QA

Question: How To Install A Shower Stall Drain

How do I install a shower drain with no access from below?

How to install shower drain without access below: Remove the existing shower drain. Measure and cut the assembly parts. Clean the area and pipes. Assemble and install the new drain. Apply a sealant and tighten the shower drain. Clean excessive sealant. Install strainer cover. Conduct a leak test.

Does a shower drain need a trap?

Do shower drains have traps? According to regulations, all shower drains are required to have P-traps. This includes all fixtures connected to a building’s main plumbing system. P-traps are curved pipes installed under showers and drains of all kinds.

What do you put under shower base?

Mortar is recommended to use under all shower pans. Mortar reduces the risk of your pan slipping or cracking from an uneven surface.

What size drain is needed for a shower?

Keep in mind that shower drain assemblies are generally made to fit a 2-inch drainpipe, not the 1 1/2-inch pipe usually found on tubs. A 2-inch pipe is the recommended size because showers have a low threshold for flooding, and a 2-inch pipe helps the water drain faster than does a 1 1/2-inch pipe.

Where is the P-trap in a shower?

A shower P-trap is located beneath the shower drain hole. It may be one solid piece of pipe or it may be an extension pipe attached to a J-bend pipe to form a “P.” P-traps are removed using the same process in either case. Access to the P-trap is the key element in the process.

How far can a trap be from a shower drain?

The maximum distance between the shower drain and the P-trap is 5 feet. However, the P-trap should be as close to the shower drain inlet as possible. You should even have the P-trap directly under the shower drain for the best results.

How far is a shower drain from the wall?

You will need to cut a hole in the floor at the drain end of the tub to position the tub drain and install it. The hole should be at least 9 inches wide and 12 inches from the wall.

How high should a shower drain be from the floor?

Getting Started. Make sure your drain pipe is at the appropriate height (approximately 1/4 inch above your concrete or subfloor).

Where should a shower drain be placed?

The shower drain has to be at the lowest point of the shower floor, and so the floor has to slope down toward the drain from all directions. If the drain is in the center of the floor, you’ll have a relatively level space around the drain to stand on.

Do I need AU bend with a shower trap?

Newcomers to bathroom plumbing sometimes ask, ‘why do I need a U bend? ‘ The simple answer is that the water trapped in the U bend acts as a barrier to the foul smells that otherwise rise from the sewer or other drainage pipework. This is why it is an absolute requirement in the building regulations.

What size is a shower P-trap?

Trap Size. The usual size for a shower drain trap is 2 inches, which is the diameter of the trap. This size is the minimum size that is allowed, which means that you cannot install a trap with a smaller diameter, or the trap is not within code.

Do you need to waterproof under a shower base?

DON’T ignore the importance of waterproofing when installing an acrylic shower base. The walls and the area around the top of the acrylic base along the wall are very important for proper waterproofing and it is essential that it be done correctly. In a bathroom, proper waterproofing is non-negotiable.

What’s the difference between a shower base and a shower pan?

What Do They Do? While a shower pan and a shower base both channel water into the drain, there’s one key difference: “Shower pan” is the actual shower floor that you step on, whereas “shower base” refers to the structure underneath the shower itself.

Can showers have a one and half inch drain?

Current plumbing codes (IPC as well as MA Plumbing Code 248 CMR 10 for instance) need 1.5 inches to drain for a tub with a shower. The tub can drain at leisure and the shower function when in utilize, with flow-limiting showerheads, fall within the flow rate that a 1.5” drain can handle.

What is a shower drain flange?

A bathtub drain flange is the finished drain part that’s visible in the tub. Some manufacturers refer to the drain flange as a “drain body” or “drain basket”. Between the underside of the flange and the tub surface, there’s a good amount of plumbers putty that seals the inside of the drain.

How do I choose a shower drain?

Homeowners typically choose a style that matches the finish of other bathroom fixtures. If your taps are chrome, then choose a drain grate to match. A tile-able grate lets you top the drain with the same tile you used for the shower. The water drains around the edges and you get a seamless look for the shower floor.

How far below drain should P-trap be?

However, the Universal Plumbing Code stipulates that the total developed length of all tailpieces, arms and fittings connecting the drain to the p-trap must be 24 inches or less. Jennifer Roberts has enjoyed writing since 2008.