Moving drain just 12" on concrete slab...?
Hello and happy holidays!
Let me begin by saying that I’m here as a result of Isaac’s many, many helpful videos—which, for good or for ill, have given me the courage to tackle some tile work of my own. (Well, OK—the videos and the quotes from local pros.) Thank you, Isaac!
The plan is to install 24” × 24” porcelain (already purchased) throughout my condo (slab on grade) once I address some of the slab cracks. No doubt there will be some surprises (the place is 60 years old, after all) but I hope that by careful planning, I can prevent (or at least minimize) any real disasters. Which brings me to my question…
My shower is roughly 33” × 42” with a curb; I plan to expand it to roughly 57” × 42” and make it curbless. As I understand it (from at least one video, as well as some recent posts in the forums), Isaac has stopped installing linear drains due to some failures. And if HE’S not willing to risk, I think I should be considering alternatives.
I’ll most likely be using one of the DIY-friendly shower systems (e.g., RSS, Tile Redi) with a FloFX drain. My question, then, is this: Is it worth moving the drain approximately 12” to center it in the new pan?
I really prefer keeping the layout symmetrical—and I’ll need to remove some of the concrete slab anyhow to go curbless. But again, this whole project is new territory for me. (Thankfully, I have a second bathroom so I won’t have to rush.)
I appreciate any advice you all might have—thanks in advance!
Peter
Hello again!
Just when I was about to give up on a linear drain, I see Isaac singing the praises of the Tile Redi’s Redi Trench products. This has me considering very seriously their 48D x 60W fully-integrated, barrier-free pan.
I’d be relocating the drain roughly the same distance, just in a different direction. It seems a little strange to have the drain along the back wall, as opposed to one of the side walls (either beneath the shower head or across from it). That said, I recently stayed in a hotel with exactly this setup (i.e., linear drain along the longer wall) and didn’t notice anything odd about standing at a 90-degree angle to the slope.
Are there any special consideration for this kind of layout?
On a related note, I’ve seen some recommendations to waterproof (e.g., via RedGuard) well into the bathroom itself (e.g., 1–2 feet) when installing curbless showers. I’m wondering if this advice would apply to the installation of the Tile Redi pan. (Again, this is a concrete slab in Phoenix, AZ.)
As always, thanks in advance for any guidance!