How Do You Remove and Replace a Toilet Flange?

If your toilet rocks, you may need to replace the flange.

A rocking toilet is never a good sign-- it's a signal that the toilet isn't securely attached to the floor, which can result in a damaging leak. Tightening the bolts that connect the toilet to the floor may help, but if that doesn't solve the problem, the flange needs to be replaced. Fortunately, do-it-yourselfers can handle this task.

Things You'll Need

• Drill
• Internal pipe cutter
• Wrench
• PVC repair coupling
• PVC pipe, same size as the existing drain line
• PVC solvent-glue
• Toilet flange
• No. 10 stainless-steel flathead wood screws
• Pen
• Screwdriver

Instructions

1. Shut off the water to the toilet and drain the tank and bowl. Use the wrench to loosen and remove the nuts on the bolts holding the toilet to the floor, and remove the toilet. Remove the wax ring on top of the flange.

2. Cut through the inside surface of the drain pipe, just below the bottom of the flange. Use the internal drain cutter mounted on the drill. Remove the flange.

3. Apply PVC glue-solvent to the inner surface of one end of the PVC repair coupling, then insert a short length of PVC pipe into the coupling. Let the glue dry, then apply more glue-solvent to the inside of the other end of the repair coupling. Push the coupling down onto the cut end of the drain pipe in the floor. The new piece of PVC pipe should be long enough to stick up slightly past the level of the floor.

4. Cut the new pipe flush with the floor, using the internal pipe cutter. Fit the new toilet flange into the pipe, and turn it until the cut-out bolt slots on the side are parallel to the wall. Mark the slot locations on the floor with a pen.

5. Remove the flange and apply PVC solvent-glue to the inside of the new pipe. Insert the flange in the new pipe again, turning it until the bolt slots align with the pen marks.

6. Place No. 10 screws in the flange's screw holes and use the screwdriver to tighten them in place. This will attach the flange to the subfloor.

7. Insert the toilet bolts in the bolt slots with their threaded ends pointing up and their heads against the floor.

8. Replace the wax ring on the underside of the toilet (use a new one if the old one has deteriorated), and lower the toilet in place on the new flange, guiding the bolts through the holes in the base of the toilet. Tighten the nuts onto the bolts with the wrench until the toilet is held securely against the floor, being careful not to overtighten them.

Tips & Warnings

• If the toilet is connected to a cast-iron drain pipe, use a repair flange, which has a rubber compression ring that seals the new flange securely to the cast-iron pipe.

• Overtightening the bolts holding the toilet to the floor may crack the toilet's porcelain base.

• Toilets can be heavy--if you cannot comfortably lift the weight yourself, have another person assist you.

References

• "Complete Guide to Plumbing;" Editors of Creative Publishing; 2008