Subfloor around a toilet

[Diangeor]

How would one tile around a toilet where the concrete subfloor stops about an inch or so in diameter around the actual drain? From what I understand the tile needs to go under the toilet flange? The subfloor is brand new but amateur cutting produced this dynamic situation. Please see pic. Any help greatly appreciated.

 

[Smiler5714]

How would one tile around a toilet where the concrete subfloor stops about an inch or so in diameter around the actual drain? From what I understand the tile needs to go under the toilet flange? The subfloor is brand new but amateur cutting produced this dynamic situation. Please see pic. Any help greatly appreciated.

Hi there.
Apologies here as in the uk we have a slightly different set up when it comes to toilets and so I need to understand just how your toilet connects to the flange there?

Also, looking at those tiles which have been awkwardly cut there, they look like they are either painted in a red coloured paint or it's a type of tile primer that has been painted on with a view to over tiling what is already there?? Can you advise?

As for how the existing tiles have been cut, some 'lazy' tilers will take short cuts in areas that are likely to be covered over with sanitary ware and pipe covers etc.
I have seen so many square, grinder cut holes around circular pipe work because it's easier and quicker to do than using a slow cutting diamond hole saw knowing that the pipe cover plate will cover it when it's been fitted on 2nd fix!
Anyway, if you are considering over tiling then to be honest for ease, you could fill the voids with tile adhesive and let set whilst tiling other areas and then when you get to tiling over this point be more critical with your cutting around the flange area and make a better job.
Normally, most of us would cut this using a 4" diameter diamond cutting disc on an angle grinder. You can get a very good cut and pretty much to the millimeter round cuts with it. It's just a case of being accurate with your measuring and taking your time with the grinder.

 

[Diangeor]

Thank you for your thorough response! Actually that photo is the concrete subfloor, covered with Red Gard a waterproofing membrane. If I can fill the gaps around the flange with tiling adhesive that would be great I just wasn’t sure about the stability of that, as I don’t want the tile to crack once the weight of the toilet is applied and the adhesive perhaps isn’t quite level with the subfloor or it creates an unstable/unlevel surface. Also, I am nervous applying adhesive to the area that the toilet flange is bolted down into as it could muck up the bolts? Also to answer you question the toilet flange is bolted to the wood subfloor beneath the concrete subfloor and then the toilet will be bolted with screws that go upward into the toilet base.

 

[Smiler5714]

Thank you for your thorough response! Actually that photo is the concrete subfloor, covered with Red Gard a waterproofing membrane. If I can fill the gaps around the flange with tiling adhesive that would be great I just wasn’t sure about the stability of that, as I don’t want the tile to crack once the weight of the toilet is applied and the adhesive perhaps isn’t quite level with the subfloor or it creates an unstable/unlevel surface. Also, I am nervous applying adhesive to the area that the toilet flange is bolted down into as it could muck up the bolts? Also to answer you question the toilet flange is bolted to the wood subfloor beneath the concrete subfloor and then the toilet will be bolted with screws that go upward into the toilet base.

So just to confirm, does the toilet not have any other ground contact apart from the fixing flange you have shown?

 

[Diangeor]

Correct

 

[Smiler5714]

Correct

Okay, so I've just you tubed how to fix American toilets and the flange is not the only part of the bowl that has contact with the floor, the rim of the bowl also makes contact and also therefore spreads the load about the surface area of the surrounding floor.
As this is the case there is no issue with filling the void with tile adhesive and then tiling over this with the new tiles.

 

[Diangeor]

Ok. You don’t think the tile will crack at the change of plane?

 

[Smiler5714]

Ok. You don’t think the tile will crack at the change of plane?

No for sure. As long as your tiling is level and not uneven in anyway and you get plenty of adhesive around the hole in the subfloor then this will be fine. Had the toilet not be making contact with other areas of the floor then it would be a very different scenario.

 

[Diangeor]

Ok thanks so much!