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DIY Advice Requested - Fixing Toilet Pan to Concrete Floor

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 Yanis Nayu 04 Sep 2014
Our downstairs toilet pan was leaking, which took a while to notice, so it's caused the screed on the concrete floor to perish.

I've removed the old pan, cleaned the old screed away and replaced the pan with a new one. The DIY Gods have smiled down on me for once - I just offered it up to the pan connector and flush pipe from the low level cistern, it fitted a dream and the pan is now sitting on the concrete floor nice and level and without rocking. I've tried drilling a hole to screw it down but the concrete is like, well, concrete an bit's doing nothing and I'm shitting myself that I'll crack the pan.

My question is, is there anything wrong with pouring self-levelling compound down the screw holes to fill the gaps under the pan, and create sort of posts which will anchor the pan down? I've never used self-levelling compound before for anything, so I don't know what its properties are.

Thanks in advance.
 Jacob Ram 04 Sep 2014
In reply to Malcolm Tucker's Sweary Aunt:

Think you need to get a better drill , a good masonry drill bit will fly through concrete .

OP Yanis Nayu 04 Sep 2014
In reply to Jacob Ram:

I've got a brilliant drill - lent it to me brother...

Have to admit, I'm wary of cracking the pan.
interdit 04 Sep 2014
In reply to Malcolm Tucker's Sweary Aunt:


> I've got a brilliant drill - lent it to me brother...

Are you using a decent masonry drill bit as mentioned above - that is more important than the actual drill being used in regular concrete.

> Have to admit, I'm wary of cracking the pan.

Do not drill with the toilet in position!
Place the toilet in position temporarily - mark where the drill holes need to go, either by using a pencil or tapping a nail gently enough just to mark the concrete.
Move the toilet out of the way and then get drilling.
interdit 04 Sep 2014
In reply to Malcolm Tucker's Sweary Aunt:

> My question is, is there anything wrong with pouring self-levelling compound down the screw holes to fill the gaps under the pan, and create sort of posts which will anchor the pan down? I've never used self-levelling compound before for anything, so I don't know what its properties are.

Forgot to answer this bit.
Everything is wrong with that plan.
Lusk 04 Sep 2014
In reply to Malcolm Tucker's Sweary Aunt:

Get a tube of 'Sticks Like Shit'.
OP Yanis Nayu 04 Sep 2014
In reply to Lusk:

> Get a tube of 'Sticks Like Shit'.

There's a shortcut there...
 Billhook 04 Sep 2014
In reply to Malcolm Tucker's Sweary Aunt:

Another common way of doing this is to simply 'sit' the pan onto a blob of ordinary mortar pushing it down so there is only a tiny joint between floor and pan, but in the hollow of the bottom it forms a pedestal which won't be moved.
In reply to Malcolm Tucker's Sweary Aunt:

> I'm shitting myself that I'll crack the pan.

Syrup of figs might be your friend here.

Or mark the holes, take the pan out, put a decent drill bit on hammer setting and use some rawl plugs with sealant. Use the sealant as a slight cushion to sit the pan on and screw it down. Lovely job.

Martin

mickeyluv 04 Sep 2014
In reply to Malcolm Tucker's Sweary Aunt:

instead of leveling compound (which wont work) use chemical anchor resin and a couple of short pieces of threaded bar.
 gethin_allen 04 Sep 2014
In reply to Malcolm Tucker's Sweary Aunt:

I'd try harder drilling the holes without the pan in place and then bed it onto something like grip fill or some other strong hard setting adhesive. You'll need to move the pan a bit anyhow to get the rawl plugs or shield bolt in the hole (slightly overkill if you are using these).
 DNS 04 Sep 2014
In reply to Malcolm Tucker's Sweary Aunt:

Listen to Interdit. Mark the positions, remove the pan and drill the holes. If you cannot drill the holes you have the wrong drill or bit. Your suggested option will not work.
andymac 04 Sep 2014
In reply to Malcolm Tucker's Sweary Aunt:

SDS drills and bits are the best.

If you don't have an SDS drill ,nip down to Wickes and get a decent quality masonry bit.(Bosch)

7mm bit ,brown plugs .....

And might I recommend CT1 sealant to stick it down. It's the nuts.
 DNS 04 Sep 2014
In reply to andymac:

CT1 - amazing stuff
OP Yanis Nayu 04 Sep 2014
In reply to Malcolm Tucker's Sweary Aunt:

Thanks all.
andymac 04 Sep 2014
In reply to DNS:

> CT1 - amazing stuff

Best stuff I've used.

Tried Sikaflex ,and more recently Stixall ,but CT1 is the best of the bunch.

Not cheap,mind.

But you gets what you pays for.

 jkarran 04 Sep 2014
In reply to Malcolm Tucker's Sweary Aunt:

> My question is, is there anything wrong with pouring self-levelling compound down the screw holes to fill the gaps under the pan, and create sort of posts which will anchor the pan down?

No if your aim is to waste your time, yes if your aim is to achieve some sort of structural attachment to the floor.

Pull the pan out, level the floor, refit the pan and mark the holes, remove the pan, drill the holes (better drill or regrind the tip), refit and screw in place.

jk
 GPN 04 Sep 2014
In reply to interdit:

> Are you using a decent masonry drill bit as mentioned above - that is more important than the actual drill being used in regular concrete.

Any SDS masonry drill bit will piss through concrete 'decent' or not!

 Philip 05 Sep 2014
Masonry drill bits are not good for concrete. I don't know where you get these ideas.

You can buy concrete drill bits, they are a different shape and will fly through concrete much better, even with a cordless hammer drill.

Then follow the advice above regarding adhesive.

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