How to install a linear drain?

Modern bathrooms, apart from aesthetic qualities, primarily require functional equipment. In the interest of comfort and safety for all users, including young children and the elderly, designers offer a range of modern and practical devices. The traditional solution of installing a shower tray is slowly being phased out. A more practical move is to install a shower directly on the floor and equip it with a linear drain.

What should you know about the linear drain?

The linear drain is a system that effectively drains water from the shower to the sewage connection. It consists of a gutter, a grate, and a trap. Most traps have a vertical shape, although horizontal traps are increasingly appearing. The former is characterized by high throughput, allowing for trouble-free water reception from the shower, while the horizontal trap design makes it easier to fit everything under the floor. When making a selection, it's worth paying attention to the quality of workmanship, as a linear drain has to last for years, so it should be solid and durable.

The most popular and frequently chosen is the classic linear drain equipped with a decorative cover made of stainless and acid-resistant steel. There are also flat linear drains, prepared for filling with tile or glass, or narrow with a minimalist grate. You must decide which drain will work best in your bathroom.

In the floor or the wall? - The installation location of the linear drain

The linear drain can be embedded in both the floor tiles and the shower walls. Regardless of the type of linear drainage chosen, it's important to maintain the correct floor slope to achieve a proper water flow direction from the entire floor surface to the trap. Depending on the installation location of the drain, the slope should be made on one or two sides.

• If the linear drain is placed under the shower wall, the floor slope will be one-sided, while installing the linear drain in the center of the cabin requires a two-sided slope. The angle of inclination should not be less than 0.5%, meaning the grate should be about 2 mm below the level of the tiles.

• Installation of the linear drain in the wall also requires connection to the vertical sewage system but does not interfere with the surface of tiles, screeds, or ceilings. However, tile placement must ensure a proper water slope. We choose this type of linear drain in the case of underfloor heating.

Installation of the linear drain - what to pay attention to

To ensure the water drainage system functions flawlessly, correct installation of the linear drain is essential. It's worth remembering that such a drain requires lowering the floor level by approx. 15 cm, as it must be higher than its connection point to the sewage vertical. Arranging the drainage pipes in this manner is not a problem if the linear drainage will be installed in a newly constructed building. In the case of bathroom renovation, it may turn out that a floor that's too low or a trap that's too high won't allow for the installation of the linear drain in the floor.

Advantages of a linear drain

Installing a linear drain is a solution with many benefits:

• it allows for more economical use of bathroom space because the size of the shower cabin is not limited by the size of the tray,

• it allows for the installation of chosen tiles over the entire floor surface, which adds elegance to the bathroom,

• the linear drain is an excellent solution for older and disabled people,

• the linear drain makes it easier to maintain cleanliness in the bathroom - cleaning a shower cabin without a tray is simpler and less time-consuming.

Installing the linear drain step by step

The decision to install linear drainage has been made! It's time to proceed with the installation. Here are the steps to take to install a linear drain.

Stage 1. Choosing the appropriate linear drainage

The type of drain must be adapted to the installation location, i.e., the existing sewage approach and the size of the cabin

Stage 2. Installation of the sewage approach and linear drain

Adjust the pipe installation to the type of floor, e.g., is it floor on the ground, on a dense rib slab, or monolithic. Remember the pipe slope, which should be about 2.5%, i.e., 2.5 cm per meter.

When installing a linear drain, ensure its grate is higher than the sewage approach. Thanks to adjustable legs, the correct angle of inclination can be set. The drain grate should be about 2 mm below the floor level.

Stage 3. Connecting the trap and pipes to the sewage

The next step is to connect the trap and pipes to the linear drain. At this point, it's indispensable to perform a leak test to ensure the installation doesn't leak anywhere. We will also gain confidence that the sewage approach is perfectly matched to the installed drain. If everything is tight, you can proceed to pour the screed, which must account for the appropriate surface slope and the thickness of the tiles with adhesive (approx. 12 mm). Pay attention to such details when installing a linear drain.

Stage 4. Floor and wall waterproofing

When installing linear drainage, it's crucial to ensure waterproofing all the walls that come into contact with water. A recommended product is liquid foil, which in two layers will adequately protect against leaks.

Stage 5. Finishing, i.e., laying tiles

Laying tiles is the last, but no less important task. Their choice will affect not only the design but also the safety and comfort of use. It's best to buy non-slip tiles of a high abrasion class. Tiles should also not be porous so as not to absorb water. Laying tiles, remember to maintain the floor slope towards the side of the drain.

We've outlined step by step how to install a linear drain. We believe that with the tips provided here, the installation of drainage will proceed without issues.