Toilet bolts cemented into basement floor?

I was replacing a toilet in my basement bathroom in this 1971 ranch house and after pulling off the toilet and the old hardened wax ring I saw this.

The bolts are cemented into the floor and I can't see a flange or anything. Is this ok?

Sorry, I should've stuffed a rag in before taking the picture!

 

What kind of pipe, lead, cast iron, PVC?

 

I'm not sure Ray. It looks metal to me.

 

Based on the rust, I'd say cast iron...that's not just dukee build-up.

I've seen that before in slabs...the pipe sticks up a certain amount, they pour the concrete around the pipe (and either use forms and mortar the bolts in after it hardens or drill and mortar w/o forms). After the concrete sets a bit, they come back, cut/grind the pipe flush, smooth the concrete if necessary, boom, there's your flange. Works fine as long as you get a good wax seal and no backups.... Bad seal or seal failure, you can have sewage permeating the concrete, possibly causing smells and flooring issues.

I've also seen when a space like that is tiled and the "flange" needs to be raised, they just clean it real well with a wire wheel or similar, cut off the bolts, attach a repair/extension flange with tapcons and silicone and lay the tile.

 

You are going to need to cut the studs off flush with the floor and install a replacement flange. The replacement flange fits inside the pipe and a rubber gasket seals it. Example: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Oatey-4-...3539/100139480

You will also need to secure the flange to the floor. Tapcon screws or screws and lead anchors can be used. You will need a hammer drill and drill bits for concrete to drill the holes.

 

So it's not safe as it is? I don't have a hammer drill and have never used one. I think doing all that is above me at the moment. Should I have a plumber do it? Do you think it would be that expensive?

Thanks all and Ray.

 

Knowing myself, I'd clean it as well as I could and chase the threads on the existing Bolts . . . . and maybe apply some Never Seize to inhibit further corrosion.

Then I'd procure a Double Wax Ring and install my new Toilet . . . . and call it a day. That set-up has worked for 47 years in that location; it'll work for another 47 years.

 

If I could clean up the threads on those bolts (perhaps using a die) I would try to re-use them. It would probably be easy to adapt a new plastic flange such as pictured above to fit over those bolts.

The threads would need to be clean enough that new nuts would spin on easily.

The bottom of the toilet must not touch the flange. If the bottom of the toilet i too close to the floor then you will need to chip out a recess for the new flange, or omit the new flange and put the wax ring directly on the floor.

 

$250 later and here's what the plumber did today. He said it should work and that I'll have to shim the toilet a little. He said to get a 10 inch rough in 2 piece toilet for basement.

Plumber said it was a cast iron pipe below. There were flies inside yuck! It hasn't had water in the toilet for about a year, maybe that's why the flies were in there.

Should I caulk around the flange where it meets the floor? He said it's not necessary I think.

 

No caulk just a good quality Number 10 wax ring should be find. When you set your toilet, make sure it floats on top of the wax ring and you have to squish it down into place. This will tell you that you have a good seal. Then move on to the next phase of your project.

 

Setting toilet in plaster, never shim a toilet again..