Can you use inch and a half pipe for a shower drain?
Keep in mind that shower drain assemblies are generally made to fit a 2-inch drainpipe, not the 1 1/2-inch pipe usually found on tubs. A 2-inch pipe is the recommended size because showers have a low threshold for flooding, and a 2-inch pipe helps the water drain faster than does a 1 1/2-inch pipe.
What size pipe do you need for a shower drain?
two-inch
The 1½-inch size is used to capture water that might flow out of a kitchen sink, a bathroom vanity or a tub. The two-inch pipe is commonly used to drain a shower stall or washing machine, and it may be used as a vertical stack for a kitchen sink. A three-inch pipe is what’s used in homes to pipe toilets.
How big of a drain pipe do you need for a shower?
The existing tub on our upper floor was plumbed with a 1.5 inch p-trap and then a horizontal run of about 9 feet before it heads vertically downwards towards the basement between all the walls. My understanding is that code calls for 2 inch drain pipe for a shower.
Can you reduce the size of a shower drain line?
Code prohibits decreasing the size of a line in the direction of flow. (Common sense should explain why). If you pull the tub and replace it with a shower you will be required to make the entire run of the drain line with 2″ until it connects to a larger line.
How big is a 2 inch drain pipe?
A 2-inch-diameter pipe sloped at 1/4 inch per foot results in a drop equal to the pipe’s internal diameter over a distance of 8 feet: 1/4 inch x 8 = 2 inches (see “Maximum Allowable Trap Arm Length,” above).
How big of a vent do you need for a shower?
It’s important to realize a pipe that’s 1.5 inches in diameter is sufficient to vent any residential fixture. But understand that some plumbing codes have very specific sizing requirements. The horizontal white PVC pipe at the bottom of the photo held up by the j-hook is a drain pipe for a shower.
The existing tub on our upper floor was plumbed with a 1.5 inch p-trap and then a horizontal run of about 9 feet before it heads vertically downwards towards the basement between all the walls. My understanding is that code calls for 2 inch drain pipe for a shower.
Code prohibits decreasing the size of a line in the direction of flow. (Common sense should explain why). If you pull the tub and replace it with a shower you will be required to make the entire run of the drain line with 2″ until it connects to a larger line.
What should the slope of a shower drain be?
Lining up the P-trap so that it is directly under the drain hole will make the installation much easier. A shower drain pipe should have a pitch, or slope, of 1/4 inch per foot. Mark and drill holes in the floor joists according to this slope.
A 2-inch-diameter pipe sloped at 1/4 inch per foot results in a drop equal to the pipe’s internal diameter over a distance of 8 feet: 1/4 inch x 8 = 2 inches (see “Maximum Allowable Trap Arm Length,” above).
