Replacing Cast Iron Water Closet Flange

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Awesome writeup, thanks for taking the time to complete it. I'm 28 and for the past 8 years, started as a helper doing hardwood flooring, now working more doing remodeling. This is a personal project I recently completed. Involving old cast iron piping on the toilet, it was quite shocking to see underneath it. After removing the junk, I noticed that the pipe running through the floor (from the basement) was cut above the original bathroom tile and hammered down onto the closet flange. However the flange was not secured to the floor at all.

Is this typically how it was done? I would guess the house is about 35-40 years old. The bathrooms are back to back, inthe process of planning a complete demo of one (not leaky toilet one). But where all the runs come together downstairs is quite some fancy stuff, and will likely give me terrors. Sorry for long post
 
My house was buitl 37 years ago. The basement flange was not secured to the floor. I was only leaded to the pipe (closet elbow???) coming out of the floor. It was more than secure. I don't think securing the flange to the floor is necessary if it is assembled with a lead joint.
 
As promised here are some pics of me doing this repair. First pic is the starting point. You can see how the front sits higher than the back by quit a bit. Next I drilled out the lead. I actually had to drill out allot more than the pic shows to get it off. Then a pic of the removed flange with the lead filler. The elbow wobbled a little so I packed the gravel as much as a I could and added some quick drying concrete but forgot to take a pic. Next all cleaned up, oakum packed in tight. And pipe ground down a bit to be flush with the flange.

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more progress pictures. I wanted to fill some voids in the pipe with lead so I had a flat mounting surface. Used some copper to form a barrier. Then all finished up. Might not be the prettiest but it worked. I was suprised how tight the flange was with only lead to hold it together. Last was my son's homemade torch. Melts a laddle of lead in 2-3 minutes from a cold start.

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Nice job. Yeah, it is a pain when the flange moves around when you pack the oakum. Nice solution, setting it in quick set cement.
 
I know there was sweat and I know there was blood.......how about tears? Nice job.

Are those steel closet bolts?
 
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You can actaully see some blod spots in a few pics. Ha ha

Those are steel, but I forgot what type. I am pretty sure I used what ever came with the new toilet but I forget. I might have used the ones that were already on the flange. What would be the professional approach...stainless, plastic, plated, brass?
 
I use the brass one that come with the wax seal.
Some times the come with steel nuts.
I alwys cover them with plastic bolt caps.
 
I also learned from this. What I was wondering was how long has it been since the old melted lead pots were used? :confused:

Go to Chicago they don't use pvc or abs for waste pipe. They use cast iron with poured lead joints still to this day.
 
Is cast iron more prevalant in Chicago than else where? I would think an iron/lead joint is going to last way way longer than a PVC/ABS joint. There was nothing wrong with mine after 38 yrs. The new toilet I bought did not have high enough clearance so I had to lower the flange a little.
 
the thing you arnt considering beerdog is that cast iron is iron.. and as such is venerablle to oxidization, abs is chemically resistant and will not rust ever. pvc is also somewhat checmically resistant and will not rust. both plastic dwv pipes also have a smoother inner wall than cast and are less likely to clog.

:)
 
I have replaced about 50 of these messed up things. I do it much easier and faster then this process.
1st - I take a hammer and just bust the old flange out as well as I can.
2nd - Use a chipping hammer with a flat bit and chisel the crap out of it until it is fairly flat and below the finish floor. "Believe it or not the flat bit chisels the old lead out nicely"
3rd - I use a standard steel or brass replacement ring. Set it in place mark hole positions with a pen.
4th - drill new holes in concrete with roto hammer.
5th - Use concrete anchors and new coated screws.
As long as you have the hammer it should only take you 30 mins to complete using this method and you do not need any packing and or lead.
 
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I have replaced about 50 of these messed up things. I do it much easier and faster then this process.
1st - I take a hammer and just bust the old flange out as well as I can.
2nd - Use a chipping hammer with a flat bit and chisel the crap out of it until it is fairly flat and below the finish floor. "Believe it or not the flat bit chisels the old lead out nicely"
3rd - I use a standard steel or brass replacement ring. Set it in place mark hole positions with a pen.
4th - drill new holes in concrete with roto hammer.
5th - Use concrete anchors and new coated screws.
As long as you have the hammer it should only take you 30 mins to complete using this method and you do not need any packing and or lead.

So you just screw a new flange to the floor? what seals the flange to the pipe? Seems like high quality work there.:rolleyes:
 
we use poured joints on all my commercial jobs.

we still pour lead at closet collars and some floor drains/floor sinks

we still use hub and spigot cast on rough ins. I make a 20 lb lead hammer on each rough in

then melt it down on trim. have you ever used a 20 lb lead hammer to push cast?

its the bees knees!!!!

little tip on cast gaskets use e-z-tite by tyler. more easier to push
the 3 rib kind, the 2 ribs are a PITA
 
we use poured joints on all my commercial jobs.

we still pour lead at closet collars and some floor drains/floor sinks

we still use hub and spigot cast on rough ins. I make a 20 lb lead hammer on each rough in

then melt it down on trim. have you ever used a 20 lb lead hammer to push cast?

its the bees knees!!!!

little tip on cast gaskets use e-z-tite by tyler. more easier to push
the 3 rib kind, the 2 ribs are a PITA

Don't see much Tyler pipe here. replaced/repaired some with No Hub. All Cast iron work here now is usually No Hub.
This is laid back Southern Calif.
We Don't work That hard. ;)
 

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