I’m currently planning on installing a Sioux Chief flange inside a 4” pipe on a newly tiled floor. The floor is 1-1/8” plywood subfloor>ditra>porcelain planks. The porcelain tile isn’t perfectly tight to the pipe, so as the flange sits, the flange screw holes sit right on the edge of the tile in a few spots. A few questions: will this compromise support of the toilet?I know the weight of the toilet isn’t all on the flange but wondering if it could still be an issue. Also, do I try to drill through the tile with a diamond bit or just notch the tile with a grinder? It seems that even if the tile was more snug, if I drilled a hole for the screws to pass through, the hole would be so close to the edge of the tile that it would probably crack eventually anyway. Should I possibly consider using a different flange that is a bit wider? Thanks for your help!
Nuances of Installing a flange over new tile
- Thread starter Lawnboy
- Start date
Help Support Plumbing Forums:
The plastic ring is junk and can break too easily. Much better to use the stainless steel ring model. Sioux Chief is such a good company I don't know why they keep that junk in their product line.
Drilling through the tile is always fine. Notching is fine too.
What is most important is: Use non corrosive screws, which is to say, brass, stainless or maybe the GRK exterior grade torx head screws.
The toilet pulls up on the flange so the tile under the flange is just a place holder to allow set up and it is not important to be more than token support underneath.
Drilling through the tile is always fine. Notching is fine too.
What is most important is: Use non corrosive screws, which is to say, brass, stainless or maybe the GRK exterior grade torx head screws.
The toilet pulls up on the flange so the tile under the flange is just a place holder to allow set up and it is not important to be more than token support underneath.
Thanks for the reply. The stainless model seems to be shorter and I’d need the length of the plastic one for the gasket to catch, so maybe a different brand completely might be the ticket.
Jeff Handy
Pro Handyman, NOT A Pro Plumber
Maybe you could screw a metal repair ring like this on top, when you are securing the plastic flange through the tile into the subfloor?
1/4 in. Stainless Steel Toilet Flange Replacement Ring
https://www.homedepot.com/p/303864005
Maybe this would end up too high above the tile?
1/4 in. Stainless Steel Toilet Flange Replacement Ring
https://www.homedepot.com/p/303864005
Maybe this would end up too high above the tile?
Mitchell-DIY-Guy
Well-Known Member
You will need 4 good #10 or #12 SS screws to go through a good toilet flange. Put something in the pipe and build up around the pipe and edge of tile so you have a solid footing. Use a diamond bit to start, and then a good tile bit to cut the four holes in the tile. Switch to a smaller drill and drill pilot holes into the subfloor for the chosen screw. Get ready, and solvent weld the new flange, ensure it is FLAT and the bottom is sitting on the tile. Once set, add your screws.
Take the advice of others and get a good flange with a SS ring on top.
Take the advice of others and get a good flange with a SS ring on top.
Thanks for the info. What’s interesting is none of the flanges that have a steel ring reach far enough down to glue to the drain, which is why I bought the PVC one with the rubber gasket. The drain pipes opening is 4.5” inside and it narrows down to 4 after a couple inches and only the PVC flange is long enough to reach the narrow portion of the drain.
Mitchell-DIY-Guy
Well-Known Member
I just did one where the black plastic flange, a 3" model was all twisted up, the floor was damaged and we were putting cement board and tile on top of that.
What I did was cut the old one out with an "inside pipe cutter", a tool readily available at Lowe's. I cut the pipe low enough so I would have to use a small piece of pipe on the flange to fit. So, I repair the floor, mortar down the cement board, carefully marking the location of the pipe. I cut out the cement board, and then did the tiling. I dry fit a piece of pipe in the hole to ensure I had thin-set all where I needed. I marked the mounting holes, drilled those with a diamond starter, then a carbide bit, then a pilot bit for #10 SS screws. I solvent welded a coupler onto the pipe stub beneath the floor. Then I carefully measured for a small length of pipe, and solvent welded that to the flange. Finally, with all the holes drilled, I put the primer and glue on the inside of the coupler below the floor, and on the end of the pipe stub. I then pushed them together AND HELD THEM with the flange tight against the floor tile, screw holes lined up. I added the four screws, tightened it all down and DONE. Photo shows the coupler on the stub below the floor, but before the holes were drilled.
What I did was cut the old one out with an "inside pipe cutter", a tool readily available at Lowe's. I cut the pipe low enough so I would have to use a small piece of pipe on the flange to fit. So, I repair the floor, mortar down the cement board, carefully marking the location of the pipe. I cut out the cement board, and then did the tiling. I dry fit a piece of pipe in the hole to ensure I had thin-set all where I needed. I marked the mounting holes, drilled those with a diamond starter, then a carbide bit, then a pilot bit for #10 SS screws. I solvent welded a coupler onto the pipe stub beneath the floor. Then I carefully measured for a small length of pipe, and solvent welded that to the flange. Finally, with all the holes drilled, I put the primer and glue on the inside of the coupler below the floor, and on the end of the pipe stub. I then pushed them together AND HELD THEM with the flange tight against the floor tile, screw holes lined up. I added the four screws, tightened it all down and DONE. Photo shows the coupler on the stub below the floor, but before the holes were drilled.
