[dennis62]

I am a novice at this, but I am laying porcelain tiles in my basement. We have a floor drain in one of the rooms--that will ultimately be used as a bedroom. I don't want to cover the floor drain, but I do what the drain cover to be level with the tiles, once they are laid. I'm not sue how to do this. It looks like when the contractor laid the floor and installed the drain, he/she simply used a grinder to create a little bit of slope around the drain I'm thinking about simply buying longer screws for the drain cover and then use spacers that will raise the cover to the level of the finished floor.

[ballengerb1]

Are there other such floor drains in the basement nearer to your water heater? If so capping the drain is an option. Where do you live and what's your climate like. Porcelein tiles below grade on concrete can sweat a great deal in warm humid climates.

[massplumber2008]

Hi Dennis...

If you plan on raising floor drain strainer to finished floor height then spacers as you suggested sound fine (use strong spacer like 1/2" copper pipe). Then you should plan on removing the water from the floor drain p-trap so you can fill it with MINERAL OIL, PEANUT OIL , or anti-freeze.. (just fill until trap is protected)... this keeps trap from evaporating.

You should also know that the p-trap is probably the lowest fixture in the basement so if the sewer main drain ever backs up it's going to end up backing up into this (future) bedroom...

I just wanted to be sure you knew this is all.

I think Bob has it right... plug the floor drain with wing-type expansion plug or lead plug and look for other floor drain or may even need to install a sump pump so can drain things conveniently... just my thoughts... let me know what you think...

MARK