How To Put A Drain In A Concrete Floor

If you are not then you will have to pour a new floor over the existing one and pitch the new floor to the drain.

How to put a drain in a concrete floor.

If you have a cement floor and you want to install drains afterwards then you will need to use a jackhammer or a hammer and a chisel to break the concrete to form the drain trenches. Later if an old drain line ruptures or the homeowner puts an addition onto the house it might be necessary to cut the concrete floor to reach the old plumbing or to connect a new line. Add a drain cover. After you have dug the trenches you can place the pipes in.

After the forms have been set for the new drain system in the floor pour new concrete and allow it to dry. Leave about 4 to fill the trench with new concrete. Draw a 6 to 8 inch wide path on the concrete floor from the old drain location to the new drain location with a red crayon. Mix the concrete according the the mixing directions and smooth out with a trowel.

Pour new concrete to fix them and let it to dry. Once the drainage system has been properly positioned and is at the desired level to make it even with the floor it is critical to secure the drain entirely by pouring another layer of concrete along the sides which will anchor the drain channel and the rebar holding the drain in place. Mix your concrete and smooth it with a trowel. The plumbing trenches are typically dug at the same time as the slab footings if any.

Red crayon remains visible while cutting the concrete. Once the trenches are dug you can add the sewer pipes and stub outs pipes that sit above the slab floor that eventually connect the sink toilet bathtub or shower and any other drains to the system. Retrofit a floor with a floor drain by using a hammer and chisel to break away the concrete to form the drain trenches. This is the final step and quite easy to do.

Be sure to remove enough concrete from the area just before the drain pipe to fit a drain trap in line. At the end of the pipe where you want the actual floor drain to be located place a can a coffee can will work over the drain hole and pour new concrete to fill in the trench you dug. Make sure you bevel the area around the drain spot so that the water won t pool and will instead easily drain into it.