We have a concrete slab floor. We are installing a new jaccuzzi tub on the floor. Drilling through the slab is not an option. How do we install the drain? Can we raise the tub and if so, how high does the drain need to be to drain properly?
tub drain
- Thread starter tewelch
- Start date
Jadnashua
Retired Defense Industry Engineer xxx
Where are you going to drain the tub to? You need 1/4" per foor from where it is to wherever you need to go to the drain. The trap will need probably at least 6" or so (plus the amount required for the slope). This usually makes for a really bad looking situation that looks hokey. It will also take up a lot of your room height. It will forever look "weird".
Why can't you cut the floor? It is done all of the time.
If the sewer line is higher than where you want to put the tub, you'd need an ejector system, and still have to cut the concrete (although it could probably be done outside of the room) to accumulate the flow prior to pumping, otherwise, you'd have to raise the thing at least several feet from the floor - you'd need a ladder to get in!
Why can't you cut the floor? It is done all of the time.
If the sewer line is higher than where you want to put the tub, you'd need an ejector system, and still have to cut the concrete (although it could probably be done outside of the room) to accumulate the flow prior to pumping, otherwise, you'd have to raise the thing at least several feet from the floor - you'd need a ladder to get in!
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Geniescience
Homeowner
distance to stack. Drain height depends on this.
if you are in a multi story condo, and moving the tub to a location where the ceiling underneath cannot have pipes coming through, that would be a case where you would have to run the tub drain pipe a distance over to where the P trap of the old tub was.
That happened to me.
Otherwise, it is true that drain water needs to go downhill and your slab floor must end somewhere and that'll be where your drain will go down into the ground, underground.
When the tub drains sideways, I think it is called laying the "tailpiece" flat on its side. I did that. See
https://terrylove.com/forums/showthread.php?p=55494#poststop and https://terrylove.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7037&highlight=tailpiece
Please tell us where you plan on connecting to the main "stack" i.e. the big drain that goes down into the ground. Your main question is "How high" the drain needs to sit for the tub to drain properly.
This depends 100% on the distance to the stack. Nothing else.
David
if you are in a multi story condo, and moving the tub to a location where the ceiling underneath cannot have pipes coming through, that would be a case where you would have to run the tub drain pipe a distance over to where the P trap of the old tub was.
That happened to me.
Otherwise, it is true that drain water needs to go downhill and your slab floor must end somewhere and that'll be where your drain will go down into the ground, underground.
When the tub drains sideways, I think it is called laying the "tailpiece" flat on its side. I did that. See
https://terrylove.com/forums/showthread.php?p=55494#poststop and https://terrylove.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7037&highlight=tailpiece
Please tell us where you plan on connecting to the main "stack" i.e. the big drain that goes down into the ground. Your main question is "How high" the drain needs to sit for the tub to drain properly.
This depends 100% on the distance to the stack. Nothing else.
David
Distance to stack.....
The drain from the new tub will be approx 8 ft to the existing drain pipe. The horizontal drain sounds like what we may have to do. With a 1/4 slope, does that mean the new tub will have to be raised 2 inches?
Thanks David for the help, much appreciated!
The drain from the new tub will be approx 8 ft to the existing drain pipe. The horizontal drain sounds like what we may have to do. With a 1/4 slope, does that mean the new tub will have to be raised 2 inches?
Thanks David for the help, much appreciated!
Jadnashua
Retired Defense Industry Engineer xxx
No, it will be much more than 2". The drain assembly and the trap stick down below the tub. The outlet of the p-trap then needs the 1/4" per foot. The p-trap and drain assembly will probably be around 6-8" high, with the p-trap outlet maybe 2-3" below the tub.
I don't think the drain arm would pass inspection, or work well, if the trap wasn't directly under the tub drain.
I don't think the drain arm would pass inspection, or work well, if the trap wasn't directly under the tub drain.
Geniescience
Homeowner
a lot depends on a lot of factors still
2 inches is from the outlet of the P trap to the level where it connects into the stack.
it is true
- that the p trap needs a space too, and
- that it is not wise to place it 8 feet away from the tub, next to the stack, and
- that it is wise to place it either under the tub drain, or tub overflow.
The line drawing below shows a way to gain some extra space by digging a little depression in the slab without going through it. This gives you space for the bottom of the P trap.
Optimistically speaking, you may be able to raise your tub by only a few inches and that will look nice, since it will be on a step up platform (e.g. 20 inches deep to the tub and 4 or 5 inches up off the floor).
Tons of options still, depending on tons of things we don't yet know about your situation. Is this new construction? Is the tub free-standing or is it going to be embedded in a tiled wall?
David
2 inches is from the outlet of the P trap to the level where it connects into the stack.
it is true
- that the p trap needs a space too, and
- that it is not wise to place it 8 feet away from the tub, next to the stack, and
- that it is wise to place it either under the tub drain, or tub overflow.
The line drawing below shows a way to gain some extra space by digging a little depression in the slab without going through it. This gives you space for the bottom of the P trap.
Optimistically speaking, you may be able to raise your tub by only a few inches and that will look nice, since it will be on a step up platform (e.g. 20 inches deep to the tub and 4 or 5 inches up off the floor).
Tons of options still, depending on tons of things we don't yet know about your situation. Is this new construction? Is the tub free-standing or is it going to be embedded in a tiled wall?
David
