Dealing with a wobbly toilet? Noticing leaks or gaps around the base?
You might be looking at a toilet flange that’s sitting too high.
It’s a super common issue during bathroom remodels, but it’s one you’ll want to fix sooner rather than later. Leaving it too tall can damage the wax ring, and lead to nasty leaks.
Luckily, there are a few straightforward ways to handle it, depending on how high it is and what your floor looks like.
In this post, we’ll show you what to do if your toilet flange is too high.
What Is The Correct Height For A Toilet Flange?
First things first, what’s “normal” when it comes to flange height?
A toilet flange should sit flush with the finished floor, or just about 1/4 inch above it. That’s the sweet spot. It keeps your toilet stable and ensures the wax ring (or gasket) seals things up tight.
Too low, and you risk leaks and an unstable connection.
Too high, and the toilet doesn’t sit flat. That’s when you get the dreaded rocking toilet or worse – cracks in the porcelain from uneven pressure.
Also Read: Knocking Pipes When Water Is Not Running
Signs Your Toilet Flange Is Too High
You don’t have to grab a ruler right away. Your toilet usually tells you when something’s off. Here are a few signs that your flange might be sitting a little too high:
- Wobbly toilet even when bolts are tight
- Gap between the toilet base and the floor
- Water leaking around the bottom after flushing
- Spongy or soft floor from hidden leaks
- Toilet makes creaking or cracking sounds when sat on
If any of that sounds familiar, it’s time to take a closer look.
What Causes A Toilet Flange To Sit Too High?
There are a couple of things that can lead to this situation.
The most common? Flooring changes.
If you’ve recently added tile, laminate, or anything else to your bathroom floor and didn’t adjust the flange afterward, it might now be too tall for the new setup.
Also Read: Toilet Bowl Water Level Drops Overnight
On the other hand, if the floor was removed or changed and nothing was done about the flange, it can end up floating a bit too high.
Sometimes it’s a bad install from the get-go. Or maybe a contractor got a little lazy. It happens.
How To Fix A Toilet Flange That’s Too High
Now for the good stuff: how to actually fix it.
You’ve got a few options depending on how high that flange is sticking up and how comfortable you are with a little DIY action:
#1 Use A Flange Spacer Kit
If your flange is only slightly too high (like, just a little over the recommended ¼ inch), this is probably your easiest fix.
Spacer kits are exactly what they sound like: little rings that stack around your flange to help bring it up to match the height of your flooring better.
You’ll basically make up the difference so your toilet can sit flat and seal properly.
Here’s how it goes:
- Clean the flange and surrounding area.
- Stack the spacers until the height matches your floor.
- Seal them with silicone or the provided adhesive.
- Reinstall your toilet with a fresh wax ring.
This works great for small adjustments. No need to tear up the floor or call a plumber!
Also Read: Toilet Flange 1/2 Above Floor
#2 Raise The Flooring Around The Flange
Another way to solve the problem is to bring the floor up to the flange instead of lowering the flange down.
This works well if you’re in the middle of remodeling or if the flange is only a little too high. You can use tile, backer board, or even a plywood underlayment to raise the floor level around the toilet area.
Once the finished floor sits flush with the flange, you can install the toilet like normal.
Keep in mind: This approach works best when the gap isn’t massive. If your flange is sticking up over 1/2 inch, it might be better to go with the next option.
#3 Replace Or Lower The Flange
if the flange is way too high, then it might be time for a more involved fix.
This means cutting out the old flange and installing a new one at the correct height.
Depending on the material (PVC, cast iron, etc.), this could be a DIY job if you’re comfortable using a saw and working with plumbing fittings.
Here’s the rough idea:
- Cut out or remove the existing flange.
- Adjust or trim the drain pipe to the right height.
- Install a new flange that sits ¼ inch above the floor.
This is the most permanent and proper fix for extreme cases. If it feels a bit over your head, there’s no shame in calling a plumber. Better to have it done right than risk a leak down the line.
What NOT To Do
Let’s quickly talk about what not to do, because these mistakes can cause even bigger problems.
Don’t try to muscle the toilet down over the flange as this can crack the base or stress the bolts.
Also stacking multiple wax rings might seem like a quick fix, but it rarely holds up and often leads to leaks.
And skipping a proper seal just to make things “fit” is a recipe for water damage. If you see even a little leak, take it seriously. The longer it goes, the more damage it can do beneath your floor.
Short cuts here usually turn into big repairs later.
Bottom Line
If your toilet flange is too high, you can either raise the floor, use a spacer or thicker seal, or lower the flange itself. Each fix has its place and it just depends on how far off the flange is and what kind of access you have.
Small gaps? Spacer kit or wax-free seal should do it. Mid-level gap during a remodel? Raise the floor a bit. Way too high and nothing works? It’s time to lower or replace the flange entirely.
Get it leveled out, and your toilet will sit solid, stay sealed, and work like it’s supposed to.