Toilet flange too low after raising tile floor
Adding thick layers of tile and mortar can leave the toilet flange sitting too low below the new floor level. This makes it difficult to secure the toilet properly and creates a risk of leaks, prompting the need for flange extenders or other height adjustments.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Using a flange extender kit and cutting away small chunks of tile covering the flange areaDid this help you?
- 2Using a standard sweep 90 which brings the height up slightlyDid this help you?
- 3Accepting the current layout of the bathroom to avoid high costs and construction headachesDid this help you?
- 4Jackhammering the concrete slab, digging a trench, relocating the drainage piping, and pouring new cementDid this help you?
- 5Using rubber shims or wedges to stop the toilet from rockingDid this help you?
- 6Cutting and gluing a new closet elbow and flange to level the setupDid this help you?
- 7Using a PVC repair flange ring and shaving it down with an oscillator to act as a wedgeDid this help you?
- 8Double stacking wax sealsDid this help you?
- 9Living with a non-level toilet and using caulk or grout around the perimeterDid this help you?
- 10Installing a flange extender or spacer kitDid this help you?
- 11Breaking up the concrete or flooring to replace the pipe at the correct heightDid this help you?
- 12Using an oversized or specialized wax ring sealDid this help you?
- 13Cutting access from the floor below to raise the plumbingDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“We are getting ready to remodel our 800 sq foot basement in our 2022 new construction home, and I hate where they put the bathroom. I’d probably be moving it approximately 12-16 foot.”source ↗
“Thats going to be your biggest expense in your remodel. Its a huge headache.”source ↗
“All of the drainage piping is under the floor, so it involves quite a bit of digging / chiseling a trench to the new location.”source ↗
“Renovating a very old house and the floor is quite a bit out of level. Obviously still need to trim shims but there is a large gap at the front of toilet and nothing at the back.”source ↗
“If it's that out of level the floor needs to be fixed. I'd remove toilet and dry fit it.”source ↗
“I’m raising my floor a good 5” due to wye fitting at stack height.”source ↗
“please tell me there’s no other way to keep this flange a bit lower?”source ↗
“Your toilet won’t be level, not with your floor like that. All you use is rubber wedges and their purpose is to stop the toilet from rocking, not to level it.”source ↗
“Im assuming the flange is pitched pretty down towards the right side as well as too high above the floor... The CORRECT way to fix it would be to cut closet elbow and flange loose”source ↗
“Thinset moved into the flange area. This flange area/new toilet install was an afterthought, obviously. Am I good to use a flange extender and then wax seal/toilet install?”source ↗
“Rip out the flooring and level the floor or just live with the toilet not level”source ↗
“I just replaced my parents toilet last week and ran into this problem.”source ↗
“it adds about 25% to finishing the basement. We have all the plumbing and electrical hookups in place, I just don’t love where they put the toilet and sump pump.”source ↗
“The fuck you mean dig up the floor give me something better”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 3How to install a vanity over floor pipes in a tight space
- 3How to install a bidet on a wall-mounted toilet
- 6Toilet rocks or moves slightly - how to fix
- 4How to drill or enlarge holes through tile without cracking it
- 3How to fix falling shower tiles on old drywall backing
- 4Can you install flush baseboards without replacing your floors?