Drain cover in middle of bathroom floor

[smp50]

Would anyone like to say something about this?

This bathroom is at the back of the house in a single-storey extension. Under several layers of wood to make the height up to the tiles' level there's a flat metal cover that seems to be secured down. There's not much to see but I can get a picture of it if it's important.

Before the extension, which no other house on this terrace has, that drain would have been about 1.5m from the back wall of the house.


My intention is to remove the tiles and ultimately cover the floor with some kind of laminate or similar. Do you think it's OK for me to "permanently" cover up this thing? Is there something I should know about it?

Note that I suspect the current shower may drain directly into it somehow, as the waste disappears and can't be seen outside anywhere (while the sink and bath can be traced quite clearly).


Thanks,

 

[stardanny]

As you live in a terrace, the drain may be shared, serving all terrace houses and may not be permanent cover over, what happen if a drain is blocked and you find it need to be rod from this side.
Can't you cover it with vinyl that look like laminate? With plywood overboard?

Daniel.

 

[jeff the gasman]

As you live in a terrace, the drain may be shared, serving all terrace houses and may not be permanent cover over, what happen if a drain is blocked and you find it need to be rod from this side.
Can't you cover it with vinyl that look like laminate? With plywood overboard?

Daniel.

As above
You don't know when you will need it or if indeed you ever will.
There are some brilliant vinyl floor coverings available take the above advice in my opinion.
Jeff

 

[longdogs]

Had to re-tile one of those only last week. The drain was blocked, they got someone in to unblock it but he had to break the floor tiles to get to it.

Is it possible to move the basin & pedestal?

 

[smp50]

hmm ok, thanks guys.

Had to re-tile one of those only last week. The drain was blocked, they got someone in to unblock it but he had to break the floor tiles to get to it.

Maybe that's what happened here? Unless the tiles were installed right from the start with that gap, maybe originally covered with a mat. When I moved in there was carpet across the whole room.

Is it possible to move the basin & pedestal?

The basin is being moved anyway... but I wanted to put a bath in a position that would cover about 1/4 of the drain :/

I will have to measure up very carefully, perhaps the topography of the bath means that removing the side/end panels will be enough to leave access. It won't be touching the floor, after all.

 

[3DGuy]

What about one of those shallow block paving drain sinkers? You put them in then block pave in.... for drives. You can get a shallow one also, you could tile the floor around and find tiles that will fall in to a pattern with it, square pattern I would think, or large rectangular ones. Then grout all the others, but this one for wound the edge use a colour match silicone instead of grout. If ever needed access you can peel out the silicone, then pry it up carefully for access.

 

[mogget]

I think that's what the op has, filled in with plywood and parquet?

 

[smp50]

What about one of those shallow block paving drain sinkers? You put them in then block pave in.... for drives. You can get a shallow one also, you could tile the floor around and find tiles that will fall in to a pattern with it, square pattern I would think, or large rectangular ones. Then grout all the others, but this one for wound the edge use a colour match silicone instead of grout. If ever needed access you can peel out the silicone, then pry it up carefully for access.

Nice idea, so that whole slab, topped with tiles, would just be lifted out when required? Could be doable.

I will look into soft floor coverings first, I think - I kind of disregarded them as I don't like the idea, but maybe they'd be ok really. It's never going to be an amazing high-end bathroom anyway so I shouldn't be too snobbish about the floor material.

 

[3DGuy]

New idea, What about a new idea. Tile the entire bathroom walls, so its done before hand, Then fit a bath after, fully over that on legs. Then because its tiled the full walls, you can do what ever you like in front of the bath. If its really ever needed you could remove a bath side panel, disconnect the taps, waste and move the bath out.

It doesn't look like access is needed frequently however this approach be it a little fiddly if needed would basically just involve disconnecting the bath then removing the silicone seal around the edge then re-doing. Not really too bad a job to do if access was ever needed. Then you can use what ever floor you like in front of it. It depends how far it comes out? Standard bath is what? 70cm?

I don't know your bathroom layout/size for position options though so this may not work etc.

 

[Newboy]

That's an old screw down access cover - from which the screws have been removed.

If you're mid-terrace then it's highly likely that you have a public sewer running under your bathroom!

Have a look for a supplier of light-weight bolt down access/chamber covers and don't make it inaccessible. The chances are access may never be needed but if it is then the consequences can be severe.

http://www.howegreen.com/en/uk/accesscovers/floor/index.php

http://www.howegreen.com/en/uk/accesscovers/floor/light-duty-access-covers.php#aluminium-single5000

A few years ago we had exactly this situation where a sewer had been built over years ago and the run blocked with access required at the concealed chamber. Bathroom to all intents had to be destroyed - bath removed, tiled floor broken out etc etc

 

[Newboy]

deleted - duplicate post

 

[smp50]

Thanks for the replies. Here is how the proposed new bath would relate to the drain (marked in red)

Do you reckon that's pretty safe? There seems to be loads of room there to get at the cover if the bath panels are removed.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Should be fine, all that matters is the cover can be lifted if required, preferably without destroying the room. If screws are missing then I would strongly recommend you replace the cover. IT does need to be of the sealed, screwed down type suitable for internal use, to prevent leaks of waste or air into the room. External type covers are not suitable. Otherwise should anything go wrong, you may find things could get messy.....

 

[longdogs]

New idea, What about a new idea. Tile the entire bathroom walls, so its done before hand, Then fit a bath after, fully over that on legs. Then because its tiled the full walls, you can do what ever you like in front of the bath. If its really ever needed you could remove a bath side panel, disconnect the taps, waste and move the bath out.

It doesn't look like access is needed frequently however this approach be it a little fiddly if needed would basically just involve disconnecting the bath then removing the silicone seal around the edge then re-doing. Not really too bad a job to do if access was ever needed. Then you can use what ever floor you like in front of it. It depends how far it comes out? Standard bath is what? 70cm?

I don't know your bathroom layout/size for position options though so this may not work etc.

Sorry 3D but a bath fitted to wall tiles afterwards will almost certainly leak (particularly if a shower is used)

 

[3DGuy]

Yea I know that one, it's just trying to come up with an idea/work around to the situation. I'd always tile over it, but when there are other limitations sometimes have to find alternative routes.

Tile over but leave a slightly larger band around the top of the bath? Silicone that one rather than grout.

It's a tricky one, access may be needed but also be nicer hidden.