I want to rough in the plumbing for a basement shower so the concrete floor can be poured. The shower is 36″ x 36″ with the drain centered at18″. Can the shower basepan be glued down directly on top of the 1 1/2 ” ABS pipe or is access required to tighten a locknut like you woul with a bathtub? Usually with a bathtub I just leave a 12 x 12 sump in the floor for access. IS this needed for a shower base?
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I don't know enough about plumbing to answer your question, but I'm pretty sure you make your connections from inside the shower. What I really want to suggest is that you consider a 2" drain. I'm pretty sure that's preferred for showers.
Al Mollitor, Sharon MA
if you are absolutely sure of the final drain location, use a 2 inch abs stub and ensure that it is plumb and then pour around it, remember the finish wall thickness
another (prefered option) is to leave a 12 inch square area around the stub not poured, so that the stub can be moved if necessary
most shower drains that i've installed can be tightened from above, access from below is not required except as already mentioned, to move the rough in stub
caulking is not a piece of trim
Code requires a 2" drain for a shower. Now - for the drain fitting. You can get a drain fitting that will glue to your pipe stub. You can also get one that uses a rubber donut to form the seal between the pipe and the drain fitting. You fasten the drain fitting to the pan from the bottom with a locknut before you set the pan on the floor, then insert the donut from the top after the pan is in place. Cut the stub long, pour the floor and shorten the stub to the right length when the time comes to install the pan.
Don't forget that the stub will represent a trip hazard until the shower is put in. It may be better to leave the hole and cover it with plywood or some such. Or make the concrete in that area thin (over chunks of styrofoam, eg) so that it will be easy to knock out, and plug the rough-in below the floor.