Cast iron toilet flange: leave it or change it?

[Yikes]

Again, same project in the 75 year old house. This is a 4” cast iron toilet flange. I’ve scraped it, but I can’t tell what’s leftover wax and what is corroded iron. I can’t even see the junction of the flange and the pipe to know whether it is integral or detachable. The bolts seem to be in good condition, and the subfloor was replaced. This sits over a crawl space.
Part of me does not want to open a “can of worms”, but just smush a tall wax ring on it and walk away. I’ve had bad experiences trying to fix old cast iron, replacing more and more.
The other part of me is concerned that the new flooring is 1/4” higher than the flange on one side and I may be setting myself up for a future leak unless I cut off the flange and start over.

What would you do if you were me?

 

[Keystone]

Me personally, if the pipe is not brittle or has soft spots I’m leaving it in place however I would use one of the many style flange adapters. I do be concerned with the toilet bolt sets and torquing the toilet down. Oatley makes a fit and twist, which I believe would work.

 

[classicT]

I'd get down into the crawl and find out and find out if it is integral.

What type of flooring is that? The core looks like MDF - if it is, I'd be sure to put some caulking around the cut ends of the flooring and then leave the rear of the toilet uncaulked (which should always be done FYI).

 

[Yikes]

I'd get down into the crawl and find out and find out if it is integral.

What type of flooring is that? The core looks like MDF - if it is, I'd be sure to put some caulking around the cut ends of the flooring and then leave the rear of the toilet uncaulked (which should always be done FYI).

It's Marmoleum Clic Cinch Loc. Basically, it's 12x12 "tiles" of traditional, old-school linoluem (cork + linseed oil on a jute backing), laminated to another layer of cork that is shaped with tongue-and-grooves that have plastic gaskets to seal away the just backing. No MDF, it's cork. Yes, I agree it is a good idea to caulk at any exposed joint.

https://forbo.blob.core.windows.net/forbodocuments/36550/Forbo_CinchLOC_Brochure_2023.pdf

 

[north star]

@ = @

Yikes, ...if it were me I would get an angle grinder or similar
tool and grind off as much krud as I could to get down to
the actual cast iron flange.......I would want to know the
condition of the flange, before I proceeded.

I recently had to repair a plastic closet flange underneath
my master bath toilet.......Point being, that I had to get down
to the actual flange to find out that both sides were broken
and were no longer holding the toilet bolts securely in place
[ e.g. - a wobbly toilet ].

Once you find out the condition of the flange, then you can
decide on the best course of action........There are quite a few
options for repairing or replacing the flanges [ HINT: I went
on to You Boob to watch others and how they did it. ].

Let us know how it turns out.

@ = @

 

[jar546]

Chip out the lead, remove the flange. Install a new on at the correct height, add oakum and lead the new one back in place.

 

[north star]

@ ~ @

Rembo, not everyone knows how to add oakum & lead [ < - - that's HOT lead ]
for cast iron work.

There are some interesting options for replacing a cast iron flange,
and not re-installing a cast iron one. Just sayin'...

FWIW, ...check out You Boob for these types of repairs.

@ ~ @