How to install channel drain in concrete floor?

TedLasso

Hi,  I'm going to renovate my bathroom, which has a shower cubicle nook per the below plan.  I want to replace the existing single central drain with a channel drain along the edge of cubicle, in place of the shower door we have currently.

It is the ground floor, concrete slab.  I assume I will need to dig out an area from the existing drain to the channel as well as the channel, concrete in the channel and new pipework and screed so that the fall is uniformly towards the channel.  However I have never done this so would appreciate any advice!

Thanks, Ted

MitchellMc

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @TedLasso. It's brilliant to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about installing a channel drain.

This is one of those projects where the details really matter. I think you’ve got the right general idea with digging out a section of the slab to extend the pipework and install the channel drain, then re-concreting and applying a new screed to create the correct fall towards the drain.

That said, I do have a bit of concern about where you’re planning to locate the channel. Typically, a channel drain in a shower is installed on the shower-head wall, with the floor graded towards that side. I haven’t personally seen one positioned at the shower entrance (where the door would usually be) with the floor graded away from the enclosed area. That kind of setup could potentially contravene wet-area building standards or at least lead to functional issues if not done correctly.

One potential issue is that when the shower is running, splashing that would normally hit the door could now bounce beyond the channel grate and wet the floor outside the shower. Even if the drain itself is positioned perfectly, you might still get water escaping the shower area.

Because of that, I’d strongly recommend discussing the layout with a licensed plumber or builder before you start. They’ll be able to confirm whether this configuration is compliant and practical. Once you’ve poured new concrete, installed the grate and pipework, waterproofed, and tiled, it’s not an easy or inexpensive fix if something doesn’t perform as intended.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell