Installing a no caulk shower drain

Hello everyone. I'm installing a no caulk shower drain for the first time and I'm looking for instructions on how to do it correctly. The one that I am replacing is leaking somewhere and is causing serious damage to the room downstairs. I know that I already have to replace the damaged drywall below so gaining access underneath is not an issue. Also, when looking at the drain line it doesn't seem to be supported well enough around the bottom of the stall (one-piece fiberglass) and right now it seems to me that the weight of someone using it in the future will cause this to happen again.

Do I use ABS glue in fitting the new drain to the drain line? Should I strap the line? Any ideas?

Thanks bunches,
JerryM

ABS (solvent (aka "glue") can only be used to join ABS pipe to ABS fittings. (The same rule applies to PVC solvent) Your drain fitting should have directions for installation enclosed. The shower stall rests all of its weight on the floor, usually with mortar spotted beneath to prevent sagging or flexing under heavy weight, and is nailed or screwed to the studs at the top and down the edges to keep it from shifting. The drain does not support any weight. The pipe needs to be cut to the correct height as will be indicated in the drain fitting instructions. Follow the instructions carefully and you shouldn't have a problem.

the hard part

the hard part of the job is to install this
drain after the shower has already been installed
from underneath

it can be pretty mean , I mean very mean----
to get the nut to tighten down
enough to the old shower base when you are standing on your
tippey --toes on a ladder trying to move a 4 inch nut
and squeeze out the acess putty ...

Remember -if you dont squeeze out most of the putty it will
not tighten down properly and the flange will loosen up over time

normally this is done on the rough inn
with a large 24 inch Rigid wrench
which you cant use in this situatioin...

probably a hammer and small chisel to tap the nut and
tighten it into place...will work best...


usually it takes someone upstairs standing on the flange
to keep it from moveing on you (your wife)
--------------------------------------------------
Now,

I know I am gonna get some rave comments from my astute
audiance on this advice ...but here goes anyway...

In a few of my more mean situations, I opted to use clear
water proof silicone instead of putty on the lip of that
flange.....if everything is clean and dry it works great
a very healthy amount works best , cause it all wipes off.

it squeezes out good, the nut tightens down great
all the way down to the base without the usual troubles like with putty.
and
it makes a %100 water proof seal to both the lip on the shower base and it also makes almost a PERNAMENT seal on the bottom side of the
base around the nut and gasket . Just clean it up with your finger
on both the top and bottom...,.


Note.....the only down side I have ever found about doing this is
it will never unthread off again....without a hammer and chisel..
its on there to stay.....

but you were not planning on doing this over again, right??.


now on the top with the no-caluk clamping down ring,
I suggest after you clamp that neopreme ring down tight to the
pvc pipe , you also put a bead of silicone on top of all that
for extra measure and give it slope into
the drian .........that I do on every job for my own
satisfactioin

then you absolutely know it is %100 water tight on that second
floor shower

support it with bailing wire or something
if you need to after you are done ,

thats all secondary--- any kind of glue that is compatabel with
the brand of plastic pipe you are useing will work,,,

just be sure to get the drain tight,
or you will do it again some day.


have lots of fun......

Purchased PlumBest No Caulk shower stall Drain D40-140. Did not come with installation instructions. It comes with wrench included. After installation should the wrench be removed? If so, how? Should silicone be used to seal?

Toddtsch said:

Purchased PlumBest No Caulk shower stall Drain D40-140. Did not come with installation instructions. It comes with wrench included. After installation should the wrench be removed? If so, how? Should silicone be used to seal?

Click to expand...

First time posting here.
I just bought the same D40-140 and is has no instructions. I guess "Real Plumbers" know from experience how it goes in.

The "Grate" (with Blue plastic film) on the top pops off, allowing access to the wrench and to control how far up from underneath the drain pipe comes. I had to search the Net for hours before I found a mention of instruction.

I used Plumbers Putty made into a snake and wrapped it around under the lip of the drain and then cinched it down through the shower pan with a BIG pair of adjustable end wrench. I waited until it oozed out and cinched again.
It said No Caulk, but I prefer to be extra safe.
Hope this helps.

Toddtsch said:

Purchased PlumBest No Caulk shower stall Drain D40-140. Did not come with installation instructions. It comes with wrench included. After installation should the wrench be removed? If so, how? Should silicone be used to seal?

Click to expand...

By the "wrench " i think you mean the steel piece witht the slot for tightening the 'castle' nut. Yes, you can throw that away after you are done. I prefer to use two screwdrivers in an 'X' to tighten with, as i dropped the 'wrench' into a trap before and has to fish it out Using crossed screwdrivers also allows the pipe to be a bit higher into the drain, making it unlikely that the pipe top could ever get below the top of the black gasket, even with flexing of base/floor.

Strapping is a good idea but make sure you do not put upward pressure on the underside of the pan. That can happen if you lock the pipe into the drain assembly and then strap the pipe, so it's best to strap the drain at the height you want and then lock the gasket down in the drain.

As Master Plumber Mark suggested ... make a smooth silicone bead (100% silicone with anti-mildew agent, typically called "Kitchen and Bath") around the inside of the drain (clear looks best to me), covering the castle nut and with a slope down to meet the edge of the pipe. That keeps the drain nice and clean (otherwise there will be a little ring of water standing around the pipe - that leads to yucky slime). Have some paper towels around for wiping excess silicone off your fingers Keep the silicone away from the very top edge of the drain, as that is where the grate snaps in.

no caulk drain

I have used a compression type shower drain on 2 showers that were roughed in thru concrete and they seemed to work very well, had no leaks and as to date no leaks apx. 3 yrs. since install. Hope this helps

This thread has been dormant awhile but I just want to point out in the ongoing "putty vs. silicone" debate that at least with no-calk shower drains, both of the mainstream manufacturers (Oatey and Sioux Chief) specify using SILICONE under the flange, not putty. As such, the debate should be moot if people want to follow what the manufacturers suggest -- use silicone!

There is a tool from http://www.bulldogdraintool.com that works great with no caulk shower drains.

Do they sell these drains with a 5" grate top?

JW

Found a No-Chaulk Shower Drain at Rona for $8.99. Made in China. No box. No Bag. No instructions. Not even a brand name on the sucker.

There is a S boxed with a rectangle on the grate along side a CSA logo. So I'm guessing it's approved.

I wonder why John expects an answer from a 3-year old post? Trying to get his post counts up?

Went looking for more options in the No Chaulk shower drains. Found a few more.

Of the four drains I have now only one is designed with weep holes... I think that will be the one I use.