Closet flange
Encyclopedia
Plumbing
Plumbing is the system of pipes and drains installed in a building for the distribution of potable drinking water and the removal of waterborne wastes, and the skilled trade of working with pipes, tubing and plumbing fixtures in such systems. A plumber is someone who installs or repairs piping...
, a closet flange (also known as a toilet flange) is a pipe fitting (specifically, a type of flange
Flange
A flange is an external or internal ridge, or rim , for strength, as the flange of an iron beam such as an I-beam or a T-beam; or for attachment to another object, as the flange on the end of a pipe, steam cylinder, etc., or on the lens mount of a camera; or for a flange of a rail car or tram wheel...
) that both mounts a toilet
Toilet
A toilet is a sanitation fixture used primarily for the disposal of human excrement, often found in a small room referred to as a toilet/bathroom/lavatory...
to the floor and connects the toilet drain to a drain pipe. The name comes from the term "water closet", the traditional name for a toilet. A typical closet flange is composed of an ABS
Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene
Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene is a common thermoplastic. Its melting point is approximately 105 °C ....
or PVC
Polyvinyl chloride
Polyvinyl chloride, commonly abbreviated PVC, is a thermoplastic polymer. It is a vinyl polymer constructed of repeating vinyl groups having one hydrogen replaced by chloride. Polyvinyl chloride is the third most widely produced plastic, after polyethylene and polypropylene. PVC is widely used in...
hub with a round steel mounting flange attached to the top. Other styles are made from copper, brass, stainless steel, or pure plastic.
In a typical installation, the closet flange is mounted on top of the floor with the hub fused around the drain pipe. A wax ring is used to seal the gap between the flange and the bottom of the toilet. The toilet is bolted to the flange, not to the floor.