Choosing the right shower drain may seem like a minor consideration but in fact it is much more important than you may realize. It does more than let water drain – it also adds a unique look. You want something that is going to be functional but that will also look great. Keep reading to find out more about your options, then contact Mission West Kitchen & Bath at (626) 799-3503 to learn more about your many options.
Understand the Two Main Options
While there are a seemingly endless number of shower drains on the market, they mostly fall into one of two categories: Point drains or linear drains. Point drains are more common and are what you likely think of when you think of a shower drain. They are generally installed in the middle of the shower floor and the floor is then sloped toward the drain.
In fact, the shower floor is actually a gently sloped funnel that moves all the water toward the drain. If this is the type of drain you want, we recommend looking for a square drain grate – not a round one. Why? Because tiles are square and we think that square tile drains fit in better than round tile drains – plus the installer will not need to make a round cut into your square tile.
The second type is a linear drain, which, as the name suggest is long and narrow. It offers added style to your shower and has become much more popular in recent years. Depending on your preferences, it could be installed in the middle of the floor, but more often they are installed along one wall of the shower. These involve the shower floor sloping gently and evenly toward the drain without a funnel. You can get linear drains in lengths of up to 72”.
Both linear and point drains will work equally well to get water away, unless you have an extremely large amount of water in your shower. However, you will find that point drains are generally more affordable than linear drains.
The Main Advantage of a Linear Drain
We discussed a big advantage of linear drains above (the fact that most tiles are square) but there is another one: You can use larger tiles. Since the floor slopes evenly in a single direction, rather than all toward the middle as with point drains, you can use one type of tile throughout the bathroom and it can be of any size. When many people are shopping for the right bathroom countertop options, it’s nice to be able to install tile throughout.
These are just a few tips about a few of the types of drains. If you have questions or want to see examples of these drains, please work with Mission West Kitchen & Bath. We are standing by to offer comprehensive help with all your bathroom and kitchen remodeling needs.
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