[bhunt79]

I have redone my upstairs bathroom flooring, and my toilet flange (PVC) is cracked. Figured no problem, ill get a brace, and be done with it. The spanner flange if I understand correctly should be installed under the existing flange. There are a few videos I also saw where it was installed over the broken flange. I cannot seem to get the spanner under the flange, so I have installed it just ontop.
I was planning on using a fluidmaster waxless ring, and since the spanner is above the floor, I did not use the spacer. I tightened the bolts, laid some paper towels down, and have tested with buckets of water. So far, no leaks, but I'm really giving this second thoughts. There was no compression when setting the toilet at all, and I may just go back to the old tried and true wax ring. Even when tried with the spacer it rocked like crazy.
Back to the spanner flange, am I okay to leave this on top? Am I better off installing a flange extender instead? Any advice? Or complete replacement? I can remove 3/4 screws, but dont know if i could cut the pvc without damaging the drain pipe. Thanks in advance for any input.

 

[WhatRnsdownhill]

show a picture of the cracked flange and another of what you tried to fix..this way you can get a better answer.

 

[Daniel Holzman]

Why don't you replace the cracked flange?

 

[bhunt79]

Had to pull the toilet to get these. Good thing though, because there was some water on top of the blue rubber waxless seal. I'm either going to have to use the spacer or go back to wax.
I left the spanner on, but the crack is underneath it right where the closet bolt is held.
I don't mind to replace the flange, I think thats what a plumber would do. I'm just worried I would cut too far and make matters worse.

 

[joecaption]

#1, No way should there be laminate in a bathroom!
It will delaminate at some point from moisture.
#2, It's cut to close to the flange, it needs room to expand and contract.
What's under that floor? The best way to fix would have been to cut the drain under the floor and pull out that cheap plastic flange and replace with one with a metal flange.

 

[bhunt79]

It's not laminate, but vinyl plank flooring. It's held up surprisingly well in our kitchen so using the same for bathrooms. Under the floor is a finished basement. I really dont want to cut into that ceiling.........

 

[ben's plumbing]

It's not laminate, but vinyl plank flooring. It's held up surprisingly well in our kitchen so using the same for bathrooms. Under the floor is a finished basement. I really dont want to cut into that ceiling.........

then install new wax seal and reinstall your commode...done deal...

 

[joecaption]

With a bracket on just one side and not using flat head screws how the toilet going to sit flat on the floor?

 

[WhatRnsdownhill]

the toilet does not make contact with the flange....the wax ring fills the void between the two, and there needs to be a small void for the wax to hang out and seal, so it isnt all squished away...

 

[dd57chevy]

This , IMO , is an example of plasti-foolishness .

A PLASTIC closet flange ????? A WW2 allegory would be "A fitting too far !"

What plumber worth his salt would INSTALL a piece of ........excrement (pun intended) like this ???

How can plumbing codes allow these ?????

I'd replace it with one of the metal ringed ones !!!

Other than than that , I have no opinion ..........

 

[WhatRnsdownhill]

This , IMO , is an example of plasti-foolishness .

A PLASTIC closet flange ????? A WW2 allegory would be "A fitting too far !"

What plumber worth his salt would INSTALL a piece of ........excrement (pun intended) like this ???

How can plumbing codes allow these ?????

I'd replace it with one of the metal ringed ones !!!

Other than than that , I have no opinion ..........

ummm. metal rusts out in a timely fashion, I have lifted toilets with metal flanges to find just rotted rust left over, thats why the old flanges were brass, not steel, now if they made the metal flanges in stainless, them im 100% in agreement with you...the porcelain of the toilet carries moister to the floor, thats why you shouldnt put a toilet on wood or laminate flooring...thats just a cheap plastic flange, the ones I use are at least 3/8 thick and strong...

 

[bhunt79]

I appreciate all the input. I am trying to decide at this point whether it's worth it to add an extension flange onto this to bring it above floor height. I am going to try to repair vs. replace for starters. I am definitely going to be using a wax ring instead of the other, but can see how leaving the spanner might be best too. Any thoughts?

 

[WhatRnsdownhill]

once the toilet is down and seals, you can stack wax rings too, get one with the plastic horn moulded into it and a standard ring, put the standard ring on the horn and put horn down on the flange, that keeps the wax from going into the drain hole..before tightening bolts, sit on the toilet to compress the wax rings and till the bottom edge of the toilet rests on the floor, tighten bolts and seal around the toilet with silicone , but leave about an inch or so in the back to let air under the toilet for any moisture build up..

 

[Tizzer]

I've done what is shown in those pics when the toilet bolt just spins because the flange has cracked. Never used pairs. Do use flat head exterior grade screws instead of the ones pictured. A jumbo wax ring and I sit on the toilet to settle. Done. I don't usually caulk afterwards BTW.

 

[ben's plumbing]

metal or plastic cheap or thick....if you don't know how tight to properly snug down a commode you will break either the china or the plastic, or just pull the closet bolt out of the metal ring...seen them all.. solution.. learn to properly install a commode....in various conditions that require you to do so...ben