That's a good catch on the flange crack—those tiny hairline fractures are sneaky for sure. I've run into similar situations where clients swear it's just the wax ring, and after pulling my hair out for hours, it turns out to be something else entirely. Speaking of leveling compound though, have you (or anyone else here) had good luck with self-leveling compounds around toilets? I've used them plenty for larger flooring jobs, but always been hesitant around toilets because of clearance and sealing issues... seems like it could get messy fast if you're not careful. Curious if anyone's tried it successfully or if it's more trouble than it's worth in tight spaces.
I've had mixed results with self-leveling compound around toilets, honestly. Tried it once on a small bathroom remodel thinking it'd save me some headache, but ended up spending twice as long cleaning up the overflow and scraping hardened compound off the flange—total nightmare. On the flip side, I know a guy who swears by it, says the trick is to build a temporary barrier around the flange with plumber's putty or something similar to keep things neat. Personally, I'm still skeptical... seems like one of those "great in theory, messy in practice" situations.
Have you considered shimming instead? I've found composite shims pretty handy for minor leveling issues around toilets—less mess and easier to adjust if things aren't perfect right away. Curious if anyone else has tried other creative solutions for leveling toilets without getting into compound chaos.
I've had similar frustrations with self-leveling compound myself—definitely one of those things that sounds better on paper. Your plumber's putty barrier suggestion is actually spot-on, though. I've seen it done successfully a few times, but it requires careful prep and patience. Still, it's understandable you'd be hesitant to jump back into that mess.
Composite shims are a solid recommendation too. They're simple, adjustable, and forgiving if you don't get it right the first time around. I've also had decent luck using plastic toilet wedges—basically specialized shims designed specifically for toilets. They're tapered nicely and blend in pretty well once trimmed and caulked.
Honestly, every approach has its quirks, but I'd lean toward shimming or wedges for minor leveling issues. Less cleanup and fewer headaches overall. Good luck with your project... we've all been there at some point.
Had a similar situation a couple years ago—went down the self-leveling rabbit hole thinking it'd be the perfect fix. Ended up with a bigger headache and an afternoon spent scraping dried compound off the floor. Never again.
The plastic toilet wedges mentioned earlier saved me big-time. They're cheap, easy to trim, and blend in nicely once caulked. One tip though: make sure you dry-fit everything first and mark exactly where each wedge will go before you bolt it down. Learned that one the hard way after tightening the bolts and realizing I'd nudged the toilet slightly off-center...
If you're still wary of wedges or shims, I've also seen folks use thin vinyl flooring scraps cut to shape—sounds weird, but it actually works pretty well for minor adjustments. Just stack as needed, trim flush, and seal around it. It's not elegant, but hey... neither is a flooded bathroom at 2 am. Good luck getting things sorted!
"make sure you dry-fit everything first and mark exactly where each wedge will go before you bolt it down."
Couldn't agree more with this. Dry-fitting is crucial—I've seen too many DIY jobs go sideways because someone skipped that step. Another quick tip: when you're tightening the bolts, alternate sides gradually instead of fully tightening one side first. It helps keep the toilet centered and prevents cracking the porcelain base... trust me, that's a whole other headache you don't want to deal with.