Never ignore a toilet that is trying to tell you something. In my experience, while renovating homes, I’ve found that repairing a “broken” toilet can be as simple as replacing the flange.
A toilet flange, also known as a closet flange, connects a toilet to drain pipes leading to the outside sewer. Flanges also securely attach a toilet to the floor so that toilets do not rock back and forth, leak, or overflow. There are various types of toilet flanges, each with unique features and characteristics.
6 Types of Toilet Flanges
It’s helpful to learn about the different materials and sizes of flanges before replacing a damaged flange to ensure it’s the correct toilet flange for your plumbing system.
Did you know that cast iron is the only right toilet flange for cast iron pipes? Choosing the correct toilet flange means all the difference between a worry-free toilet and a loose toilet that demands your time and attention for a second time.
I’ve prepared a guide on the different types of toilet flanges based on materials, sizes, and plumbing requirements. Some flanges are easy to install, and I’ve included step-by-step instructions on removing a closet flange and how to install a new one.
| Types of Toilet Flanges | Special Features | Characteristics |
| Copper | Hard and soft copper versions are available | Soft copper bends and is easier to install |
| Brass | Available in deep-seal, offset, and regular sizes | Durable, heat and corrosion resistant metal |
| PVC | Plastic rings most commonly used type in homes | PVC manufactured to fit 3-inch or 4-inch drain pipes |
| Stainless Steel | Provides long-term sealing | Most expensive |
| Cast Iron | Only to be used with cast iron pipes found in older homes | Easy to machine, brittle, prone to corrosion |
| Aluminum | Lightweight, long-lasting metal ring | Pure aluminum more durable than composite aluminum |
What is a Toilet Flange?
A toilet flange lies at the base of the bowl. It attaches the latter to the bathroom floor and connects to the drainpipe. The toilet flange is also known as the closet flange.
These devices can be made of PVC, rubber, metal, or a combination of various materials. It has a cylindrical shape and a flat surface. The flat surface has space for the wax ring and a section where bolts or screws can be tightly fitted.
Although it may look as though toilet bowls are attached directly to the finished floor, the fact is that they are mounted on top of the toilet flange.
Aside from securing the bowl to the floor and connecting it to the waste pipe, the purpose of the flange is to prevent leaks and damage to the finished floor.
1. Copper Toilet Flange
Durable and corrosion-resistant copper can be soft, flexible, or rigid. Hard copper devices may require elbow joints for proper fitting into a drainpipe.
Copper is an antibacterial (biostatic) malleable metal and it is used to make many plumbing components, especially those delivering potable water to communities.
There is soft copper and hard copper. Soft copper bends easily and is more easily installed than hard copper flanges.
Hard copper needs elbow joints to fit into a pipe.
The elbow joints will help in matching the space for a perfect fit. Copper is a popular choice for toilet flanges because it resists rust and is biostatic, which means it resists bacteria and fungi.
2. Brass Toilet Flange
A zinc and copper metal alloy, brass is a rust-resistant, malleable, and resilient plumbing material excellent for use in making toilet flanges. Brass toilet flanges are available in deep seal, offset, and regular-sized flanges.
Brass makes a sturdy closet flange. The metal is highly resistant to rust and corrosion and quite malleable. Brass toilet flanges come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
A brass flange is heat resistant and very durable.
3. Plastic (PVC) Toilet Flange
Plastic or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) toilet flanges are the most commonly used flanges in both residential and commercial toilets.
Some PVC toilet flanges are made of 100 percent polyvinyl chloride, while others come with a metal top and a PVC base. These types of toilet flanges are manufactured to fit three-inch or four-inch drain pipes.
You do not need to use adhesive when installing a gasket-sealed PVC flange. PVC is more flexible than ABS, but the latter is stronger.
4. Stainless Steel Toilet Flange
Corrosion-resistant and rustproof stainless steel offers more durability and better sealing than PVC. Like brass and copper toilet flanges, stainless steel is more expensive than plastic toilet devices.
They provide better and longer-term sealing than plastic or metal. Most of the actual stainless steel is found on the top section of the device.
The other parts are made of cast iron, plastic, or copper. However, it should be noted that stainless steel is more expensive than cast iron or plastic.
5. Cast Iron Toilet Flange
Meant to be used with cast iron pipes only, cast iron toilet flanges are extremely sturdy, providing years of use without cracking or disintegrating.
