Should the metal shower drain cover be level with tiles?

[essexsi]

Hi all,

Will soon be tiling the floor of a walk in shower with a concrete screed floor. Sort of a wetroom floor. The drain has been fitted and sticks out proud of the concrete screed, but has dust cover on it at the moment. The square metal drain cover bit has been left off. Should this bit be fitted before tiling or after?

Am I right to assume that the drain should be the lowest point of the floor.

At what height should the metal cover be fitted then -
1- below tile height
2- at tile height
3- above tile height.

Do I just leave a similar grout line around the drain cover?

Sorry for the vague description, not sure what the metal bit is called!!! Its the posh shiney plug hole cover!!!!!

Cheers for any help. Si

 

[bluesky]

fit the metal cover and then tile to it .the tiles should be just above to allow for the water to drain downhill .then i use Silicon in between tile edge and metal cover (matches grout colour).main point to remember is that the drain cover needs to be at the lowest point - and use a tanking kit in the shower area to be safe from any leaks )- good luck
:drool5:

 

[essexsi]

Thanks for the advice bluesky, thanks for your time.

How much of a gap would you leave around the cover before siliconing?

Cheers Si

 

[diamondtiling]

The gap between the tile and grid will be about the same as your grout lines so just grout them in the normal way with flexible grout, you do not have to use Silicon, it will get hammered over time, the tanking should come just below your tile edge and out of sight when grouted.

 

[essexsi]

cheers diamond.

I am thinking of tanking the floor and walls with WP1, so will need 2 lots of mesh on the floor. Do I just cut a circle in the mesh to fit around drain and the paint it with lots of the waterproof stuff?

Did you mean the tanking around the drain should be just below the tile edge?

Thanks for your time. Si

 

[diamondtiling]

make sure that the tanking goes everywhere where any water might penetrate through, tank up to the drain/pot making sure all air bubbles are gone, re-inforce the corners with tape if using liquid tanking, give it 3 coats to be sure, make absolutely sure that you are happy with all tanking before tiling, you can bring it just below the grid but hidden with the tile, you can re-inforce around the pot with tape as this is the weakest point in any tanking situation.
goodluck buddy

 

[essexsi]

Thanks for your time diamond.

The drain has a couple of inch gap around it from the screed. From the screed to the drain pot is filled with what looks like some sort of tarpaulin, plastic bag thing sealed around it!!! Good at descriptions aren't I !! Is this normal?

Thanks for your help. Si

 

[diamondtiling]

Thats the DMP, damp proof membrane, always comes up like that, cut it at the floor around where the drain is, not a problem

 

[essexsi]

Blimey your quick!

Good to hear that its a DPM and probably done properly then!! Its my sisters shower room you see and money is tight!!! Thats why I'm tiling!

I'm assuming you meant cut the tanking membrane around the drain pot, not cut the DPM!!!!

Cheers Si

 

[diamondtiling]

Simon, Just to be sure we are talking about the same thing, your description of the plastic baggy thing around the drain is slightly vague, usually the DPM would be cut around pipework that would protrude through the newly laid concrete floor, if its gathered around the pipe then its the DPM and you can cut it down to floor level, otherwise it will always be seen after you tile, be very careful around the pipework if you use a stanley knife, you dont want to cut the pipe. A picture would have helped I think.