Can You Put a New Toilet Flange Over an Old One?

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If your toilet flange (or “closet flange”) is broken, the toilet will begin to rock and leak, damaging your tiles and sub-flooring. There are different ways to repair toilet flanges.

But can you put a new toilet flange over an old one? Here’s what you need to know.

Can You Put a New Toilet Flange Over an Old One?

You cannot put a new toilet flange over an old one. To replace a toilet flange, you will need to remove the toilet and the wax around the flange, then unscrew the old flange. Then you can screw in a new flange and install the toilet. Alternatively, you could repair a deteriorating toilet flange with a replacement ring, repair ring, or a flange extender.

However, you will need to raise the flange by at least an eighth of an inch above the finished floor to prevent future leakage. You can do this by installing a closet spacer. Remember to use a wax ring to make an odor-proof toilet seal, ensuring that the sewer gases stay out of your home.

An image of a clean toilet

How to Replace a Toilet Flange

You can replace a toilet flange in five easy steps:

Step #1: Ready the Toilet for Removal

Turn off the water supply, drain the tank, and drain the water in the basin using a plunger or a toilet auger. Finally, disconnect the water supply hose. It helps to have a bucket handy to catch the water that will drain out.

Step #2: Detach the Toilet Tank

Begin by removing the nuts from the mounting bolts on the sides of the tank using a wrench. Then, gently lift the tank from the bowl and place it outside of the immediate area.

Step #3: Take the Toilet Bowl Off

Use a screwdriver to get rid of the bolt caps at the base of the toilet bowl. Loosen and remove the nuts before rocking the toilet bowl side to side carefully, breaking the wax ring seal.

Lift the bowl and lay it on its side, ideally on floor covered with tarp.

Step #4: Get Rid of the Toilet Flange

Begin by plugging the drain with an old T-shirt and scraping off the wax ring from the base of the flange.

You can remove a PVC flange by simply lifting it out of the pipe. However, if the flange is glued to the drain or is made of metal and does not budge, you will need to get a plumber to finish the job for you.

Risking removing the flange and breaking the drain pipe could result in serious water leakage that can’t be simply absorbed by wiping with your toilet paper rolls and definitely an unwelcome repair bill ranging in the thousands.

Step #5: Find a Replacement Toilet Flange and Install It

After the old flange is out, all you’ll need to do is screw the new flange in place using the hardware that comes with it. 

You must then set the bowl on a new wax ring atop the new flange and replace the tank before reattaching the supply line.

Conclusion

Putting a new toilet flange over an old one is impossible since the old one needs to be removed before another one can be installed. A toilet flange can be repaired with the help of flange extenders, but these must be coupled with closet spacers to nullify the odds of leakage.

Brett E.

Brett E. is the Owner of BarterDesign.co.  Brett comes from a long line of craftsman and foreman, and has been involved with the construction and renovation world ever since he was a boy while working for his families construction and remodeling company.  After graduating with a a degree in Interior Design, Brett is the go to guy for any interior design or remodeling questions!