# Removing old toilet flange



## ryaniniowa (Feb 11, 2005)

You have just ran into a real nightmare. They usually leaded those old flanges in there and there is no easy way to get them out. If you have no access from below forget it. Why not leave it? If it isn't broke, don't fix it. If the finished floor is higher, they make thicker wax rings to make up the difference and I have even stacked rings before with no problems. Getting that thing out will take an act of congress.


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## craftycas (Feb 18, 2005)

*Got it out!*

Thanks for your response. While the flange wasn't broken, both layers of sub floor needed replacing. Necessity is the mother of invention! We finally got that pesky flange off - my husband "unsweated" it. Turns out the flange was brass and the pipe was 3" copper. Layed 2 sheets of new sub floor. Cut a 1/2 inch plywood ring the size of the flange to use under the flange so I wouldn't have to drill/screw through the new tile. To sweat the flange back on, my husband drilled 2 slanted holes through the sub floor just big enough to slide the solder through. He then heated the pipe from the inside. We then tiled up to the edge of the ply ring. Pretty ingenious, eh?


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## ryaniniowa (Feb 11, 2005)

yeah copper you have a chance with, that old lead/cast is another story. way to go!


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