How to install a linear floor drain?

The linear floor drain is a modern and trendy solution that has become increasingly popular over the years. However, it is recommended to know a bit more about it before making a decision, because a linear drain cannot be installed at any time.

We should start thinking of the linear drain as early as the construction phase of a house or during a major renovation. It is located inside of the shower unit, instead of the shower tray, and is almost unnoticeable. Its components are concealed in the floor or the wall. The linear floor drain – how to install it and what are its advantages?

1. Installation of a linear floor drain
2. Types of linear drain
3. Advantages and disadvantages of a linear floor drain

Installation of a linear floor drain

Using a linear drain is comfortable, but its installation requires knowledge and experience. Before its installation, we have to prepare the interior properly. The work that needs to be done includes installing the shower drain, taking exact measurements of the spot where the shower trap is going to be placed and laying concrete layer. Taking into considerations the possibilities the bathroom has to offer and what arrangement we want to achieve, we should focus on other types of drains. The price of the drain set depends on the drain chosen. To this, we should also add the cost of the previously mentioned works. If we get professionals to install the drain, the price of labor will be added.

Types of linear drain

The structure of a linear floor drain is quite simple. It consists of a shower trap, a gutter and an exposed grate. However, several types of drains can be mentioned, and depending on which linear drain the investor chooses, the installation looks different. The first type is the wall drain, which is installed in the wall, and the water in the trap flows according to gravity. The second type is a tileable drain. This solution is a good option if the investor wants the drain to be hidden. However, we must be aware that the access to the gutter is obstructed, which means that cleaning  is more difficult. The last type is a corner drain. Its advantage is higher flow capacity and fast water drainage. As the name suggests, this type of linear drain is placed in the corner of the shower unit.

Advantages and disadvantages of a linear floor drain

The first thing that may induce us to invest in this solution is aesthetics and minimalism. Installation of a linear drain in the shower unit significantly increases the comfort of its use. Since there is no shower tray on the floor, you don't have to lift your legs high, which is very convenient for children, the elderly or people with disabilities. The second advantage is the minimalist appearance, which suits the principles of modern style well. Besides, bathroom with a linear drain seems to be more spacious. This means that it is a great option for smaller bathrooms. It's also easier to keep the interior with a linear drain clean – we can simply mop the shower floor when mopping the bathroom.

Despite so many advantages, a linear drain also has a few downsides. Cleaning the tiles in the shower unit is easy, but the joint grout can be a nuisance to clean, as well as the silicone, which needs to be replaced from time to time. Another disadvantage of installation of a linear floor drain is the price, which quite often is higher than installation of a shower tray. Undoubtedly, we also need to pay attention to the fact that the linear drain is quite demanding in terms of installation. Unlike a shower tray, it cannot be installed at any time. It is best to think of it already while designing the bathroom. What is more, the bathroom in which we wish to install a linear drain must have an additional waterproof membrane on the walls and the floor.

Once the shower drain is in place, we can move on to installing the linear floor drain components. The drain must always be higher than the connection to the sewer, and the grid must be 1-2 mm under the tiles. No matter if the drain is placed in the wall or the floor, it must be close to the shower panel. The set packaging always contains the information about the recommended slope. We also should remember about drainage. There are two solutions to choose from: in case of point drainage, the slope is on four sides and in case of linear drainage, the slope is on two sides.

After everything is installed and the concrete is laid and dry, the next step is the insulation. The trap outlet is covered with a sealing tape, which is also used in the corners of the shower cabin. Liquid waterproofing membrane is applied on the walls and the floor as a waterproof insulation. This should be applied to the entire floor surface and to the walls up to at least 1.5 m from the floor.

Only after all the work mentioned above is completed, can we move on to tiling, which is a confirmation to the previous statement that a linear drain cannot be properly installed in an interior where only a cursory renovation is to be carried out. Tiling starts on the drain side. Smaller tiles are the best choice as there will be no need to cut them. An alternative to a linear drain can be an ultra-slim shower tray. It is placed almost at floor level or can be aligned with the floor, so it will be just as comfortable to use as a linear drain. You can find more information about shower trays in this article: "Types of shower trays".See all blog posts