Suggestions on a Cast Iron Drain in a Concrete Slab - Basement Shower

[maurzy01]

Hi,

I am planning on installing a walk in shower in my basement. The area I am planning on putting it is an existing sauna with a cast iron floor drain which appears to be 2". Based on the visual appearance of the drain, it seems to have had better days (see attached pictures below).

I want to do this right and don't want a new shower with an old rotten drain. I was thinking of tearing up the floor surrounding the drain, cutting out a portion beyond the trap and replacing it with a flexible coupling and 2" ABS trap. This would allow me to install a Kerdi drain, sloped mortar bed, etc.

Any suggestions as to how to deal with this? Am I on the right track? Are there any other factors I should consider?

Thank you in advance!

 

[Jadnashua]

That sounds like a plan. Sometimes it's much neater to pay someone to come in an make nice, clean cuts through the concrete than trying to bust it up yourself. You shouldn't try a bonded mudbed unless you grind off the paint. If you can afford the additional thickness of a mudbed designed to go over say a wooden subfloor (i.e., floating), you could live without grinding off the paint. While you're at it, if necessary, move the drain to as close to the middle of your planned shower as you can.

 

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[Marine]

I would definitely cut it out and replace it. I recently purchased an electric concrete saw online for a little over $200. It came with a blade too and runs off of 110. It is 20v so you need to run a 20v outlet or you can buy an adapter for like $80. So far I've cut a 25' long trench and it works great. I figure it already paid for itself and then some. It is dusty tho so I just plastic off the area and wear a respirator. If you rent one you have to buy the blade so you'd be pretty close to the price of the electric saw after the blade and cost of rental. For such a small cut it might be more cost effective to have someone do it with a wet saw tho. But for not much more you could have a new tool.