Home-brew Linear Drain Cavity/Connection advice request

Looking for comments/advice please....

We’re thinking of building a new sunken shower (new slab/no curb), flat sloped floor, with a home-brew
linear drain at the back wall.

We would like to have the drain base locally fabricated out of 1/2" sheet plastic welded together:




Interface to the stand pipe/trap to be via an incorporated Oatey 2†schedule 40 PVC Shower Drain
(minus the strainer) found at Home Depot, Model # : 42099 MFG Part # : 42099

http://www.*********.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

Interface to surrounding floor/walls would be similar to the Noble “Free Style Drain†with incorporated membrane clamping for sheet membrane.


Comments/advice appreciated,
Jerry

There are various linear drains out there that have already passed the test of time and the rating agencies...I'd seriously consider one of those before I tried to roll my own. A plumbing inspector might have big problems with a drain without an approval certificate, and, there's no way to determine how well it would last in the long term, which is quite important.

Thanks for the reply Jim. I have researched many of the commercial linear drains on the web. The Noble Free Style Drain looks to be the best to me, but what a cost.... Like you, I'm a Retired Defense Industry Engineer which is probably why I'm thinking my above design woukd be vary reliable - at about 1/3 the cost. As this will be an Owner-Builder job, I'm thinking that a Plumbing Inspector will not care if I pass a flood (leak) test. Guess I'll have to schedule an appointment with our local Code Compliance Dept (Plumbing Inspector) before going much further...

Anyone know if an "approval certificate" is a requirement??

TX
Jerry

Hi John, thanks for your interest/questions and hopefully follow-up guidance.

I have read many (possibly most all) your’s and gueuzeman’s (JB) posts about drain design. We realized early on that the shower was the most important part of our new m-bath expansion planning. We’ve always intended to Hydro Ban the Hardi walls and the shower floor.
Our intended drain design has migrated from the Frankengueuze (3 piece clamping drain in a hard pack Divot), to Kerdi Drain instead of the Divot, and finally to a back wall channel drain design. As stated in the reply to Jim, I have researched most commercial Channel/Linear Drains, thus the point of this thread.

Sorry the above drawing is so small, I couldn’t figure out how to attach an expandable version into my initial post. I’m emailing an expandable drawing to sales@no-curb.com. Maybe you know how to add it onto this thread so others may see an expandable dwg if desired.

Your questions and my attempt to reply:

Here is a link to the Oatley site. http://www.oatey.com/shower_drains/l...n_brochure.pdf
Ref the Oatey PDF, my intent is to incorporate the 101 PNP base (without the snap in strainer) into the center base (drain floor) home-brew design.

Your home made drain looks a lot like the Noble and Quick Drain design. The big difference is in the strainer. Similar but less cost

How long will this drain be? 61”, see emailed drawing custom to my desired shower size

Will you have a folded corner on the stainless so it stays straighter? Not sure of the question, Intend to use a 3” wide U shaped SS Rolled piece (strainer) 61” long with accent tile or marble epoxyed in as a cover to the open drain cavity. With a slight change to the drain base to provide better support a custom Cedar or Corian Whatadrain Grate http://www.whatadrain.com/page05.html may be better with more options.

How will water get under the strainer and done the drain? The above SS/Accent strainer piece will set proud of 12 flat head adjustment screws (2 @ each end at the top of the slopped innards, and 1 atop each vertical support along the slopped innards). A whatadrain grate could set down flat on the supports since it would have slots cut into the surface like a typical strainer/grate

If you really want to save money - install the Oatley Drain and do the entire linear drain body out of tile. Don’t understand; would that be like an open channel without a strainer?

A shower drain needs a cUPC mark. Your Oatley drain will have one. Some local code will require your strainer to made out of stainless steel so you might check that out first. See above, 3” U shaped strainer/accent trim would be of SS with tile/marble insert

Ref the expandable drawing, the perimeter + marks indicate drilled screw holes to secure SS bar strip clamping for surrounding floor/wall sheet membrane interface similar to the Noble “Free Style Drain” installation technique.

If the Oately 101 PNP base has a cUPC mark it seems I may be able to get an Inspector to buy off on this design – what ya think?

I'm looking for a small (removeable) hair catching basket that would fit inside a the end of a 2" stand pipe - any suggections?

As before - comments/advice appreciated,
Jerry