How To Rough In A Shower Drain Precisely And How To Install It?
Whether it is for remodeling your bathroom, fixing waterlog, or just replacing an old shower drain set, you have to know how to rough in a shower drain to do any of them by yourself. Even for installing your shower drain by a professional, you should comprehend the layout and ideal drainage plumbing practices.
Therefore, we brought you this guide with step-by-step instructions to prepare you for such occasions. Apart from the guide to dry-fit your drainage assembly, we have discussed the safest way to install it. So, let’s get started.
How To Rough In A Shower Drain
You have to follow a few steps to rough in your entire shower drain. First of all, let’s recap those steps:
- Determine and label where you want to install your shower drain.
- Saw/drill your subfloor aptly.
- Drafting for setting up the drainage assembly.
- Dry-fit the new shower drain set.
And lastly, after you grasp how to rough in your shower drain for tile or plywood floor, you have to prime and glue the fixtures in and slope the floor. Now that we have an idea of the entire rough-in procedure. Let’s see what tools you may need and then we will discuss each step individually.
Necessary Tools
- Measuring Tape
- Leveller
- Hammer Drill (for chipping the concrete sub-floor)
- Reciprocating saw (for chipping plywood sub-floor)
- Hammer and chisel (substitute to chip any type of floor)
- Marker
- Cardboard papers
- Drainpipe extension
- Primer and glue.
If you don’t own any tools, you can use close substitutes to get the work done. Having them is a bonus because they come in handy one way or another. You’ll love them if you know how to use them.
Fixing And Labelling
Firstly, begin how to rough in shower drain plumbing procedure by fixing and labeling the position of the new shower drain. Then mark and emulate it with cardboard paper. Doing this will help us in later steps.
- Measure and mark the point at the center of your bathroom floor or where you want to place your drainpipe inlet. Make sure you keep a minimum of twelve inches distance from the walls.
- Then, position the center of a two-inch coupler with the point and draw its inner circle with a permanent marker.
- Next, place a cardboard paper sheet over it and mark and draw a similar circle. Also, label the corners of the sheet so that you can identify the position of the vertical pipe opening after chipping away the subfloor.
- Finally, draw a rough line for specifying the portion of the floor you need to demolish. Take one or a half-inch extra space for drawing and chipping away your bathroom floor.
Saw/Drill The Bathroom Floor
You can do this step most efficiently with the help of some heavy equipment like a drill or saw. Before drilling your floor, wear protective glasses and a face mask to avoid hazards. If you are not familiar with their uses, use a safe substitute or appoint a professional for this step.
Also Read: How To Remove Shower Drain Cover That Is Grouted In
Diminishing the floor upto a point where you can comfortably extract your old P-trap and drainage assembly is sufficient. Then clean the floor and pipings so that no debris can get inside the drain pipe.
Drafting The Drainpipes
Firstly, you need to observe the present condition of the drainage system in your bathroom. Then you can resemble what you need to do next onwards.
- Make sure you are using a sanitary tee and not wye for your drainage system.
- For affluent water flow and venting, the maximum distance of your 2-inch trap arm should not be more than 5 feet.
- You also have to take account of local plumbing codes.
- Attend to shower drain rough-in dimensions inside drain set installation guide for proper placements.
- Finally, measure and specify how much you need to cut, stretch or rotate the trap arm to reach the P-trap.
Dry fitting The Shower Drain
The most precise way to test your shower drain rough in is to dry-fit all the drainage fixtures. Do as we tell:
- Firstly, place and tape the reference cardboard sheet according to the prior markings.
- Then, place the vertical section of the P-trap through the cardboard opening and align its trap arm with the drain duct. Also, make sure it is properly leveled.
- Measure the required length of your trap arm. It is the distance from your waste disposal pipe outlet to the P trap opening. The hubs at each point have three-quarters of an inch space for introducing pipe. So, add one and a half inches extra to the distance and cut the trap arm of that size.
- Now, adjust one end of the trap arm with your drain hub and another end to the P-trap. Once again, make sure your vertical pipe is upright.
So, dry-fitting is a practical step where you can implement how to rough in shower drain plumbing. It is not completely effortless, but any good plumber knows that it is the most efficient way to be model your bathroom drain precisely.
How To Install Shower Drain Pipe
After you dry-fit your drain assembly set, you are not far from installing it for good too. Let’s see how it’s done:
- Apply primer and glue on the edge of the trap arm and inside the drain hub. Then insert the trap arm, rotate it clockwise, and hold fast for ten seconds.
- Do the same for all other connections. But keep the sequence right. Start from the sanitary tee hub and finish at the P-trap hub.
A Helpful Tutorial You May Need!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What slope should a shower drain be?
The shower floor should have a slope converging into the shower drain. For efficient drainage, keep a sloping of half inches for each one-foot distance from the drain inlet to the bathroom wall. Moreover, you should keep a minimum distance from the drain to the wall.
How do you rough plumb a shower tub?
You can rough plumb a shower tub or dry fit it to emulate your projected model bathroom. For this, you can identify and mark the drainage and P-trap opening location after situating the tub and plan the drain pipes according to our shower drain rough-in instructions.
Does a shower drain need a trap?
Yes, a shower drain must have a trap to prevent harmful sewer gases from polluting and stinking the home. Moreover, for proper venting, a sanitary tee should be used for the shower drain system.
How to rough in a shower drain in concrete floor?
The instructions to rough in shower drains are very similar for all kinds of floors, including strong concrete ones. The only difference will be in the tools you have to use to demolish your sub-floor. In the case of concrete floors, you need to use a hammer drill for the fastest result.
Final Thoughts
An efficient shower drain is an essential factor for tidiness and healthy living. But, modeling a well-ordered drainage system may seem complicated for any ordinary homeowner. However, if you know how to rough in a shower drain, the task will be a lot simpler.
Therefore, we have put our effort into instructing you through shower drain rough-in and installation procedures. So, if this guide helps you, our efforts will be fruitful. More so, if you try, you can do it yourself.
With it, we conclude this guide here. Thanks for being with us!.
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- Connecting Tub Drain to Waste Pipe In 5 Minutes!
- Quick & Easy Steps for Installing Drain Pipe for Washing Machine in Basement?
- What Will Dissolve Grout In Drain Pipe? And How To Remove?
