Professional Tool Reviews for Pros
I ran into a situation where a home had a toilet installed with a 15-inch offset from the rear wall. The typical offset is 12-inches for most residential toilets. As a result, the toilet had 4-inches behind the tank. It looked like it was trying to participate in the activities of the bathroom rather than sit quietly until needed. This would seem to be a hopeless situation. I mean, who wants to completely remove and cut out a new toilet drain hole? In actuality, you can make this right using a simple solution. We show you how to install an offset toilet flange to move a toilet closer or further away from the wall.
Shop at your local home improvement store, and you’ll find a device called a toilet offset flange. This product gives you approximately 2-inches of extra distance in any direction from the existing toilet sewage pipe. It works with both 3-inch and 4-inch sewage pipes. The outer diameter (OD) fits inside of a 4-inch pipe. The inner diameter (ID) lets you fit it over a 3-inch PVC pipe. Typically offset toilet flanges run less than $15.
Here’s what an offset toilet flange looks like:
As you can see, the offset toilet flange is primarily PVC, with a metal or PVC flange ring that circles the top that can be rotated to center the bolts as needed underneath the toilet. This also gives you one more advantage. The toilet can be moved in any direction—forward, backward, even diagonally if needed.
Supplies (based on 4″ PVC sewage pipe, adjust accordingly for 3″):
We intended to move our toilet straight back. To do that, the following steps illustrate how to install an offset toilet flange for this purpose:
Use an adjustable wrench to remove the nuts on the retaining bolts and lift the toilet off the existing flange.
Remove and dispose of the old wax ring. Clean the toilet base in preparation for the new wax ring and flange.
Stuff a thick rag or disposable towel into the existing toilet hole. This blocks the sewer gasses from escaping into the room. You’ll thank us later.
Plan how your new offset flange will fit. The base of an offset toilet flange typically fits over 3-inch PVC pipe or inside a 4-inch pipe. Do your best to make sure that waste flows down into the sewage line without being impeded. You don’t want seams or anything that could cause a backup or restrict the flow of…waste.
Remove the old toilet flange by removing the screws that secure it to the floor. Use a Dremel or similar tool to cut around the piping from the inside to connect a new pipe. If you have a crawl space, you can cut the pipe from below using a reciprocating saw. You want to end up with a pipe that you can couple to the new offset flange. Be sure to measure the depth so you can successfully use a coupler. At worst, you may need to use a rubber boot to join the two new pieces together.
Finally, remove and discard the old toilet flange.
Using a reciprocating saw, cut out where the offset flange will need to be in order to set the toilet back further towards the wall. This is best done with either a wood or a demolition blade. You may need to angle the blade slightly to avoid cutting away too much material. Remember, you need the new flange to fit snugly so that you have enough wood left to fasten it securely to the floor.
Dry fit the new offset flange until you are satisfied with its fit.
Apply a generous amount of one-step PVC cement to both the pipe and the end of the offset flange and fit them together. Alternatively, if you find you need to use a rubber boot, fit the boot over both pieces and secure with a flat-head screwdriver. Typically a boot will only be possible with a crawl-space environment since you need access to make it work.
In our particular situation, we also had to cut out some additional floor tiles. For this, we used an angle grinder with a continuous diamond cutting wheel. It let us make the appropriate curved cut so we could install the new toilet flange directly to the floor.
If there is any space along the front of the new offset flange (and there should be, if you did it correctly), fill it with Great Stuff Window & Door expanding foam. Be careful so you don’t have to trim it back too much. If you happen to overdo it, just wait until it’s dry and use a razor blade or something with a serrated blade to trim it flat. The toilet should cover the exposed area you just filled.
Insert the new hardware bolts into the offset flange. This secures the toilet to the flange and floor so it doesn’t move.
Place the double-thick wax ring on the flange, waxy side up, with the short rim inserted into the flange opening. We always recommend a double-thick wax ring as we’ve had too many toilet installs where the gap exceeded the depth of the basic wax ring. You almost cannot overdue to the wax ring.
Replace the toilet by carefully lining up the holes at the base with the bolts sticking out of the new offset toilet flange. This step is much easier with two as the toilet itself tends to block your view of the flange bolts. Work the toilet down until it is seated flat on the floor. Secure the bolts with the washers and nuts provided.
As a final step, clip the bolts to length with a pair of bolt cutters. You can also use a metal blade on your oscillating multi-tool or reciprocating saw. Then you can place the plastic caps (if included) to cover up the bolts.
That’s all there is to it. Now you can “enjoy” your newly-moved toilet as if it were properly installed to begin with. This is a relatively easy project to undertake. Knowing how to install an offset toilet flange and doing some pre-planning will usually determine whether or not you have an easy or tough time of things.
When he's not remodeling part of his house or playing with the latest power tool, Clint enjoys life as a husband, father, and avid reader. He has a degree in recording engineering and has been involved in multimedia and/or online publishing in one form or another since 1992.
Clint’s career has covered nearly the entire realm of audio and video production. After graduating at the top of his class with an Associates Degree in Recording Engineering, he began working for the famed Soundelux studios in 1994, one of the largest post-production companies specializing in audio for feature films & television. Working on a myriad of feature films, Clint honed his skills as a dialogue editor, foley editor, and sound designer. Years later, he moved into the expanding area of video editing, where he served as the company’s senior AVID video editor for three years.
Working for such clients as Universal Pictures, Hollywood Pictures, Paramount Home Entertainment, NASA, Universal Studios, Planet Hollywood, SEGA, NASCAR, and others, Clint dealt extensively with client management as well as film & video editing, color correction, and digital video & MPEG compression. He also carries several THX certifications (Technician I and II, THX Video), and is ISF Level II Certified.
After founding the CD Media, Inc. publishing company in 1996, he went on to help start or grow several successful online publications, including Audioholics (as Editor-in-Chief for 12 years), Audiogurus, and AV Gadgets. In 2008, Clint founded Pro Tool Reviews followed by the landscape and outdoor power equipment-focused OPE Reviews in 2017. He also heads up the Pro Tool Innovation Awards, an annual awards program honoring innovative tools and accessories across the trades.
Crediting his excellent staff for the success of what is now the largest power tool review publication in the industry, Clint DeBoer hopes to see continued growth for the company as it rapidly expands its reach. Pro Tool Reviews critically reviews hundreds of hand tools, power tools, and accessories each year to help inform users about the best and newest products in the industry. Reaching everyone from the construction industry professional and tradesman to the serious DIYer, Pro Tool Reviews helps tool consumers shop better, work smarter, and stay aware of what tools and products can help put them at the top of their game.
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I believe my old flange ring corroded and fell off of the offset pvc pipe which is inserted over the 3 inch line just below my sub floor. 1. Should I saw off the old pvc at the joint, use a coupler, and install a new offset piece, 2. If I am redoing the floor and subfloor (which was also water damaged below the toilet) would you replace the flooring first then the flange and toilet OR the flange then the flooring then the toilet?
Hello, If your toilet is 4″ from the wall and this give you 2″ was it still 2″ away from the wall in the end? I have toilet I need to move our 3″ to meet ADA guidelines and was looking at these flanges but I am not sure it would give me what I need to achieve. Thanks!
My toilet is off centered by 3/4″, any products to amend my situation?
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Professional Tool Reviews for Pros
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