Curbless Shower

[Freddie]

John,

Seems like all the drains have some type of drawback or negative comments from people online.

Proline - floor cutting and potential to weaken floor / deflection problems may occur

Kerdi - many are not so sure of the foam pad that they use, 1" high

ACO - some have said that it has little flow in the channel an can begin to stink,some don't like the flange version.

Noble - internal of drain has too many nooks and crannies that can catch lots of junk and not all that easy to remove drain lid, Also is 1.5" high.

So I think you have to just find one that works for you and then try to work around this deficiences. Don't you think?

[johnfrwhipple]

John,

Seems like all the drains have some type of drawback or negative comments from people online.

Proline - floor cutting and potential to weaken floor / deflection problems may occur

Kerdi - many are not so sure of the foam pad that they use, 1" high

ACO - some have said that it has little flow in the channel an can begin to stink,some don't like the flange version.

Noble - internal of drain has too many nooks and crannies that can catch lots of junk and not all that easy to remove drain lid, Also is 1.5" high.

So I think you have to just find one that works for you and then try to work around this deficiences. Don't you think?

Freddie cleaning the drain is so easy. The ACO drain comes with a lifting key (best in class) and a small brush that you use to hand wash glasses works great.

The Kerdi Line drain can be installed without the pre-slope foam base and without the 3/4" collar. Me I hate the trim around these drains but the tile insert looks good. I might however make up a stainless trim so that my thinset is not exposed under the tile.

The Noble drain has too much going on like you mention. This is bitter sweet for me because they make the best membranes hands down. Noble Deck and Noble Seal TS the "Bomb" I have Noble Deck on my own home. I installed it because it is the best membrane I have ever seen. 40 mil (5 times thicker than Kerdi). That said - hate their drain. Love the point drains they sell - the Siux Chief line.

I can frame the Proline easy. Make it a tank. I've even shared my work pictures with them. My way is not easy. It does not sell drains when it looks so hard. This amount of back framing is not Proline specific. They all need it. So framing considerations are not the deciding factor. In my opinion cleaning the drain and options in waterproofing are number one on my list.

The ACO drain works with any waterproofing system (Plain Edge Model).

Think about it. When you go to clean the drain - do you want to grab a screwdriver or an allen key?

What do you think the thin-set looks like between the grill on a linear drain and the tile after two years? I've seen it. "Nasty".

How would you clean under the Kerdi Line drain's grill stand offs?

The ACO drain gets dirty. It gets slimy. Funky. They all do. It takes two mintues to clean the ACO drain. And then it's spotless. No thin set that has soap scum inset. Just clean Electropolished Stainless Steel.

Here is a video on how to clean a linear drain. This drain from My Shower grate Shop. Wit hall the stand offs this drain is the worst in class for a tile in linear drain. That and the stand off section is spot welded to the top channel. I've seen these rust in the field. And how do you clean the filth that grows between the two metal pieces??? Cheap and custom sizeable but not what I would want in my home.

[Freddie]

Ok, so sounds like cleaning is not a problem really with any of them and they all need it. I will think about adding a nice trim on the tile at entrance to drain to protect grout below tile; at least the exposed grout will then be at the surface between the tile and the trim.

Care to share your recommendations / suggestions for floor strengthening with the Proline drain?