Installing the Tile Shower Drain
A tile shower drain is more than meets the eye. That's because it drains two different levels and that's the key to a shower pan that works.
See, the tile shower drain has drain holes that are below the surface of the shower floor. Those holes catch the water that is stopped by the waterproof liner that's built into the floor.
Let's talk about the Oatey company shower drain.
It's in three main pieces. First is the drain base. Secondly comes the reversible clamping ring. Then the top piece is an adjustable drain barrel.
Here's how it goes together.
Lay the drain base in the hole over the drain pipe. The flange of the drain base is made to rest on the subfloor. Solvent weld the drain base to the drain pipe using the correct solvent. Cements for PVC and ABC pipes are different. Pick the drain material to match the drain pipe.
Now cover the drain base opening with duct tape to keep debris out.
The next step, and it's critical, is to build a sloped mortar layer. This step is covered on the next page, but briefly it's like this. You apply a mortar mixture that's sloped at 1/4 inch per foot. The slope is from the drain base up to the shower walls. After this step is finished the sloped mortar layer should be flush with the top surface of the drain base.
Over the mortar bed, install the liner membrane. Again, this is covered on another page. But, the liner is sealed to the drain base. Run a bead of silicone caulk around the upper surface of the drain base about 1 inch from the outside edge. This seals between the drain base and the liner.
That seal produces a water-tight layer in the shower floor leading right to the lower drain holes.
Now attach the clamping ring over the liner sheet and tighten the bolts to complete the sealing of the liner membrane.
The one other drain detail is making sure the drain weep holes are open. That's required since those holes are about to be covered with more mortar.
To keep the drain holes open, you should put in a little layer of pea gravel over the lower drain holes. Tile spacers also work. Either are there just to keep the lower drain holes from plugging when the top layer of mortar goes on.
So you see, a tile shower drain truly is more than just what you see from the top view.
Read on for more about the mud for the shower pan...
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