Yeah, I hear you on the double-stacked wax rings—it’s one of those “seems fine until it isn’t” kind of fixes. I’ve seen my fair share of midnight toilet emergencies turn into way bigger headaches by morning. Water damage sneaks up fast, and you’re right, the cost difference between a wax ring and replacing subfloor is no joke.
Flange extenders are underrated, honestly. They make things a lot easier in the long run, especially in older houses where nothing’s quite level or the floor’s been redone a couple times. Sometimes folks get nervous about spending a few extra bucks upfront, but man, it’s worth it to not have to worry about leaks creeping in later.
I still remember one job where someone had stacked THREE wax rings... by the time I got there, the whole thing was like a squished jelly donut. Not pretty. Anyway, props for tackling it yourself—sometimes you just gotta get through the night and deal with the rest later. Just keep an eye out for any weird odors or soft spots around the base—those are usually your first warning signs.
Three wax rings? That’s wild. I get the temptation to just stack ‘em and hope for the best, but it’s like putting a band-aid on a leaky dam. Flange extenders are such a game changer—wish more folks knew about them. I’ve seen way too many “creative” fixes go sideways after a few months.
Stacking wax rings is just asking for trouble down the road. I learned that the hard way a few years back—thought I could get away with doubling up when the flange was too low after new tile. Six months later, slow leak, warped subfloor, and a whole lot of regret. Flange extenders aren’t even that expensive, and they actually solve the problem instead of masking it. It’s wild how many “quick fixes” end up making more work in the long run.
Flange extenders aren’t even that expensive, and they actually solve the problem instead of masking it.
- Been there, tried the double wax ring trick too. Ended up replacing part of the subfloor—cost me way more than a flange extender would’ve.
- I get wanting a quick fix, but sometimes it’s just not worth it.
- Curious, has anyone tried those rubber gaskets instead of wax? Wondering if they’re any better for uneven floors.
Rubber gaskets are actually pretty decent, especially if you’re dealing with a slightly uneven floor or you just hate the mess of wax. I’ve used them a couple times—less fuss, and you can reposition if you mess up the first try. That said, if the flange is way off, nothing beats a proper extender. Learned that the hard way after chasing leaks for weeks... Sometimes the “quick fix” just drags things out longer than it should.
