What is a Toilet Flange?
A Toilet flange is a pipe-fitting device that holds the toilet in place and connects to drain pipes. It is also called a closet flange. A toilet flange meets two primary purposes. First, it keeps the toilet bowl safe from shaking or leaking on the bathroom floor. It is also attached to the drain pipe to remove the waste from the bathroom. Another significant purpose of the toilet flange is to avoid leakages and damage to the finished floor.
Types of Toilet Flanges
Toilet flanges are made from various materials. Nowadays, plastic flanges are the cheapest. A toilet flange is made from various materials.
Stainless Steel Toilet Flanges
Stainless steel toilet flanges are resistant to rust and erosion. These flanges are suitable for sealing your drain pipes. The only stainless-steel part of the flange is the piece that fits the wax ring. Other body parts are made from plastic, copper, and cast iron. Stainless steel flanges are durable & suitable for various environmental factors without growing rust. These flanges are expensive, like brass and copper toilet flanges, but they help to provide longer-term sealing than plastic.
Copper Toilet Flanges
Copper is an antibacterial, biostatic, and flexible metal, so there are no worries about bacterial or fungus formation. Copper flanges are a good choice if you want a consistent and hygienic solution for connecting your toilet to the drain pipe. These are durable & long-lasting also. There is both soft & rigid copper. Soft copper bends frequently. It can be easily installed compared to rigid or stiff copper toilet flanges. Hard copper flanges require elbow joints to fit into a drainpipe properly. These elbow joints help to meet the joint gap and provide a perfect fit.
PVC Toilet Flanges
When there is a question about budget, PVC (polyvinyl chloride) toilet flanges are the best option. These flanges are widely used in residential and commercial toilets because of their lightweight, easy installation process & rust resistance. These make them an appropriate choice for budget-friendly plumbing fittings.
There are variations to plastic toilet flanges. Some are entirely made of PVC. Others have a PVC base and a metal top. There is no need to use adhesive when installing a gasket-sealed PVC flange. ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) toilet flanges are also made from plastic. They are highly rigid & more economical than traditional PVC. ABS is also resistant to water, heat, and shock. To strengthen, some ABS toilet flanges are fitted with an extra ring made of metal.
Brass Toilet Flanges
Brass is a metal alloy of zinc & copper, which is bendy & rust-resistant. It is a sturdy alloy commonly used in plumbing materials & toilet flanges.
Brass flanges are durable, heat resistant & long-lasting. They are in various shapes & regular, offset, and deep seal sizes. There is no compromise of forming microorganisms such as bacteria in brass toilet flanges. A brass flange could be an excellent option for replacing an old toilet flange for a new installation. The cautious part is oxidization. So, you must be careful about water & air contact while installing a brass toilet flange.
Aluminium Toilet Flanges
Pure aluminum is strong, lightweight & erosion-resistant. This aluminum is used to make different plumbing materials. Composite aluminum is infused with copper, zinc, and manganese. This type of aluminum is not long-lasting like pure aluminum. In this aspect, pure aluminum toilet flanges are a good choice.
The construction of these flanges is almost the same as that of stainless steel toilet flanges. The installation process is easy so that you can choose an aluminum toilet flange.
Cast Iron Toilet Flange
Cast iron is heavy & oldest type of flanges. These are sturdy and can exist for over a decade without damage or cracking. Cast iron toilet flanges are best to use in pipes lower than the subfloor as they are intended to extend down to the pipes.
These come in a variety of sizes. Deep-bodied cast iron flanges are used on drainpipes. One of the most significant drawbacks of cast iron toilet flange is it might be rusted. If the flange is not maintained properly & timely, it will be corrupted. These toilet flanges are more expensive than others.
Special Types of Flanges
Offset Flanges
Offset flanges support Toilet relocation. These flanges allow you to shift the toilet away from or off-center of a drainpipe by just a few inches. They are convenient when there’s an unusual location for the drainpipe opening. An elbow feature in offset flanges helps to make proper fitting.
Push-Tite Toilet Flanges
These types of flanges don’t need cement or screws to fit inside the drainpipe. Push-tite flanges are used for renovation or repair work. The installation is very simple & it is compatible with any pipe materials. The main drawback is that these types of flanges are not long-lasting like other types of flanges.
Repair Flanges
This flange type is designed with a gasket that enlarges inside the pipe. It helps to repair worn-out or corroded toilet flanges without swapping the whole device. You can reduce your expenses by avoiding complete flange change.
Toilet Flange Sizes
2 different sizes of toilet flanges are commonly used in plumbing systems. 3-inch & 4-inch Toilet Flanges. The bottom & top are exactly 3 inches wide in a 3-inch toilet flange. These flanges are suitable only in a 3-inch bend or a 3-inch diameter pipe. A 4-inch toilet flange’s top & bottom have a 4-inch diameter.
Choosing the Right Toilet Flanges
- Consider the Material Compatibility: You must choose a perfect toilet flange based on location, use & purpose. If your plumbing fitting has plastic or ABS pipes, a toilet flange made of the same material is needed. The cast iron toilet flange is compatible with cast iron pipes. In public places or for heavy-duty applications, it is good to use metal toilet flanges made of stainless steel or aluminum.
- Size of Pipe: The toilet flange’s compatibility depends on pipe size. The standard drain pipes have 3-inch or 4-inch diameters. You have to ensure the diameter size before buying.
- Location & Height: A stainless-steel toilet flange is very suitable when installed in a moist area like the basement. For any indoor location, a standard toilet flange can be used. Regarding height, you should keep in mind that when floor height is changed due to flooring material like tile, a taller flange is needed to compensate for the gap.
How to Install a Toilet Flange
The following tools are needed to remove an old toilet flange & install a new one:
- New toilet flange
- Putty knife
- Wax ring or rubber gasket
- Screws or bolts
- Screwdriver or drill
- Adjustable wrench
- Measuring tape
- Shop vac
At the beginning of removing an old toilet flange, you have to shut off the water supply to the toilet. Flush continuously to empty the tank and bowl. If it’s impossible to get all the water out by flushing, use a sponge to soak up extra water.
Use an adjustable wrench to separate the flange bolts at the toilet’s base. After removing the bolts, try to lose the connection between the wax & toilet. Once the seal has been broken, Remove the toilet from the ground and set it aside. After that, using the putty knife, scrape away the wax & then unscrew the old toilet flange to remove it.
The installation of a new toilet flange can be begun in two ways. Attach the replacement wax ring to the toilet’s base or place it on the flange before attaching it to the drainpipe. Use mounting screws and ‘T’ bolts to protect the new closet flange after the ring has been placed in the correct location.
Replace the toilet on top of the flange carefully & align the toilet’s bolt holes with flange bolts. Apply pressure to make the wax ring seal & closet flange strong when lowering the bathroom on the ring. Bolts should be tightened correctly at the base, but overtightening may crack the porcelain.
Finally, turn the water supply back on. Let the tank fill. If there is any leakage, turn the water supply back off. If you see no water leaks, flush it several times. Even after that, if there is leakage, remove the toilet again and check the position of the ring. Also, check the toilet flange to see if it’s loose.
Different toilet flanges are designed for various installation scenarios and pipe fittings. Replacing or buying a new toilet flange will be crucial if you don’t know about flange & pipe materials, configurations, sizes & specific installation needs.