LGP DIY House edition

[Willie Kool]

Just got home with the toilet. Popped it on the flange and the bolts don't come high enough through the holes on the toilet. Ugh. I guess I have to replace the flange?? Did not sign up for this.

Oh ****!
Yeah, it's probably worse than just the bolts being too short. If I'm not mistaken, the whole flange is now too low with the ceramic floor, and won't seal with a single wax ring. The correct fix would be to extend the pipe and put a new flange at the new floor level. This looks like an OK work around:

[youtube][/youtube]

[columbia]

As my father likes to say, "One of the reasons I went to college is that I could afford to pay someone else to be handy."

[Willie Kool]

As my father likes to say, "One of the reasons I went to college is that I could afford to pay someone else to be handy."

Ha, sounds like my dad. My grandfather (on my mother's side) taught me to always try to do things myself first. If it doesn't come out right or you know you're messing it up, you can always call in a pro. With youtube, the need for that is less than ever. I've found there is a certain personal satisfaction in knowing you can do for yourself, and it usually impresses the ladies.

[tjand72]

There are tall wax rings with longer bolts.

[Kraftster]

Ended up not being too bad. I cleaned off the flange and replaced the T-bolts with longer bolts that gave me enough to tighten down the toilet. In doing so, I ended up having to stack two gaskets. Instead of the traditional wax ring, I went with two of these:



I did as much reading and youtube viewing as I could on these before deciding to go that route. There are few poor reviews of these things, and I wanted the flexibility of not having to set the toilet exactly right the first time. A single gasket will handle a flange up to 3/8" above or below floor level. My flange was about 9/16" below the floor, so I went with stacking two, which you are supposed to be able to do without any problem. The manufacturer mentions that if you want extra protection when stacking you can use silicon between the two seals. I took that to the next level and put silicon around the base of the first, base of the second and top of the second where it contacts the toilet. Tightened her down, and so far so good.

Those gaskets run about $11 vs. $4-$5 for wax rings. For a first time toilet DIYer, I think they make all the sense in the world since you're talking about a difference of about 7 bucks, or $14 if you need two.

Note: If I was going to be living in this house forever, I would have hired a plumber to raise the flange.

Spoiler:

[meow]

Bravo, good sir. Very nice.

[mac5155]

The whole wax ring system seems so.. early 1900s to me, that we can't come up with a better solution.

[meow]

The whole wax ring system seems so.. early 1900s to me, that we can't come up with a better solution.

Like what? Simple solutions are the best solutions.

[mac5155]

Just a better material than wax.. that's all.

[meow]

Platinum

[shmenguin]

it's essentially a gasket, right? which are still used in...well...like everything

[mac5155]

Yes it is a gasket. Trying to install it is a PITA. I just feel like there's got to be a better way and the thing Kraftster posted looks neat.

[canaan]

Spoiler:

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i dont mean to nitpick your work, but the left hand corner of your tilework doesnt match the rest of the room. the corner tile should be an L-cut. by the time you put the trim in and what not, it wouldnt be that noticeable, but i would probably stare at it every time i was on the throne (not that im ever going to be sitting on your throne, but you know what i mean). i figured at first that you wanted to avoid the L-cuts, but you made the one on the opposite wall behind the toilet, which makes it more noticeable to me.

[Juice]

I'm not sure what you mean by install, but I basically laid it out, made cuts as I went in laying it out. Picked it all up and moved it to the adjacent room, then put it down with thinset. If there's a better way to do it, it quite frankly did not even occur to me.

I didn't mean it in an attacking way, sorry if it came across that way. It actually has never occured to me to lay out the whole floor, make the cuts, and everything the way you did it. It's a safe route, which is perfect when it's your first go. I've always just measured and made cuts as I went. The first time each tile hits the floor it is on thinset.

[Kraftster]

Spoiler:

[/url]

i dont mean to nitpick your work, but the left hand corner of your tilework doesnt match the rest of the room. the corner tile should be an L-cut. by the time you put the trim in and what not, it wouldnt be that noticeable, but i would probably stare at it every time i was on the throne (not that im ever going to be sitting on your throne, but you know what i mean). i figured at first that you wanted to avoid the L-cuts, but you made the one on the opposite wall behind the toilet, which makes it more noticeable to me.

