Big Mistake with a basement shower drain - DIY Chatroom

lindq175 · 10-05-2009, 07:17 PM

I made the mistake of cementing(PVC) in a shower drain base without noticing that the drain I purchased is for a tiled shower instead of the fiberglass one piece unit I have. If I leave it the way it is, the drain sticks up about 1/8" above the base of the shower. So, my options are: 1. Live with it (with some trickery involving some channels grooved into the sides, it drains well). or 2. ????????

I have this thing stuck in some 3" PVC in the floor. Could I break this thing out of there and somehow fit 2" pvc inside the 3" PVC? (seems like there are a ton of drains designes to fit around the 2" stuff). Would I have to break up some concrete to put something around it? Could I do that with a chisel? (If you can't tell, I'm a little frustrated by this stupid mistake

and probably would be more inclined to live with this if it wasn't a constant reminder of my stupidity every time my foot brushed across that drain).

AllanJ · 10-06-2009, 12:33 AM

Would you consider "raising the floor"?

That is, putting down a a sheet of vinyl flooring or something in the shower stall to match the level of the drain collar.

You would have to either seal it down hermetically using caulking, or leave it loose so it could be lifted off and sanitized on both sides periodically.

lindq175 · 10-06-2009, 07:59 AM

would that look good with a fiberclass one-piece? I've never heard of that....is it done often?

I've been thinking about this....do they make a fitting to fit 2" pvc inside of 3" pvc? That way I could cut out the current piece, cut out the pvc about 2" below the cement, and fit some 2" PVC inside. Thoughts?

lindq175 · 10-06-2009, 02:58 PM

so. I've figured out what I'm going to do. (for anyone that cares). I'm going to cut out the misplaced drain base. Stick some 2" pvc inside the 3" pvc with some some construction epoxy filling in the gap around the 2". Then I'm going to mount a standard drain over the 2" pvc. Sounds like a plan to me. Thoughts?

jimmyfloyd · 10-06-2009, 04:11 PM

any chance of just trimming off the extra 1/8" and putting the drain cover back on? Or, if the shower base isn't installed fully to the floor, could you use the vinyl flooring under it to raise it up (or shims or leveling concrete or...*) This would give you the extra height, without doing anything inside the shower base.

* Disclaimer: Not sure on what things would work well under it, but just gave some examples, which may or may not work.