# Help Please! Trench Drain Question



## Aaron Tritt (Feb 4, 2011)

I have installed several trench drains in showers before, but all of them had a bonding flange at the bottom where a good waterproof seal could be made.

On a project I am supposed to pour a pan on, the builder purchased a drain like this...










It doesn't make a lot of sense to me since there are no weep holes, and no bonding flange.

Are they designed to be waterproofed with just a bead of kerdi fix or something?

Also, because the tile is a little thinner than the drain, is it correct to pour my pan halfway up the drain thickness so I don't have to float my tile?

I asked for a different one, but they don't want to do that.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!


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## Aaron Tritt (Feb 4, 2011)

If the link didn't work...


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## JohnFRWhipple (Oct 20, 2009)

Arron we have covered all these points in our prior installs.

Installing that drain should be very straight forward. Who makes it? Looks like one of the Aussie or Kiwi drains. I bet that model is not approved for use in North America and you most likely will need to go -

"Medival on it" and use a standard three piece clamping drain.

Before you set the drain your prep might look something like this.

Look at the walls on this project. They are in bad need of proper coverage. Hydro Ban should be a nice olive colour - nice and even like the bottom 10". The bottom 10" is where I double down on the wall waterproofing. Above that is the tile setter's gig and I'm not sure why he has not added another layer.


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## JohnFRWhipple (Oct 20, 2009)

Mapei makes some great accessories for waterproofing your linear drain projects.

Here is a simliar drain I installed out in Burnaby last year.

This is fully barrier free shower.

The local plumbing inspector failed the first attempt at a trench drain because the drain was not an approved product. He like my drain and my approach to waterproofing. 

Remember when you design a curbless shower you need to construct a temporary dam. There is no easier way to do this than by using some Mapeband!


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## Aaron Tritt (Feb 4, 2011)

Thanks John! I knew you would have come across that before!


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## JohnFRWhipple (Oct 20, 2009)

Aaron is it that exact drain in the picture? With the extreme off set outlet location?

If so I would be setting that drain and minding which side I place my clamping drain on. If the floor joists sag for example of install option "A" will the drain still drain?

Mapei has a a Mapeband Flashing that can be installed over a three piece clamping drain and you can work out from there.

Is this project barrier free?

The Wedge Wire grill as shown in your picture is one of my favourite looking drains. I have one installed on my counter! My counter drain is wider than that.


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## Aaron Tritt (Feb 4, 2011)

John,

The decorative part of the drain is not the wire look. It has slots, but not as many. The one in your photo looks great though!

The drain location is very offset as in the photo. I am not sure the three piece drain will even fit. We might have to alter the wall a little bit.

There will be a curb to this shower, and the drain is going against the back wall.

I am thinking I might do a preslope and liner like a normal pan, then set the line drain and do a final slope. That way the water is guaranteed to go where I want it!


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## Aaron Tritt (Feb 4, 2011)

I talked to the builder again today, and we are switching to a barrier free shower. I am having him reframe the shower area subfloor to allow the height to work out with the rest of the room.

I will post pics as it comes along. Thanks again for the advise John!


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## JohnFRWhipple (Oct 20, 2009)

We are prepping this job down in Edgemont North Vancouver.

We will have a very low curb in this shower. It might be we use the Solid Surface stone as the curb and leave a drop down of 3/4". After witnessing my father in law struggle to get into a curb with even a 4" lip I'm never installing a regular shower curb again. Well unless you pay me...:whistling

Installed the Green EBoard and furring strips today for the drywall. The room will get Crown Moulding later and we want the tile to drywall transition to be seamless. We furred out two walls with 5/8" sheathing strips.

I left my clients to search Houzz.com over the weekend and walked into this pleasant surprise in the morning. Not only drawn to scale but penned on the wall as well! :clap:


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