Not a week goes by that I don't read online someone referencing a code requirement of 2" in shower construction. You get it brought up all the time. 2" from the finished floor to the top of the drain.
I even followed this advice building my first curbless shower and what a bear of a job that was.
The grading was so step we needed to use small 1"x1" tile and the prep work was massive. After I finished that project I studied more and look deeper into this code.
Turns out there is no such code - at least not in Canada or in my hometown of Vancouver. Of late I'm debating with a few regular online writers about the procedure of flood testing showers - this is required in Vancouver and by any city or state in the USA that follows the 2012 Universal Plumbing Code (UPC).
But what about the International Plumbing Code? The IPC. Do they require a 2" drop from the finished floor to the drain to comply with code? I looked up the IPC (International Plumbing Code 2009) and like the 2012 Universal Plumbing Code there is no reference to this requirement of a 2" drop.
I guess we should look up the BOCA Plumbing Code for this 2" drop reference and as well the plumbing codes from ICBO and SBCCI. That's a lot of code books to download.
I've gone through the UPC code book twice and in there there is no reference to this 2" drop from the bathroom floor to the shower drain. There is reference to flood testing the shower to a height of 2" at the entry or shower curb and further reference to building a temporary dam if no curb is present. So clearly the code repeated online all the time is not from the Universal Plumbing Code.
Now if your searching how to build your shower in any State in the USA that follows the Universal Plumbing Code you need not worry about that. But! is the code referenced in your building code? That you should look into. I did look through the 2009 Universal Building Code and like the plumbing code books there is no reference to this 2" drop requirement. I'll keep looking but I'm pretty sure the people recommending this step have simply mis read the code and in their gang mentality repeat online like parrots asking for a cracker.....
Last summer we where called out to look at a failed linear shower drain installation. The client had wanted to built their own drain and place this drain right at the shower entry. The position of this drain was also under a foot from the bathroom entry door. Our solution to this risky installation was to install a Schluter tile profile on the right side of the drain (dry side of drain) approx 3/8" higher than the drain. This acts like a little dam. Remember that any drop or rise in a floor must be no more than 1/2" to comply with ADA guidelines.
Notice how we brought the tile into the shower drain and no where can water run across this shower grate.
This shower was designed and built for the owner - who suffers from a bad hip. It's a tiny 5'x8' bathroom and the area outside the shower grades a little from the door to the back wall. It also grades a little right to left. This minor safety net will help any overflow from the toilet or sink find it's way to the drain.
While you ponder this for your next renovation - take a look at these 195 barrier free showers.
UPDATE: August 2, 2012
I received and email from a helpful viewer that told me that the IRC or International Residential Code requires this step. I doubled check this and clear as a day it's in there. Or is it? The text I believe can be read one of two ways. When you describe 'Depth' are you referring to the height of something or the width (front to back). If you read this code you can see it is a little unclear and I'm not sure a shower curb can be 9" when this exceeds the IRC code on maximum riser height.
I'm sending out a few emails to inspectors today who enforce the IRC - I'll ask for some clarification.
JW
I even followed this advice building my first curbless shower and what a bear of a job that was.
 |
| You can notice the extra pitching of the shower tile right at the drain location. |
The grading was so step we needed to use small 1"x1" tile and the prep work was massive. After I finished that project I studied more and look deeper into this code.
Turns out there is no such code - at least not in Canada or in my hometown of Vancouver. Of late I'm debating with a few regular online writers about the procedure of flood testing showers - this is required in Vancouver and by any city or state in the USA that follows the 2012 Universal Plumbing Code (UPC).
But what about the International Plumbing Code? The IPC. Do they require a 2" drop from the finished floor to the drain to comply with code? I looked up the IPC (International Plumbing Code 2009) and like the 2012 Universal Plumbing Code there is no reference to this requirement of a 2" drop.
I guess we should look up the BOCA Plumbing Code for this 2" drop reference and as well the plumbing codes from ICBO and SBCCI. That's a lot of code books to download.
I've gone through the UPC code book twice and in there there is no reference to this 2" drop from the bathroom floor to the shower drain. There is reference to flood testing the shower to a height of 2" at the entry or shower curb and further reference to building a temporary dam if no curb is present. So clearly the code repeated online all the time is not from the Universal Plumbing Code.
Now if your searching how to build your shower in any State in the USA that follows the Universal Plumbing Code you need not worry about that. But! is the code referenced in your building code? That you should look into. I did look through the 2009 Universal Building Code and like the plumbing code books there is no reference to this 2" drop requirement. I'll keep looking but I'm pretty sure the people recommending this step have simply mis read the code and in their gang mentality repeat online like parrots asking for a cracker.....
Last summer we where called out to look at a failed linear shower drain installation. The client had wanted to built their own drain and place this drain right at the shower entry. The position of this drain was also under a foot from the bathroom entry door. Our solution to this risky installation was to install a Schluter tile profile on the right side of the drain (dry side of drain) approx 3/8" higher than the drain. This acts like a little dam. Remember that any drop or rise in a floor must be no more than 1/2" to comply with ADA guidelines.
Notice how we brought the tile into the shower drain and no where can water run across this shower grate.
 |
| ADA Shower Grate We used two doors and not one and installed each door so it was centered over the drain. This installation was inspected and approved by the City of Burnaby as part of a whole home renovation. We prepared the shower for tile and got the flood testing past so the home owners tile setter could wrap up the barrier free bathroom. |
While you ponder this for your next renovation - take a look at these 195 barrier free showers.
Browse Window Treatments on Houzz- For Example:
UPDATE: August 2, 2012
I received and email from a helpful viewer that told me that the IRC or International Residential Code requires this step. I doubled check this and clear as a day it's in there. Or is it? The text I believe can be read one of two ways. When you describe 'Depth' are you referring to the height of something or the width (front to back). If you read this code you can see it is a little unclear and I'm not sure a shower curb can be 9" when this exceeds the IRC code on maximum riser height.
I'm sending out a few emails to inspectors today who enforce the IRC - I'll ask for some clarification.
JW
