I ripped out an existing shower in the basement due to rotted wood etc. The shower was tiled. The drain which is almost 2 inches is pure concrete (desn't have a pipe sticking out). I want to put in a pre-fab shower floor, but can not figure out how to connect the drain. Is there some piece of hardware which will allow me to attach/insert the plastic pipe into this concrete thingy and allow proper drainage. Or is there some slick way to connect the drain. I suspect the area was intended for tiling only since there is a concrete curb which separates the shower from the rest of the area. This curb will have to be removed, but that is another issue.

I am guessing there is a pipe flange sealed to the bottom of the concrete. I would attach a short length of pipe to the shower floor that just fits down the concrete hole, putting caulk or putty between the 2. Water runs down hill, and as long as the seal between the concrete and the pipe that is down there somewhere, is Ok, you should be OK. Kick my idea around, and see what Tom says.

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Originally Posted by [email protected]

I ripped out an existing shower in the basement due to rotted wood etc. The shower was tiled. The drain which is almost 2 inches is pure concrete (desn't have a pipe sticking out). I want to put in a pre-fab shower floor, but can not figure out how to connect the drain. Is there some piece of hardware which will allow me to attach/insert the plastic pipe into this concrete thingy and allow proper drainage. Or is there some slick way to connect the drain. I suspect the area was intended for tiling only since there is a concrete curb which separates the shower from the rest of the area. This curb will have to be removed, but that is another issue.

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While Labman was posting I was looking and PlumbRite seems to have exactly what you're loking for. Look what I found in their FAQ section.

" What other products does PlumbRite Mfg. offer?
Along with the WingTite shower drain, PlumbRite manufactures drain pipe riser adaptors to fit 1.5” galvanized, 1.5” and 2” DWV copper. Also available are solvent joint inside pipe bushings ( fits inside 2” ABS and PVC pipe ) "

Only one problem, they don't show it or give any details. I have a E-Mail request in to PlumbRite for more information if you can hang in there.
On another note, Labman was out of service for a few days. Seems that mean ole AskMeHelpDesk site wouldn't let him post any replies. But that's all cleared up. Welcome back ! We missed you!!

I did stick my finger down the hole but did not feel any plastic pipe. There is a lot of gunk so cleaning may reveal something. I had considered inserting the pipe then some putty pushed down slightly with caulking on the top.

I'll wait to see what Speedball1 hears from PlumbRite. I did look at their page, but all their promotion is on the shower base drain replacement WingRite.

I did additional searching on the web and traveled through sites about swimming pools, backyard ponds, farm sprinklers, etc. Didn't see anything I could use.

Thanks for the quick replies and I'll check back to see what SpeedBall's email produces.

Was the old shower leaking giving rise to rotten wood?? If so was the base leaking?

When I asked PlumbRite about what they advertised on the net:
" What other products does PlumbRite Mfg. offer?
Along with the WingTite shower drain, PlumbRite manufactures drain pipe riser adaptors to fit 1.5” galvanized, 1.5” and 2” DWV copper. Also available are solvent joint inside pipe bushings ( fits inside 2” ABS and PVC pipe ) "

This is what I got back in the E-Mail. Give them a call and see if they have what you want.


The adaptors for the pipe sizes you described are only available from our operations facility.
Please call our office to order at 1-800-200-2678.

Thank you, PlumbRite Mfg.Inc.

The rotted wood was due to bad caukling. The shower area was a combination steam shower/regular shower. The benches were about to cave in (held up only by the tile and mortar). Only the lower third of the shower wood was rotted.

I read Speedball's answer from PlumbRite. PlumbRite's response didn't reveal much. I'll give them a call to get more detailed info.

I suppose if I put the pipe into the hole, jam some plumber putty along the sides, caulk the top and use a floor flange to provide some support, it should be OK.

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions and help.

Can you post a pic of this set up?

Sure, I'd be happy too. It will just be a floor flang used for railing or metal pipe with a threaded middle (which I will have to file out or grind off), then screw the flange to the concrete floor. I'm looking for a plastic flange so I can cement the pipe to the flange to prevent the pipe from moving up and downan provide more support. Haven't found one yet.

I thought instead of plumber putty I would use the wax from a toilet seal. It would probably last longer and provide a good seal if I do it right. Of course that is the operative word "doing it right.

Rather the use putty or wax I would opt for something that's more permanent and will make the raiser replacement more ridged. Epoxy will do it or look for
"Propoxy 20" distributed by The Hercules Chemical Company of Passic, NJ.
This is a steel reinforced epoxy putty that will harden like steel in 20 minutes.
Now that's both ridged and permanent. Tom

Thanks Speedball, I'll look for that product.

I removed the rest of the tile and mortar from the floor and found part of a cast iron pipesticking out. There isn't enough pipe exposed to put on a coupling. I assume it is cast iron since one of the main drains nearby is cast iron as it enters the concrete even though the rest of the house is ABS.

Back to the drawing board. Would it be best to remove concrete around the drain and put on a coupling? Seems like a delicate operation which might be beyond my capabilities. Although I can cut around the pipe with my circular saw with a concrete blade, chipping it out with a cold chisel might break the pipe.

Ok,
How much mortar did you get out? Are you down to the original concrete of the foundation? Did you find a pan? I'm not that experienced but it is sounding more and more like a traditional shower pan. Now that you have a cast iron pipe you have options. I had a similar situation and the cast iron drain pipes here are put together with rubber seals so taking out the cast iron part and sliding in new PVC was easy.

I removed the mortar down to the bare concrete. One side of the pipe stick outs slightly while the other side is at concrete level.

What I need is something like this for a 2 inch pipe - though the cast iron pipe is not exactly two inches inside.

http://doitbest.com/shop/product.asp...593&sku=460443

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Originally Posted by [email protected]

I removed the mortar down to the bare concrete. One side of the pipe stick outs slightly while the other side is at concrete level.

What I need is something like this for a 2 inch pipe - though the cast iron pipe is not exactly two inches inside.

http://doitbest.com/shop/product.asp...593&sku=460443

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Last ditch, "Hail Mary" pass. Jam a piece of 1/1/2" of PVC down in the 2" cast iron and epoxy it in. Do the same thing to connect to the shower drain. The 1 1/2" will drain just as good as the 2". (That's all we used for drains back in the old days.)

Here is what I found out. I went to a large local plumbing supply place to see if they had a pipe with a gasket or 0-ring to slip inside the 2 inch drain pipe. I was told it could not be done per local code. Only pipes 4 inches and larger can have a gasket to slip inside. So I have to buy a drain hookup which grabs the pipe from the outside. This means removing concrete. A simple project is turning into a major headache.

Sooooooo, I bought a rotary hammer to remove about one inch of concrete around the cast iron pipe. Any helpful hints on removing the concrete around the pipe without damaging the pipe are appreciated.

I have a concrete curb in the same area which I have to remove so this will give me some practice prior to the more delicate surgery.

The closer you get to the pipe the less force you use. Try to under cut the concrete and then chisel down to bite it off in chunks. When you get close to the pipe direct the force down or away but not at the pipe. Remember, cast iron is brittle and will break easily. Caution and patience should be yed here. Best of luck, Tom