Replace Lead Shower Drain.

[Josh87]

Hi,

I'm a first time poster here, but I've used this site for years and have gained a lot of great information from all of you!

I'm redoing my basement bathroom shower on concrete slab and using information on your other threads, I removed a lead/oakum shower drain. I used the method of drilling holes around the perimeter and then used a grinder to cut the fiberglass base and was then able to pry and twist the old drain off.

The very top of the pipe is slightly bent on one spot (not my doing). The drain pipe itself is cast iron (magnetic) and the exposed part has rusty threads.

My questions:

#1) Even if I clean off most of the rust, will an Oatey compression drain seal well (pictured)? Or what are my other options? I saw fernco donuts mentioned, but I take it I would have to break through the concrete?

#2) Once I go to install a new acrylic base that is supposed to be set in "bedding material", is Quikrete Mortar mis okay?

The rest of my house is PVC, except for the drains in the basement concrete slab that are all cast iron.

Thanks,

Josh

 

[Terry]

I'm guessing you have a threaded galvanized steel nipple that is leaded into a 2" cast iron hub.
Fernco makes a donut for that that works with 2" plastic pipe. I don't think the Oatey drain will seal to those threads, so removing the nipple and replacing with PVC sounds like a plan.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Josh87]

I'm guessing you have a threaded galvanized steel nipple that is leaded into a 2" cast iron hub.
Fernco makes a donut for that that works with 2" plastic pipe. I don't think the Oatey drain will seal to those threads, so removing the nipple and replacing with PVC sounds like a plan.

Hi Terry, thank you for the response. Is there an easy way to remove the leaded steel nipple or do I have to either cut it from inside the pipe or remove concrete to get access? Also, is this the Fernco donut you have in mind? I don't see a way to tighten any hose clamps, so I'm thinking this Fernco compression donut is what I would use.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Fernco-...h-40-PVC-Compression-Donut-P22U-205/100372278

Thanks,

Josh

 

[Terry]

Drill and pry with a flat blade screwdriver works for me.

The dounut in the link works.

 

[Josh87]

Drill and pry with a flat blade screwdriver works for me.

The dounut in the link works.

Thanks! It looks like I'll just have to cut vertically down through the fitting and I can then use the approach like you did here. I might need a different donut for the hub (opposed to the pipe), but we'll see how the nipple goes first.

 

[Josh87]

Drill and pry with a flat blade screwdriver works for me.

The dounut in the link works.

Hi Terry,

First off, thank you! I removed a little concrete from the perimeter to improve access. Then I drilled some small holes through the oakum between the galvanized nipple and the cast iron hub. I then used a sawzall to make some verbal cuts in the nipple followed by hammering an old Flathead screw driver into all of the holes I drilled. After some hammering and channel locks to twist the pipe, I was able to get it free. I then scraped out the remaining oakum/lead seal.

The nipple ended up being 4" in length and 2" inside diameter.

Just a few follow up questions.

1. I'm using Quikrete mortar to set the base, will this work to fill the concrete I removed? Should I use some foam pipe wraps to isolate the cast iron hub, PVC pipe, and rubber Fernco from the Quikrete mortar?

2. Is the Quikrete mortar the right product to set an acrylic shower base?

Thanks,

Josh

 

[Terry]

Quikrete mortar works fine. If the floor is level and the pan drops down without rocking, you may need just a little or perhaps none.
You don't need concrete around the drain. You don't have ground water coming up, right?

 

[Josh87]

Quikrete mortar works fine. If the floor is level and the pan drops down without rocking, you may need just a little or perhaps none.
You don't need concrete around the drain. You don't have ground water coming up, right?

I've never seen water on the floor in the basement bathroom and the laminate flooring that was down there on top of a vapor barrier showed no signs of swelling, so I don't foresee ground water coming up being an issue.

The acrylic pan manufacturer requires a bedding mix base, so I do want to set the pan in mortar.

Thanks.