I just put a new shower drain in and I used plumbers putty under the top flange of the drain (per instructions from the Home Depot worker). But I feel like it’s still not water-tight. So now that the drain is in place and tightened, is it okay to use a little silicone around the edge of it? I don’t know if mixing it with the plumbers putty will be bad for the “water-tightness” or for the drain or shower floor. Thanks!

Hi Jen

I don't like plumber's putty when installing a shower strainer...that is unless you have bedded the shower pan/base in a mortar bed or similar bedding substrate. Here, if the shower base is not properly bedded as per manufacturer instructions there will be too much flexion/contraction and putty will fail in the long run.

If you have bedded the base as per manufacturer instructions, however, then putty should be fine. If you have not bedded the base as per manufacturer instruction I would either remove the base and install as required or remove the putty and reinstall the strainer using SILICONE!

I would not use both silicone and putty for a long-term solution.

Questions? Let us know.

Mark