Good work. That's the one corner I cut (pun) with doing the tile cutting. I did realize it before I put down the tile, but I had one full piece of tile left. I did not want to risk laying the tile without any back ups. Given the location, I figured that it would be sufficiently obscured that 9/10 people would not notice. Congratulations on being in the 1/10.

[Kraftster]

I'm not sure what you mean by install, but I basically laid it out, made cuts as I went in laying it out. Picked it all up and moved it to the adjacent room, then put it down with thinset. If there's a better way to do it, it quite frankly did not even occur to me.

I didn't mean it in an attacking way, sorry if it came across that way. It actually has never occured to me to lay out the whole floor, make the cuts, and everything the way you did it. It's a safe route, which is perfect when it's your first go. I've always just measured and made cuts as I went. The first time each tile hits the floor it is on thinset.

That makes sense. In a larger area it would probably be a bit much, but for the small space and it being my first time doing a floor (as opposed to backsplashes and fireplaces), I think it worked out really well for me to do it that way.

[mac5155]

I noticed it too, but it's a lot nicer than my peel-n-stick linoleum tile bathroom so I STFU.

[Kraftster]

I hope it's just the orientation of the photographs and lack of a vanity that is making it that apparent. But it is right in the path of the throne sight-line...

[Juice]

I'm not sure what you mean by install, but I basically laid it out, made cuts as I went in laying it out. Picked it all up and moved it to the adjacent room, then put it down with thinset. If there's a better way to do it, it quite frankly did not even occur to me.

I didn't mean it in an attacking way, sorry if it came across that way. It actually has never occured to me to lay out the whole floor, make the cuts, and everything the way you did it. It's a safe route, which is perfect when it's your first go. I've always just measured and made cuts as I went. The first time each tile hits the floor it is on thinset.

That makes sense. In a larger area it would probably be a bit much, but for the small space and it being my first time doing a floor (as opposed to backsplashes and fireplaces), I think it worked out really well for me to do it that way.

The more that I think about it, the more I realize my thought process is probably the in the minority. It never occured to me to do it that way probably because I learned everything I know about flooring while helping my stepdad (who does ceramic tile for a living) and my uncle/cousins (who do vinyl, hardwood, and ceramic for a living)

The one thing I haven't said yet that I should have is nice work.

[shmenguin]

I've always just measured and made cuts as I went. The first time each tile hits the floor it is on thinset.

isn't this strategy vulnerable to canaan disapproving of a lack of L cut?

[Juice]

I've always just measured and made cuts as I went. The first time each tile hits the floor it is on thinset.

isn't this strategy vulnerable to canaan disapproving of a lack of L cut?

Nope.

[Kraftster]

I'm not sure what you mean by install, but I basically laid it out, made cuts as I went in laying it out. Picked it all up and moved it to the adjacent room, then put it down with thinset. If there's a better way to do it, it quite frankly did not even occur to me.

I didn't mean it in an attacking way, sorry if it came across that way. It actually has never occured to me to lay out the whole floor, make the cuts, and everything the way you did it. It's a safe route, which is perfect when it's your first go. I've always just measured and made cuts as I went. The first time each tile hits the floor it is on thinset.

That makes sense. In a larger area it would probably be a bit much, but for the small space and it being my first time doing a floor (as opposed to backsplashes and fireplaces), I think it worked out really well for me to do it that way.

The more that I think about it, the more I realize my thought process is probably the in the minority. It never occured to me to do it that way probably because I learned everything I know about flooring while helping my stepdad (who does ceramic tile for a living) and my uncle/cousins (who do vinyl, hardwood, and ceramic for a living)

The one thing I haven't said yet that I should have is nice work.

Thanks. That at least means that the bathroom passes the test for looking good in sale listing-esque photos, ha.

[Kraftster]

While I have the attention of some of the LGP community. Any thoughts on taking the rail off the wall? I don't mind two tone walls, but it's at sort of an awkward height. We're thinking of a light gray type of color for the walls with white baseboards/trim/rail. If we keep the rail it would probably just be lighter/darker from the same gray family.

This is a closer view of the tile.

[meow]

A little modern for my taste. It will look good with the floor, however.

[CBear3]

I'm going to attempt to replace half an exterior door jamb tomorrow. Wish me luck. Then Monday is the last good weather day here to touch up deck stain and house paint.
After that it's on to tiling two bathrooms. Gotta get our first house listed and sold in time to be in the second house by next August when the oldest starts school.