Hi all, I am putting a shower in my basement. I have a 4 piece Sterling shower unit (1 back, 2 sides, and a 3’x3′ base receptor). My question is when I install the receptor on the floor (concrete) how much room must I leave around the drain pipe coming up out of the floor. The contractor boxed out a square (8″x8″) around the pipe when he poured the basement floor. My concern is that area may be too big and cause deflection around the center of the shower base because it is unsupported in the center. Or is this common? Also, do I saw the drain pipe flush with the finished floor for installation of the drain assembly? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Ken
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The shower unit probably comes with instructions regarding how the pipe should be situated. I've installed a couple of pans that have rubber seals that go around the pipe and are installed from the top. IIRC those were Florestone, which probably is not what you have.
If your pan has a hole thru it and nothing else, you need to buy a shower drain fitting. I use brass drains from Oatey that compression-fit to a 2" pipe, and can be tightened from the top, so you put the fitting on the shower base first, drop it over the pipe, and then tighten. You have to do a little figuring to get the correct height of the pipe.
"how much room must I leave around the drain pipe coming up out of the floor"
This will most likely be in the instructions that came with your unit, otherwise contact the manufacturer. Last sectional shower unit I installed I think they called for 5" x 5" clearance.
"My concern is that area may be too big and cause deflection around the center of the shower base because it is unsupported in the center. Or is this common?"
I built a box out of some shaved down 2 x 6. I stuck it to the floor around the drain pipe with Liquid Nails because I was worried about the same thing, but after the unit was assembled and screwed to the joists I really felt that the box I made wasn't necessary. So my opinion would be not to worry about any deflection like that (unless you're really heavy!)
"Also, do I saw the drain pipe flush with the finished floor for installation of the drain assembly?"
I would turn the base on it's side and with the help of a framing square, a tape measure, and maybe a friend, measure the distance from the bottom of the drain to the lowest point on the base. Most likely this lowest point will be the front "fin" or "curb" that you normally step over to get into the unit. Take that measurement and subtract 1/4 - 3/8 of an inch just to be sure that your drain pipe doesn't sit higher than the shower base or you have to take the base off and trim it a little. Remember, your new shower unit actually sits 4-5 inches higher than the concrete, so your drain pipe will be sticking up 4-5 inches to meet the base. Good luck
Mike