Build my own cabin - DIY projects

How to Replace a Shower Drain

When remodeling a shower, it is often necessary to replace the shower drain.  Sometime old bolts are rusted and break off and other times the old drain is not at the proper height you need.  In any case, I've found a simple trick to remove and replace the drain which doesn't require access from the room below your shower.

easy-removal-shower-drain

Here's the old shower drain installed.  It has been recessed in the floor and I want it to be about 3/4" above the floor so that when I preslope the floor under the shower pan liner it is flush with that presloped floor.

dremel-remove-shower-drain 

Take a dremel with a cutoff wheel attachment and insert it into the drain and cut all the way around the drain pipe and the drain will come right out as shown above.  Once that is out, a new drain can be glued into place with a 2" coupling and short 2" ABS pipe.

shower-drain-install-diy

This picture shows the new drain installed.  I added a couple shims to screw through since the previous contractor had cut too large of hole and recessed the original drain. The pre-slope mud deck needs to be a minimum of 1/2"-3/4" in depth at the drain for strength so you want the height of the drain to match up accordingly.  

Step 1: Shower Demolition

Step 2: How to Replace a Shower Drain

Step 3: How to Make Shower Deck Mud

Step 4: How to Build a Shower Floor 1 (Curb and Pre-slope)

Step 5: How to Build a Shower Floor 2 (Liner, Drain, Final Slope)

Step 6: How to Install Shower Backerboard

Step 7: How to Build a Waterproof Shower Bench

Step 8: How to Tile Shower Floor

Step 9: How to Tile and Grout Shower Walls