Schluter's Linear Shower Drain
The new linear drain from Schluter Systems is finally here after a long wait. Can you even see it in this picture. It's there right under the niche between the toilet and the towels on the right.
This version above is the tile insert version and my preferred choice of the Schluter line up. The other models have an exterior trim and tight fitting grills which I do not care for.
I feel the drain has many short comings; the ability to clean the drain is a concern and the waterproofing and installation steps worrisome on a couple points. In the installation guidelines it shows cutting the kerdi corners (tight wall instal) and I do not like this idea. I have built many wonderful showers with Kerdi and would suggest for a linear drain installation you invest in some Kerdi Fix for those cut Kerdi pieces.
Water entering the drain should be able to flow in my opinion between the tile and the grill or grate. I think this framed grill of the Schluter line drain restricts hair and soap from dropping down at this point.
I feel the drain has many short comings; the ability to clean the drain is a concern and the waterproofing and installation steps worrisome on a couple points. In the installation guidelines it shows cutting the kerdi corners (tight wall instal) and I do not like this idea. I have built many wonderful showers with Kerdi and would suggest for a linear drain installation you invest in some Kerdi Fix for those cut Kerdi pieces.
Water entering the drain should be able to flow in my opinion between the tile and the grill or grate. I think this framed grill of the Schluter line drain restricts hair and soap from dropping down at this point.
 |
| Kerdi Line Drain Cover |
 |
| Tight fit on sides |
You will notice in the picture above the razor blades can stay put. Water entering this drain will need to travel over this point and I believe hold back some residue. The tile option grill (not shown) on the Kerdi line drain does not suffer from this drawback. How you clean the drain and who cleans the drain is an important consideration in choosing your linear drain. Schluter includes a linear drain cleaning tool for removing the grill and cleaning the underside of it and the linear drain base.
I do not like the large size of this brush and personally prefer a smaller brush - more like the type used for hand washing glasses. I think care should be to fold the trim around the grill when applying upward pressure.
Here is a closer look at the frame detail.
Again a little more thought to design would have gone a long way. Each one of the supports is a place to snag hair and cleaning the bottom side is difficult with such a large brush.
The design on the drain base is solid and is both wedged and internally sloped to a 2" no hub fitting. The waterproofing is factory applied and very secure. I know because I yanked on it.
I do not like the large size of this brush and personally prefer a smaller brush - more like the type used for hand washing glasses. I think care should be to fold the trim around the grill when applying upward pressure.
Here is a closer look at the frame detail.
Again a little more thought to design would have gone a long way. Each one of the supports is a place to snag hair and cleaning the bottom side is difficult with such a large brush.
The design on the drain base is solid and is both wedged and internally sloped to a 2" no hub fitting. The waterproofing is factory applied and very secure. I know because I yanked on it.
The Kerdi Line drain is hooked up to the homes plumbing system with a 2" no-hub fitting. This is not included with the drain and something you can pick up at a Plumbing Wholesaler. No recommendations for fire proofing are provided in the box but this is not to hard to work out with your builder.
When sourcing your 2" no hub fitting pick up a 2" inflatable test plug at the same time or a 2" twist and set test plug. This will be needed to flood test the project. When designing a barrier free shower pan to build a temporary dam to properly flood test the shower.
The drain is protected with a plastic strip and when I removed this to dry fit the grill was shocked to see it applied with such an agressive adhesive that it ripped at the Kerdi and pulled so hard it removed much of the fleece matting. I would be very careful pulling the protective wrapper off.
It is important to understand that the Kerdi Linear drain is a "Primary Shower Drain" and like any drain needs to be installed by a plumber. Not your tile installer. All shower drains require a ticket plumber to do this step. Like all showers they also need to be flood test for a period of 24-72 hours. An inflatable test plug (2") will work just fine here.
Sometimes it hard to locate these test plugs and we can include them in your online order.
If you would like to order a Kerdi Line drain here in Vancouver I can help with that. This drain is on display at Ames Bros Tile on Beta Avenue in Burnaby.
By far the greatest install of the Kerdi Line drain is by Hugo. Here is a peak at two fine installations.
By far the greatest install of the Kerdi Line drain is by Hugo. Here is a peak at two fine installations.
Modern Bathroom design by Montreal Specialty Contractors CeramiquesHugo
UPDATE March 2013
I went out to look at a recent Kerdi Line Drain installation last week and was a little surprised to see rust forming inside the drain's channel body. There was two distinct rust lines and a number of rusting spots.
I borrowed a 3M pad from the homeowners and managed to buff out these rust spots. Rust should not form inside these drains and it's a scary thought that a showerdrain that is rarely used is rusting in the first year of installation.
Make sure that all material is cleaned from the inside of the drain after the renovation is completed. It is poossible that this rust formed from filing dust from the plumber installing the shower fixtures.
I'm going to leave my Kerdi Line drain outside for a spell and see what happens to it.
UPDATE March 2013
I went out to look at a recent Kerdi Line Drain installation last week and was a little surprised to see rust forming inside the drain's channel body. There was two distinct rust lines and a number of rusting spots.
I borrowed a 3M pad from the homeowners and managed to buff out these rust spots. Rust should not form inside these drains and it's a scary thought that a showerdrain that is rarely used is rusting in the first year of installation.
Make sure that all material is cleaned from the inside of the drain after the renovation is completed. It is poossible that this rust formed from filing dust from the plumber installing the shower fixtures.
I'm going to leave my Kerdi Line drain outside for a spell and see what happens to it.
It appears that this Kerdi Line drain was installed less than perfect. The top is a little off center and it also looks like the installer used Aqua Defence (greeney blue stuff) and not Kerdi with the installation.
The perimeter around the drain is chaulked with some kind of white silicone and and is spilling out inside the drain in the picture above.
How do you clean under all those tabs?
UPDATE March 20, 2013
After a week sitting in the rain outside my Kerdi Line drain has shown no evidence of rusting. I even scratched it up inside to try and reproduce the effect shown in the drain install above. To me this rules out the quality of the steel in the Kerdi Line drain as the problem.
It is alarming that a little rust left to stew can look so bad so quickly. Make sure these drains are well cleaned and scrubbed right after each trade has left the shower. I'll give the drain another week and then bring it in.
UPDATE April 27, 2013
I brought the Kerdi Line drain inside a couple days ago. It was outside in the sun and rain for over 5 weeks. I scratched the drain and did my best to get it to rust. No rust - nothing. This drain will not rust own it's own.... Nice.
