# Should I leave space between toilet flange and subfloor?



## Mike Swearingen (Mar 15, 2005)

A toilet flange should be bolted ON TOP OF THE FINISHED FLOOR LEVEL, and then the toilet bolted to the flange. If it is any lower, the wax ring likely won't seal properly. 
I just had one of my real estate clients pay $3,200 to repair a half-bath floor and a large part of her living room/dining room flooring due to some nitwit installing the half-bath toilet flange on the sub-floor level. When the repair contractor took it all apart, he found that the wax ring hadn't even come into contact with the toilet and it had been leaking since Day One more than 6 months before.
Mike


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## the_man (Aug 14, 2010)

unless its linoleum, then yes. take a piece of the finish floor and slide the flange down over it. If you're tiling, then use a tile and piece of cardboard to account for mortar. if its linoleum, the difference is too slight to worry about. make sure that flange is secured properly to the flooring when you're done :yes: other option is to wait until you do the finish floor, cut the pipe flush w/ the floor and glue it on last


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## majakdragon (Sep 16, 2006)

The flange should be secured to the final flooring, using the holes in the flange for screws. No gaps or filling in with anything. In cases where a new floor material is added to an existing room, an extender flange should be used to acquire the additional height needed to bring the surface up to proper level.


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## epson (Jul 28, 2010)

I’m not an expert plumber but all the toilets I have removed all had the flange sitting flush with the finished floor.


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## pttcc (Feb 2, 2010)

If I don't glue the flange to the sewer pipe right now, is there any way I can still pass the plumbing rough inspection?


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## TheEplumber (Jul 20, 2010)

pttcc said:


> If I don't glue the flange to the sewer pipe right now, is there any way I can still pass the plumbing rough inspection?


Yes, he should sign off. Simply put a test cap on the 3" stub that extends thru the floor.


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## majakdragon (Sep 16, 2006)

Yes. The flange is not required for the inspection. The testing is for leaks.


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## the_man (Aug 14, 2010)

If you do wait to install the flange, make sure there is enough gap around the pipe to slip the flange down after the finish floor is installed


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