Toilets, Sinks, Showers, Tubs and Disposals - Acrylic Caulking at base of toilet

How do you break the seal when the acrylic caulking at the base of the toilet to the ceramic tile is so hard a strong knife won't cut through it?

Thanks for any suggestions!

Thanks,
Bob

If you are removing the toilet, just remove the nuts and water supply and rock it. If you are not planning on removing the toilet, a curved blade roofers knife should do it. Good luck.

Of and on over the years products have been around that disolve acrylic caulking.Last one I saw was by DAP as a sort of companion product to Kwik-seal (their most well known bath caulk).Because these products do not sell in high volume they tend to go in and out of production however I am told they do work.They do NOT work on silicone caulkings.

Thanks. Had to rock the bowl free, but it didn't break any tiles. Rubber mallet and putty knife to get caulk off floor and bowl. Found the metal flange cocked. Floor tiles are cut around it and the flange is screwed to the subfloor, resting unevenly on thinset squeeze out. Half the flange is 3/16ths below the tile surface and the other half of flange is 3/16ths above the tile surface. Would like to even out or shim the base even for the flange. Any ideas. Regards, Bob.

Is the metal flange soldered to the copper bend?

Depends on the type flange. Is there a "ring" on the end of the pipe? If so, the flange is able to turn and the ring is a retainer so it cannot be pulled off of the elbow. If not, it is probably soldered onto the elbow. You should be able to see the solder if this is the case. May take a wire brush to find the ring of solder.

3/16ths + 3/16ths = 3/8ths. This actually is not too bad and I would place it in the good category compared to what I have seen.

With a good ring you should not have any leaks. If you want to level flange, you may end up doing a lot of extra work.

Good luck.

Thick wax ring or waxless gasket? Thanks. Regards, Bob.

My personal choice is the thick wax ring. It's the only type I use.
I have never used the waxless variety (I do things the old fashioned way), so I cannot give you first hand information on them.

How do you break the solder line off of flange to remove it?

Check with majakdragon. I would guess it has to be unsoldered. Regards, Bob.