A friend's basement bath toilet is too close to door and doesn't allow door to open. They just bought the place and didn't catch it on inspection.

Im thinking an offset flange will work.

I'm thinking a push tight plastic.

I'm going over later today to pull the toilet.

Assuming 4 inch cast iron in concrete. I assume i have to cut the cast low enough to get the offset portion of the flange below grade.

What's the best way to cut cast from the inside. I dont think a dremel will work. Will an angle grinder fit in enough?

The plan is to cut the cast, remove enough concrete to fit flange, backfill and tapcon the ring.

Any other ideas?



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a cut off wheel with a bolt and nut thru the center should do it.
i use that for internal cutter for plastic but some are meant for iron/steel..
[www.google.com]

Ahh, that's why I asked. Excellent idea!! Thank you!



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Replace the door with one that opens out.

Which way are you offsetting it? Backwards or sideways?

Or install a pocket door if there is room in the wall cavity.

Or a bifold door.

Sideway to the right. I only need about 1/2 inch or so. My understanding is the offset flange will give me 1.5 inches. I may spin it forward or back so I get just my half inch and not expose un-tiled area.

You can see (lower pic)the pencil line on the left where the toilet sat. That was pushed over o the right , in attempt to fix the problem (enough that they broke the wax seal and caused leaking).

I wasn't expecting this 5 inch "basket???" Around the 4inch pipe. It appears it is caulked? In place.

I think I can remove that "basket" and fit the offset flange without having to chip much concrete if any.

The one thing I neglected to do is measure the depth of that basket. The offset flange is only four inch high... and I put the toilet back on a new ring while ordering the flange (mom is visiting tomorrow).

"Open out" door option

That was one of the first options. This is a vintage place with 100 year old 6 panel doors, lath, and plaster.

Yanking the jamb and casings would be a mess and patching the existing jamb in place won't fly as it is stained oak.



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"Pocket door"

That was first thing considered. Foundation on one side and another door 12 inches away on the other.



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We thoght about bi-fold . This place has beautiful 6 panel antique oak doors throughout with nice casings and built up headers. Bi fold would stick out like a sore thumb.

I think my offset will work. If I can make it work, it will be the path of least resistance, believe or not.

I already had my paws on the poop pipe and cleaned off the old leaky wax ring. I'm half way home. LOL.

stuff a good size rag down the pipe so nothing fall in. then take a hammer and pound in an outward direction on that flange. it will break into pieces and the pieces along with the lead can be removed leaving you with just the pipe.
remember the new 'insert' flange will need to be well anchored with rust resistant screws.
also put silicone caulk under the bowl to seal and sorta glue it to the tile.

Take the entire unit out, turn it around, and then reinstall it.

Maybe use a slightly smaller toilet ?

Re: smaller toilet

My buddy says they looked at that option.

Looking at it, I don't see how a different toilet would help. The door clears the front and catches on the side of the toilet. It's alread a standard/short bowl. I assume the dimension left to right is standard?

I really don't need much room. In fact, after I reset the toilet with a new ring she showed me the door closes by force. I wasn't to thrilled to watch her yank the door past the toilet. But she did. The toilet was leaking when I got there to measure. They had it cocked to the right and twisted.

Thanks. Yes, I may end up caulking the toilet anyway if any of that un-tiled area peeks through after I move the toilet. It will be close.

What is that "basket" thing called? It's about 5 inches across but I neglected to measure its depth. I'm wondering if I can look the specs up if they are standard. There was one in the hardware store when I went to get a wax ring. I should have measured it before I reset the toilet.

Hopefully the push tight offset flange is deep enough to set the gaskets in the 4 inch cast. The offset flange is only 4 inches to bottom of the ring.

That basket thing may leave me enough room so I don't have to chip concrete to get new flange in.

Do you think I should back fill the gaps with concrete? Hopefully I can get at least three anchors in the ring in to concrete.

The "basket thing" is a cast iron toilet flange and it WILL probably cause you problems. Someone said to hit it with a hammer to remove it, but yours is "cast in concrete" so it will be VERY troublesome to remove it.

He, I guess I've never seen one like that on the out side of the 4 inch pipe caulked in place.

I have a grinder and a chisel. I can borrow my brother's chipping gun if it comes to it. I hope not.

worst comes to worst, a non plumbing solution...



or

What is that?

Is that a toilet on a floor toilet ?

I would break the floor and just move it using a regular flange. Unless your trying to save that sexy tile.



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Just doing a favor here. Not going to remodel the whole bath. LOL. The tile ain't bad but the grout needs replacing.

I think so, a sit down toilet over a squat style floor toilet. Imagine they may have to flush one then the other.

The floor recessed toilets don't have door obstruction problems!

Yeah, that wasn't fun. Took me two hours to get the sucker out but I got it. Hammer, chisel, grinder.

Question: my push tight offset flange is just barely too short to get a good bite in the existing 4" cast and sit on finished floor so I have to extend the pipe.

I was thinking fernco either with a short piece of PVC or run the push tight in to the fernco directly. I dry fitted the direct method and it seemed pretty tight. Either way I'm going to backfill the remaining void with hydraulic cement and Tapcon the stainless ring (in to existing tile and new cement)

I can't get at the the lower fernco clamp when in the hole so I pre tightened it and shoe horned the fitting over the old cast. Wondering if that is kosher. It's on tight.