Re: How to replace bathtub drain grate?

unawarek

The drain grate on our bathtub is really old and looks moldy - would we be able to change the grate only easily, or would we have to get a plumber out to change the whole drain?

Here's a photo of said drain:

Thanks!

MitchellMc

Hi @unawarek,

The grate appears to be removed via the screw in the centre. However, I think you'll find it difficult to find a replacement, given it's an older design. There is a small possibility that the grate included in this Kinetic 32 - 40mm Chrome Basin Waste With Plug could fit, so I'd encourage you to remove the grate and take it into your local Bunnings store so a plumbing expert can take a look and compare them. The alternative to this would be replacing the whole drain, and this can be a very involved process to access the underside of the bath to remove the locking nut. The plumber might need to break tiles to access it.

You could try painting it, and this might give you several years of use. It would be best to remove the grate and paint it out of the bath, though you could tape around it and cover the bath to protect it from overspray. You'll need to remove the chrome plating with sandpaper, and it would be best to expose the underlying steel. Once you've removed the chroming, apply a coat of White Knight 300g White Rust Guard All Purpose Primer and wait for it to dry. Then, apply a few light coats of White Knight Rust Guard 310g Gloss White Epoxy Enamel Spray Paint until full coverage is achieved. If possible, wait the best part of a week for the paint to fully harden before using the bath.

For a temporary solution, you could try the Ezyfix 40mm Chrome Waste Insert and Plug Bath Repair Kit or Ezyfix 50mm White Waste Insert And Plug Bath Repair Kit. You simply silicone these grates over your existing grate. Depending on how high your grate is already, adding another grate on top could cause a small amount of water to not drain correctly from the bath.

Remember your PPE when sanding the grill and spray painting, including safety glasses and a face mask.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

unawarek

Hi @MitchellMc,

Thanks for the input! Was a little afraid of taking the grill off as I thought the screw might have been holding up the whole bathtub drain pipe. We'll try removing and painting it as you've described - what grit of sandpaper would you recommend we use to sand it down first? Thanks!

MitchellMc

You might like to use 120-grit to start off with and then drop it down to 240-grit for finishing @unawarek.

The pipework underneath should be rigid, so I don't believe it will drop if you remove the grill, but now you've got me worried. Perhaps it's best to sand and spray the grill in situ. Remember to tape up around the grill so you don't scratch the bathtub.

Mitchell