Designed for drainpipes existing beneath a toilet’s subfloor, cast iron closet flanges can sometimes be repaired instead of replaced, depending on how seriously they are damaged.
Cast iron is one of the oldest types of closet flanges in existence. These are heavy and strong and tend to last for more than a few decades without cracking or deteriorating.
Cast iron is best used in pipes located lower than the subfloor. One of the more significant downsides of cast iron is its vulnerability to rust. If the flange is not maintained, it will quickly become corroded.
6. Aluminum Toilet Flange
Aluminum is a lightweight, erosion-resistant, strong material used to make a variety of plumbing components. Unadulterated (pure) aluminum flanges are more durable than composite aluminum flanges infused with copper, zinc, and manganese.
However, adulterated aluminum toilet flanges are still considered a good choice as a long-lasting, solid flange.
Offset Flanges
Offset flanges are a subset of the devices listed above. They allow you to reposition the location of your toilet a few inches away or off the center of the drainpipe. These are convenient devices to use if you have oddly placed drainpipe openings.
Offset flanges feature an elbow that enables you to make the needed adjustments. Here are some of the types you will find:
Spigot Flange
Spigot designs fit PVC or CPVC flanges. These types of devices provide a slip-fitting flanged end.
Slip Flange
As the name suggests, these fit by slipping over the drain pipe. They require solvent cement for installation. Slip devices come in one-piece and Van Stone variations. One-piece flanges are solidly molded parts.
Slip flanges require care when installing because the closet flange cannot be turned once glued into the waste pipe.
Van Stone Flange
This is the two-piece variation of the slip flange. These toilet flanges have a loose rotating ring that allows you to align bolts easily.
Threaded Flange
These flanges have one female threaded end to connect to a male threaded fitting or nipple without the need for solvent cement.
Blind Flange
This is a solid disk. It is without any interior diameter to block off a drainpipe or create a top. These types of toilet flanges come with mounting holes around the perimeter that allow the closet bolts to be bolted to another flanged connection.
Repair Flange
A metal ring may be corroded, but you don’t need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to flange replacement. Oatey makes a Fix-it Repair Ring that repairs worn-out toilet-mounting flanges without replacing the entire device.
Oatey Twist n Set Replacement Toilet Flanges are designed with a gasket that expands inside the pipe. The Twist n Set unit can be installed without tools and works with PVC, Copper, and Cast Iron Devices.
Toilet Flange Sizes
3″ Toilet Flanges
A three-inch toilet flange has a bottom and top that are precisely three inches wide. These toilet flanges can only be installed to a three-inch bend or a three-inch diameter pipe.
If you install a three-inch closet flange pipe and discover the pipe is not the same size, you must position a reducing bushing to make the flange fit.
However, adding a reducing bushing means the flange’s position will be forced to rise unnaturally, affecting the alignment of the toilet’s plumbing.
4″ Toilet Flanges
A 4″ toilet flange has four inches topside and a three-inch bottom diameter. The bottom of this size flange will fit standard-sized pipes.
In addition, a 4″ x 3″ toilet flange is the size of most closet bend pipes in plumbing systems. Four inches would be appropriate if you are unsure about your toilet pipe size.
Other Sizes of Toilet Flanges
Non-standard toilet flanges are similarly sized to 4″ x 3″ flanges. For example, plastic devices are available with 7″ top and 3 1/2″ bottom diameters. Extension kits are also available to adapt to new floor installation that raises a toilet flange.
Oatey manufactures a Closet Flange Spacer Kit for use when a finished floor is higher than the bottom of the existing toilet flange. Spacers are needed when replacement flooring is below grade. The spacers, made of durable PVC, will extend the flange to the proper height.
When replacing a round toilet with an elongated toilet, you can purchase offset toilet flanges providing diagonal set openings that offer additional space to accommodate the bottom shape of an elongated toilet.
Easy-to-install push-tite devices simply need to be pushed in to fasten securely. These types of toilet flanges have gaskets that seal inside pipes and can be used with extra-heavy piping as well. A push-tite gasket is made from engineered elastomer and is heat and chemical-resistant.
How to Remove a Toilet Flange
It’s easy to remove a closet flange but not so easy to move a one-hundred-pound toilet off the drainpipe. In addition to screwdrivers, an adjustable wrench, a putty knife, and a shop vac to clean up afterward, you might need someone to help you move the toilet to avoid damaging floor tile–or your back!
- First, turn off the water supply to the toilet. Turn the knob behind the toilet clockwise to turn off the water. Most water supply knobs are located close to the baseboard.
- Flush repeatedly until the tank and bowl are both empty. If you can’t get all the water out, use a sponge to soak up any excess water.
- Remove the closet bolts at the toilet’s base with the adjustable wrench. Nuts are located on both sides.
- Once the bolts are removed, gently and slowly rock the loose toilet to disengage the wax connection. (This is where you will need assistance).
- Once you’ve broken the seal, lift the toilet up off the floor and move it aside.
- Scrape away the wax using a putty knife. Also, scrape off any wax sticking to the toilet’s underside.
- Unscrew the flange to remove it. Save screws that are in good condition. Use new ones if the old screws are corroded or ground down. An old or badly damaged closet flange may need to be pried out using a hammer and chisel. Sometimes, really stubborn flanges should be cut and pieced using a power tool. After completely removing the old closet flange, use your shop vac to clean away debris.
- Take the old flange with you when buying a new one at a hardware store. If shopping online for a new closet flange, measure the bottom and top diameters to ensure you order the correctly sized flange
How to Install a New Toilet Flange
There are two ways to install a flange:
- You can attach the new wax ring to the base of any brand of toilet. To do this, you will need to lay the toilet on its side. This method ensures the ring is properly positioned when you put the toilet atop the new flange. Or,
- You can put the ring on the toilet flange before returning it to the drainpipe. Remember, if the finished floor has been replaced since the last time the closet flange was changed and the flooring is made of denser material, you will need to use a thicker-than-average ring.
- Once the ring is in place, fasten down the new closet flange with mounting screws and t bolts. Give each bolt an extra twist to make sure they are tight.
- Carefully replace the toilet on top of the new ring and closet flange. Align the toilet’s bolt holes with flange bolts. Gripping the inside rim of the bowl instead of the outer rim will help you grip the toilet more securely.
- Once you have lowered the toilet down on the ring and closet flange, apply pressure to expedite sealing. Do not tile or move the toilet after the wax is set on the flange. This might compromise the connection and promote premature leaks.
- Tighten nuts onto bolts at the base. Don’t tighten them too much, or you could crack the porcelain.
- Set the tank and align bolt shanks with holes in the bowl.
- Tighten tank bolts until the tank is in contact with the bowl.
- Slowly turn the water supply back on and let the tank fill completely. If you see any sign of leaking at the bottom of the bowl, turn the water supply back off. If no water leaks, flush twice. Of course, if water leaks from the bottom after flushing, you will need to remove the toilet again and check to see if the ring is positioned correctly or if the closet flange is loose.
Special tools designed to remove rusty or broken flanges are available when a simple putty knife won’t do the job. Essentially an internal pipe cutter, flange-removing tools typically feature a circular saw appended to a shaft.
This shaft, then, should fit into any standardized drill chuck. Solvents are sometimes used to remove old flanges, but solvents containing certain chemicals could cause pipe erosion.
Check for the possibility of a chemical reaction by researching solvent ingredients and pipe material before using solvents.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many Different Toilet Flanges Are There?
There are different toilet flanges depending on installation requirements and the toilet you have. Each flange type serves the same basic purpose but offers different features to suit various plumbing configurations. The choice of flange depends on the specific plumbing setup.
The main variations of the different flanges are based on materials and sizes. Closet flanges are made from different materials, including PVC, brass, copper, cast iron, stainless steel, and aluminum.
They also come in various sizes and shapes to match different drainpipe diameters and toilet outlet sizes. The most common size is designed to fit a three-inch or four-inch pipe.
What is the Best Toilet Flange?
The “best” toilet flange depends on several factors related to your specific toilet installation, including the type of plumbing, the condition of the piping, the flooring material, and the height of the floor in relation to the pipe.
What is a Standard Toilet Flange?
The most common size for a standard toilet flange fits a three-inch or four-inch drainpipe, typical for residential plumbing. These are designed to accommodate the majority of standard toilets.
Standard devices are often made from PVC or ABS plastic, especially in modern plumbing systems. However, they can also be found in other materials like cast iron or brass, particularly in older homes or specific bathroom setups.
Conclusion
Understanding the specifics of your bathroom layout, floor height, and plumbing system is important to make an informed choice about the types of toilet flanges available. Proper flange selection guarantees a stable toilet and promotes long-term bathroom hygiene and functionality.
