Should Toilet Flange Sit On Top Of Tile? : Here’s What You Need to Know

When you make a new bathroom or remodel an old one, you will always go through a dilemma, “Should toilet flange sit on top of tile or backer board of the bathroom subfloor?” This is an important question to answer when installing a new toilet flange.

The toilet flange is designed to hold the toilet bowl securely without any movements. Thus, the accurate positioning of the flange is the key to proper toilet installation. So, where should you place the toilet flange?

Although people recommend installing the toilet flange both on top of the tile on the floor or top of the backer board, it isn’t ideal. We mostly recommend mounting the toilet flange on top of the floor instead of mounting it below the subfloor tiles. It stops any leaks and conveniently holds the wax ring and the toilet bowl.  

If you wonder if there’re other installation possibilities for the toilet flange, we will illustrate them in the following sections.

Should Toilet Flange Sit On Top Of Tile

The installation process of a toilet can be challenging, especially when you don’t know much about its process. Plus, you need to know the installation placement, including the toilet flange. Hence, many people will go through the dilemma of mounting the toilet flange properly.

So, where should you place the toilet flange? Here’s the short answer:

You must always place the toilet flange above the bathroom floor tile. The idea is to keep the toilet flange and the wax ring as close to the toilet flange as possible. It helps bond better between the toilet and the flange through the wax ring.

If you, however, mount the toilet flange inside the tile of the bathroom floor, it might create serious complications with the drainage system of your bathroom and toilet. When the bathroom water and wastage pipeline becomes leaky, you will need to fix the leaks, which can be extremely costly. Thus, a leaky bathroom is the last thing you would want.

What’s more, mounting the toilet flange below the tiles will require you to remove and reinstall the tiles. It is both costly and time-consuming. So, it isn’t a practical idea at all.

Long story short, you must avoid mounting the toilet flange below the tile of your bathroom floor to avoid inconveniences. Henceforth, the toilet flange should sit on top of the tile.

But, there’s another question.

What’s the best height of toilet flange above tile?

Let’s check what we have found.

How High Should Toilet Flange Be Above Floor

The toilet flange should be at the right height to allow the toilet to work properly. Hence, you should find the right height for the toilet flange.

Ideally, plumbers recommend installing the toilet flange at least ¼-inch above the tile and finished floor of your bathroom. The ¼-inch height of the flange will permit you to install a thicker wax ring to hold the toilet bowl securely. Hence, it promises a better sealing of the toilet and prevents leaks.

However, if you have tiled the finished floor recently, the optimal height of the flange might reduce slightly.

You might lack proper clearance of the toilet flange from the tiled floor inside the bathroom at times. You can fix it with a toilet flange extender. You will find the toilet flange extenders in two various sizes, including ½-inch and ¼-inch.

You can choose from these two variations to accurately fit into your bathroom. The extender equips with long bolts for securing the flange with it. Moreover, the installation process of the toilet flange extender is pretty convenient.

If you are unsure about the toilet flange height, unscrew and remove the toilet bowl to measure the exact clearance of the flange from the tiles. It should be an easy process.

Placement suggestions for the wax ring:

The wax ring is an integral part of the toilet flange that seals the toilet bowl and prevents water leaks and filthy elements. You will find different kinds of wax rings, each made with different materials. We will suggest you choose a polyethylene plastic sleeve wax ring since it provides better sealing and ensures a sturdy lifespan.

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Also, the polyethylene-made sleeve is convenient to use. It will easily fit with the standard drains in the bathroom.

Before mounting the wax ring, measure the distance between the toilet flange and the bathroom floor tile. If it is less than ¼-inch, you might install a thicker wax ring than the standard one to improve the clearance and ensure better sealing.

Nonetheless, you must not stack two wax rings on the flange for improved clearance instead of a thicker ring. It will cause serious drainage inconvenience with leaks. Moreover, applying a flange extender or thicker wax ring is a long-lasting solution and cheaper too.

First off, to install the wax ring, place it with the closet toilet flange. Ensure that you don’t mount the wax ring on the toilet mistakenly. Once you have mounted the wax ring accurately on the toilet flange, carefully pick up the toilet. Now, place it appropriately over the closet flange on which you have placed the wax ring.

When you place the toilet on the wax ring, you should align it so that the bolts can come through the holes for securing the toilet against the flange. After setting up the toilet, look for the proper alignment. Finally, secure it by tightening the screws and bolts.

Final Words

Installing a new toilet isn’t a walk in the park. You need to consider the proper drainage, sealing, and secure toilet positioning. In this regard, many people are concerned about the positioning of the toilet flange. Should toilet flange sit on of tile or below it?

Technically the toilet flange must be at least ¼-inch above the finished tiled floor for proper sealing and convenient drainage. You may improve the ground clearance with a thicker wax ring or toilet flange extender if need be.