# Rusted toilet flange on PVC pipe



## wyoming777 (Nov 8, 2007)

Hi, I have my toilet up, and the flange is completely rusted out where the toilet bolts attach, but it seems to be integral to the PVC pipe that goes into the floor. There is a PVC flange that just goes over the iron flange. The iron flange is screwed into the floor, but the heads are broken off. The house was built in 1986, in Mashpee MA. I'm not sure how to proceed, as I don't want to break the PVC the iron is attached to, but I am certain the flange needs to be replaced. Any thoughts?


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## Chris Johnson (Oct 31, 2007)

You can purchase flange repair kits at hardware stores, this is a temporary measure though, your problem should be fixed properly at some point in the near future which would require cutting out the deteriorated pieces and replacing with new. Check your subfloor for damage as it could very well be rotted as well from the leak you had (and may not have known it)


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## Tommy Plumb (Oct 7, 2006)

Do you have access to that pipe from below?
What type of pipe is it doing into? PVC or Cast iron?
If it's going into PVC is it a street flange or a normal flange? A street flange fits inside the pipe, a normal flange goes around the pipe.

To me it looks like you have this type if flange. 








This would normally go into a PVC pipe unless it's one of those cheesy cast iron repair flanges.


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## wyoming777 (Nov 8, 2007)

It does look like the flange you pictured, if that blue part were cast iron, and I think the the flange fits over the PVC pipe coming up from the basement, which I have access to. I'll just go and get a couple of pictures.
Will I have to somehow uncement the PVC flange from the sewer pipe? That sounds like a wonderful job, but I do want to do it right and not just patch it together.


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## Ron6519 (Mar 28, 2007)

That blue thing is metal, but not cast iron. You have a few options and they all include cutting out the fitting in place and putting in something a little more permanent. All PVC will work, but you better set it up correctly or the Sawzall comes out again.
Ron


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## wyoming777 (Nov 8, 2007)

What are the options you suggest? Also, what & where would I cut? I'm not really sure where the pipe ends and the flange begins, or where they overlap. It seems like I would want to make sure that I wasn't cutting into the sewer pipe,so would I cut off the flange where the top of the pipe would be (presumably about flush with the "ceiling" of the basement), but then there would still be about three inches or so of flange left glued to the pipe, unless I'm not looking at this right.


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## Tommy Plumb (Oct 7, 2006)

wyoming777 said:


> What are the options you suggest? Also, what & where would I cut? I'm not really sure where the pipe ends and the flange begins, or where they overlap. It seems like I would want to make sure that I wasn't cutting into the sewer pipe,so would I cut off the flange where the top of the pipe would be (presumably about flush with the "ceiling" of the basement), but then there would still be about three inches or so of flange left glued to the pipe, unless I'm not looking at this right.


PVC glue is perminant. Their is no practical way to remove that flange without removing some of the sewer pipe as well. Take a picture in the basement a little further back so we can see the horizonal portion of the pipe, the elbow, and the horizontal part going up to the flange. 

In all likelyhood you will need to cut the pipe a few inches from the elbow and remove the flange and elbow. You would then rebuild the pipe exactly how it is now from that point on. PVC is pretty easy to work with.


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## wyoming777 (Nov 8, 2007)

I guess the thought of cutting and splicing that pipe doesn't really sound all that bad, I've done worse. Here's a picture, whaddaya think?


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## Tommy Plumb (Oct 7, 2006)

That looks like 4in PVC. It may be three though, just use a tape and measure it. 
I'd cut it right on the red line I drew if you can. And remove the old flange/pipe.
Clean up the area and make any necessary repairs to the floor.
Glue a coupling to the stub sticking out of the elbow. Make sure you leave enough pipe to have the stub completely inside the elbow.
Cut a piece the same length as the one you removed minus 1/8 of an inch. Don't forget to include the pipe inside the flange in your measurement or you'll come up short.
Glue the new flange into that piece. 
Glue the flange and the stub into the coupling.
Screw the flange into the floor.
Your flange ideally should sit on the finished floor. Level with the finished floor will work fine but isn't ideal.


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## Tommy Plumb (Oct 7, 2006)

.......


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## wyoming777 (Nov 8, 2007)

Thanks for all your help, that doesn't sound too bad, pretty straight forward. I know what I'll be doing tomorrow. I'll get all the materials first and piece it together before I cut anything, and I'll let you all know how it works out. Thanks again!


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## Tommy Plumb (Oct 7, 2006)

You do know how to join PVC right?
You need to clean the pipe with PVC cleaner first, then use glue, then hold the fittings together for a few seconds. You have about 15 seconds before the glue drys and it's perminant.


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## Tommy Plumb (Oct 7, 2006)

I made one typo up there on where to cut the pipe. Make sure the stub coming out of the elbow is at least half as long as the coupling.


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## RemodelMan (Oct 7, 2007)

Also make sure that your cuts are straight/90 degrees to the pipe.
You can use a drafting compass along the base of the elbow joint.

Be sure to clean off any burrs and dry fit before you prime and glue on the coupling, pipe and flange.

Minwax, makes a liquid chemical called "Wood Hardener". 
Ideally, you could clean up the area with a solution of 1 part bleach to
4 parts water. Allow to dry, then apply the "Wood Hardener". This will significantly reinforce the subfloor around the flange.
You ought to consider installing an extended wax ring, judging by the
moisture around the flange.

Good Luck!


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## wyoming777 (Nov 8, 2007)

Thanks again for the input guys. I had thought of using wood hardener for the subfloor. Im a painter, so I use it on restorations sometimes. I may also add another layer of plywood to that subfloor.


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## Tommy Plumb (Oct 7, 2006)

RemodelMan said:


> Also make sure that your cuts are straight/90 degrees to the pipe.
> You can use a drafting compass along the base of the elbow joint.
> 
> Be sure to clean off any burrs and dry fit before you prime and glue on the coupling, pipe and flange.
> ...


The cut doesn't have to be perfect but it has to be pretty good. I clean the burs by just running my fingers around the outside of the pipe. PVC fittings will not go all the way together dry, they need the glue to fully seat. You can hammer them in most of the way dry but it will take quite a bit of work to get them back apart. You can dry fit to get a rough idea but remember it's going to make up a little more. I'd say you're safe going the same length as the piece you cut out.
As for an extended wax ring you can make that call once the flange it down and you see where it sits.


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