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-   -   Build Shower Platform & Install Above Ground P-Trap in Basement Shower (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/showthread.php?t=158660)

  • Dec 3, 2007, 02:48 AM
    josco
    Build Shower Platform & Install Above Ground P-Trap in Basement Shower
    Hello,

    I'm new to this site. I tried to find the answer in previous posts and did find some great info, but I still have some questions :)

    This is what I want to do:
    Install a corner shower with dimensions 36" in x 36" in the basement, build a platform, & add an above ground p-trap.

    SOME DETAILS ABOUT BATHROOM:
    --House Built in the 50's
    --Small basement bathroom 6ft x 9ft with corner shower
    --2 inch Copper drain coming up through concrete slab
    --Drain sits 1/2 inch below floor level
    --Concrete is dug out around copper pipe about 2 inches on either side
    --Drain has no threads and has some corrosion

    kind of looks like this except pipe NOT flush with floor:

    FLOOR LEVEL (`= symbol)

    ``` \|```|/````


    THE MAIN PROBLEMS IN MY OPINION:

    -- NO p-trap (drain connects to main drain via washing machine drain-I am fairly sure of this because soap suds occasionally come up during rinse cycle, it's 6 feet from it, and, I checked to see if there was any standing water by sticking a wood stick and piece of cloth down there-both were dry)
    --we have a root problem and had a Roto Router cut the roots away once. When we found out about this problem was the day the much of the basement flooded. This worked for 8 months with only suds coming up drain from shower. A week ago, after having 20 people over for Thanksgiving the water from the laundry has caused much more water to come up through shower drain.
    --The pipe coming out of the drain is a bit corroded, somewhat rough, and sits below floor level.
    --I would like to avoid digging up the concrete and replacing the pipe.

    WHAT I'M THINKING ABOUT DOING:

    Building an 8in wood platform and installing p-trap in that space, and creating new drain w/ PVC for the shower.

    WHAT I'M NOT SURE ABOUT:
    Can I salvage the current drain?
    How do I create a waterproof seal between the new PVC and old copper drain?
    Will the p-trap solve both the problems of sewer gas & water backing up from laundry?



    I tried to make this as clear as possible, please let me know if I left details out :) Thanks!! Josco
  • Dec 3, 2007, 06:29 AM
    speedball1
    If I understand you correctly you wish to platform the shower and come off the shower drain with a "P" trap and connect it to the copper pipe coming out of the drain.
    You can't do that. 1) The shower isn't vented and 2) you would be building a illegal "S" trap. Better to break up the floor and do it right. Regards, Tom

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