Any antique toilet experts here?

Ultradog MN

Well-known Member
Location
Twin Cities
Last summer I bought a beautiful antique toilet to install in our new bathroom.
It is the 2 piece type where the bowl bolts to the floor, the tank bolts to the wall and they are connected by means of a chrome flush ell.
The closet flange in our bathroom is set at a 12" rough in.
But I can not install the toilet because the back of the bowl is too close to the tank. The compression fitting on the back of the bowl that secures the flush ell would be right in the bend. Ain't gonna happen.
So I do understand there are three common rough in dimensions - 10", 12" and 14" with 12" being by far the most common.
I'm assuming this bowl is made for a 14" rough in.
I know on a modern toilet it is easy to measure the rough in dimension. Just stand a stick behind the tank and measure to the closet bolts. EZ.
So my question is:
How/where do I measure an antique bowl to determine the rough in?
I suppose this is about as clear as mud but I can answer questions if need be. I would appreciate any help.
PS,
Did they adjust the rough on these old toilets by means of the location of the hole in the bottom of the tank?
I don't think so.
 
I'm going through the same dilemma. I have a 100+ year old high tank I'm putting in my basement. Except in my case, I'm bolting it to the floor and will build the wall after the bowl is attached to the floor. I got my parts from deabath.com.
 
Mock it up in the garage with the connecting ell to get measurement. They make an offset floor flange that may help if it isn't too far off.
 
The measurements are off the wall, not the tank. The one I put in a previous house, I built the connecting pipe from 1 1/2" copper pipe, elbow and bushings to fit in to the tank/bowl connectors. Also mounted the tank about 4' above the bowl with a pull chain. This method allowed me to use the 12" location from the old toilet. I liked the look of copper and it was far cheaper than the chrome one for around $300 +/- .
 
We had one of those years ago, but we had roughed in the toilet flange tofit the old tank elbow(chrome sorta) bowl connection. I think Jo Bird has your solution. Since copper turns green/black/dark as it oxidizes in the air, your could heat and brush with solder to give it a chrome/silver look. The offset bowl flange connection may work but always looked like a clog ready to happen. Good luck with you project, old houses are a challenge, no matter what your working on. gobble
 
Offset floor flange is prone to gloggs. Depending on wherther water enter's bowl from top or rear,here's how to install a 14" toilet on a 12" floor flange. From the top is simple if you have the right pipe between tank and bowl. Pipe has a double 45 degree between two straight ends. You move the tank right or left to adjust distance between wall and bowl. After comeing from tank if pipe bends 45deg toward wall then 45deg toward floor,that alows bowl to sit closer to wall,45 toward bowl then 45 toward floor sit's bowl fartur from wall,sliding tank right or left take's care of the in-betweens.
Water entering at rear of bowl require's two pieces to make the coupling. Call Teter's in Dallas (214) 823-2153,have measurements and credit card ready,they will fix you up.
 
Thanks for the help fellas.
I know there are offset flush pipes and all that but I don't want to cobble this.
I'm pretty much resigned to finding a different bowl.
So getting back to my original question, does anyone know how/where to measure the rough in on one of these old toilet bowls?
 
you might have to mount the tank a bit higher and then put a S like line so the pipe is loser to he wall before the 90 into he tank
I picked up a simalar wall tank with separate bowl that we are planing on installing with the tank up closer to he ceiling and using a pull chain and figure it's the only way to install it with out moving the floor flange
 
in answer to your question
I would attach the tank to the bowl
place the tank against any wall
measure the distace from wall to bolt holes
as you measure the flange centre to wall for rough in as in pic
a221411.jpg
 
Thanks.
I have thought about opening the ceiling in the kitchen and moving the flange out 2". Lot of work though - repair the new tile floor in the bathroom, change the pipe, fix the ceiling in the kitchen, etc.
 

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