Leveling a Toilet Front to Back

[dschae1]

I shimmed it and started with the first layer of caulk, As you can see, the back is touching and the front is up 3/8" to make it level.

So, how important is it to be level from front to back? I'm thinking about removing it and re-seating it where the front is down closer, almost flat to the floor. I can get a better (smaller) grout seam if I do that. As is, the grout seam is too big for my tastes up front.

Thanks in advance for your replies!

 

[dschae1]

In case it matters, here is the new flange. I used a Set-Rite to raise it up from the original tile floor. With the hard wood, the floor is about 7/8" higher than where the tile was.

 

[havasu]

That right there is your problem!

Also, are you leveling the bowl, or the tank?

 

[dschae1]

That right there is your problem!

Also, are you leveling the bowl, or the tank?

I'm leveling the bowl. You may have something there...the floor is level, so I have the flange up too high? I guess I didn't smush the wax down enough when I first sat on it? (I need to gain weight?)

If I take it off and re-do it, I should be able to get it smushed down enough to touch the floor, right?

 

[Mr_David]

Flange is to high.

I never use silicone to caulk a toilet. to messy. Use a water base mildew resistant caulk.
I like the plastic shims.
I use to use pennies, but they can turn green and bleed through the caulk.

Once you push the toilet down on the wax I personally don't recommend trying to pull it back up to add shims. I know a few guys that set the toilet and then push their shims in to level it.

I like to shim the toilet first with a dry fit ( no wax ) I dab a little bit of caulk on the bottom of the shim as I set them. That way, they stay in place when I lift the bowl to install the wax.

plastic shims are nice because you can just trim the excess when done.

I Always try to shim the back side of the bowl rather than the front.
When you sit on the bowl the weight is mostly on the front, Forward of the bolts, so if the bowl is sitting solid on the floor in the front, then less likely it will rock loose.

Tile grout is good when you have excessively large gaps due to very uneven floor.

 

[KULTULZ]

If it isn't leveled, aren't you afraid of falling if you doze off...

 

[frodo]

I see your screws are brand new and shiny, if they are not stainless steel or brass, you need to change the screws out

pee pee is very acidic and it will eat the screws up very quickly

Dave is correct, set the bowl, if it needs shimming, shim the back, do not concern about level, back to front

side to side only

when you set the tank, level it side to side


little trick. go to hardware store and have them mix you some caulk the same color as the floor

 

[dschae1]

I see your screws are brand new and shiny, if they are not stainless steel or brass, you need to change the screws out

pee pee is very acidic and it will eat the screws up very quickly

The screws provided with the set-rite flange are stainless steel.

 

[dschae1]

I removed the toilet this morning and looked at the underneath side. There appears to be plenty of room for my flange that sticks up 3/8" from the floor to fit into the space underneath. The wax would have to smoosh out quite a bit though.

So, do I need to change the height of the flange? If so, how far above the floor surface is correct?

Or, do I need to push down harder when setting the toilet to crush the wax out so the entire bottom of the toilet touches the level floor?

 

[havasu]

As stated before, I use my butt to wiggle it down. Seems to always work good for me.

 

[dschae1]

Do I need to lower the height of the flange? Is 3/8" above the floor too much?

Is so, what is the desired height above the floor for the top surface of the flange?

 

[dschae1]

Is this correct? Doing research, I've seen arguments for level with the floor up to 3/8" above the floor like this.

 

[phishfood]

Looking at the picture of your flange, I am wondering if the horn of the toilet bowl is hitting the inner step of the flange. I have seen that before, when someone has used a flange that installs inside of 3" pipe.

The height of the flange itself does not seem too high to me, but I am thinking that the inner section of the flange is your problem. Poor design.

 

[dschae1]

I just measured it. The toilet is 3 1/4" and the flange opening is 3 3/4" so it should fit in the hole without issue when centered on the closet bolts.

 

[phishfood]

I am trying to say that the horn of the toilet might be hitting the lower "shelf" inside of the flange.

 

[dschae1]

I see. It's not hitting, in fact, it looks like there's plenty of clearance.
I'm used to be a carpenter, so I have solved it by dry setting the toilet and figuring out where it is high and hammering the wood to flatten it a bit to help me get it more level

Carpenters should -not- be plumbers???

 

[frodo]

.....................

 

[KULTULZ]

I removed the toilet this morning and looked at the underneath side. There appears to be plenty of room for my flange that sticks up 3/8" from the floor to fit into the space underneath. The wax would have to smoosh out quite a bit though.

So, do I need to change the height of the flange? If so, how far above the floor surface is correct?

Or, do I need to push down harder when setting the toilet to crush the wax out so the entire bottom of the toilet touches the level floor?

I'm leveling the bowl. You may have something there...the floor is level, so I have the flange up too high? I guess I didn't smush the wax down enough when I first sat on it? (I need to gain weight?)

If I take it off and re-do it, I should be able to get it smushed down enough to touch the floor, right?

If the bowl was level @ dry-fit, it should sit down level with the wax ring installed. If the bowl was not sitting level @ dry-fit, either the floor surface is not true (shim as directed by Dave) or there is interference @ the flange.

I think (IMO) you need to ride the bowl more to spread the ring. You want a level bowl for appearance sake @ minimum. Then level the tank.

Be aware of trying to urinate (pee to you frodo) in an uneven bowl as the water will be kilted to one side and may throw you off balance when drinking...

 

[frodo]

i set the bowl and push down with my chest. as i tighten the bolts....no problems

go eat some potatoes or a ham sammich gets some weight on that birdy frame

 

[dschae1]

Thanks for the help and fun advice guys. Appreciate it!

I decided to remove one of the spacers to lower the flange 1/8", so now it is 1/4 above the floor after screwed down. I'm not sure I had to do this, but just in case?

I think the problem of the floor being generally level, but in a slightly wavy kind of way as planks of 3/4" oak hardwood tend to do was part of the trouble. I used a hammer to flatten down a few high spots under/along the toilet edge and used a dime and a nickel to shim it ever so slightly so there was no rock. (All dry set mind you).

Next, I softened up my wax donut by letting it sit in some warm water (it's freaking cold in Texas today and I left the thing in the garage). Once the wax was no longer frozen, I put it in place, set the toilet by rocking it and making sure it was "all the way down" on the floor this time . I put the shims in place where I marked (blue tape) and tightened the nuts, snugging them down.

I added the Alex caulk and smoothed it out with a wet finger and wet paper towels to get a nice line.

I'm much happier with the result this time. I Guess this old carpenter can pretend to be a plumber after all!