Installing Oatey’s Caulk Free Shower Drain with New Shower Install  

First time I see a video showing the correct way to install shower pan without caulking, clean and professional. 👍🏼

Yeah, I ran into that issue once didn’t have access and they were like no videos out. Thanks for posting.

Its amazing how ppl have problems understanding how simple these are to install and walk away without silicone or caulk. Hense the name. Cualk free! Good job man.

As a plumber on California, love you videos. Don't mind the haters. Great job

I use the brass material ones exclusively, they are most definitely worth the extra money and superior to the plastic.

Nah I’m still using caulk cuz I’ve got trust issues. In my head if it’s caulk free I should still put caulk because then that means it’s extra protection.

We have these in Europe, mostly ceramic ones , but have the plastic ones too

Love the slow mo dirty rag

As a seasoned plumber in Texas I still look at videos even though I done it more then once keep up the videos there are people who don’t know and need the info

The brass version of these have been out for a few decades now. Sioux Chief has one version.

It will help if you put mortar mix. ...to make it more solid

Cut those out all the time due to leaks. Once the pan is in place, there is no way to grab that nut through the cut out of the sub floor. Easy peasy for new install, terrible serviceability

I installed hundreds of these doing a USTA remodel super simple to install

The european drains have a cup in the middle to catch particles and the cap is a funnel

FYI Oatey says you should use 100% silicone. I supply new construction and most companies silicone the drain before they give them to the sub contractors for that reason

To each their own. I have better luck cutting the pipe after installing the rubber ring. The flange is tapered and sometimes having the rubber already on the pipe before sliding in the flange is easier. There's another manufacturer that doesn't use an upper competing ring and if you don't install it this way you'll never get it to start onto the pipe. Tap the ring in with a square wooden dowel till it bottom out then use inside cutter

Are you allowed to use channel locks on that material?

inner tubing cutters are easier to get but I think the Reed fitting reamer is easier to use

I’ve seen these compression gasket leaks after few years.

Have those exact same channel locks lol.

Good Work Sir.....👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👊🏼

1. No plumbers putty. Hardens and doesn’t hold up. Use 100% silicone. 2. Inject the space between the pipe and the drain with 100% silicone then insert the black seal. Acts as a lubricant for the seal and lock ring and the excess gets pushed out the bottom. I’ve seen these leak without the silicone.

Man I had so many uses for that inside pipe cutter in the past. Gotta have it!

For a drain that’s going to be hidden forever, I wouldn’t rely only on those rubber gaskets. Put a dab of silicone between the rubber and pan surface as well and it’ll never ever leak.

A lot of plumbers use mortar under the shower pan. If it is on concrete, that is great. If it is on a subfloor, window expanding foam is better, especially for that Kohler shower enclosure and pan. Mortar has a tendency to dry out after 2 years and becomes sand. Creates movement under the pan, which you don't want. I prefer the brass Sioux Chief shower drain last a lot longer.

Do U guys use motor under your shower pan and tubs or no? Or just some of them? Just wondering it’s how I was taught.

Thank you

Si no mortar mix under the shower pan ? Seen a lot of them start making noise when stepped on because it’s loose .

I installed one of these on my house. It leaked at first.. kind of a pain in the ass when the shower pan is already installed. I had access from the basement however. It took me multiple times of cranking the shit out of it to seal.. I eventually cut the pipe lower and let some of the black seal go over the top of the pipe I think…

Instead of using an internal cutter, I use a reed reeming bit. Perfect every time!

okay, so paper gasket goes on top, rubber gasket goes underneath? I've seen so many different ways to install these things. rubber on top, both gaskets on bottom with plumbers putty on top...

you can't have no caulk, caulk free sounds like me on a Friday night..... oh that's free caulk.

Did you put structlight under the base

As a plumber I got hard not seeing fibreglass shower base... I'm not a fan of always getting slivers haha

How much would you quote for a shower install like this? Trying to decide if I should do it myself

I’m remodeling master shower. Very small. I have a concrete shower pan with tile currently? Do I sledgehammer it out?

Might take a lil extra time, but you’ll never have a service call for a drain leak if you slap a bushing in there

Oatey the best

How does that drain cover stay on?

Although I hate these, you did a good job.

How much for the drain? Can you pick it up at homes depot?

It holds moisture that becomes moldy under drain cover, gotta clean it pretty good and bleach it, Experienced it

And how do those seals hold up to bleach.

That's totally going to leak eventually.

Well clearly brass is far better than pvc. However, the issue, stated at least once in other comments is serviceability. A framed floor... no problem. Over concrete... you dam well better use silicone. IMHO

Bing! Bang! Boom!

Lol it’s basically a mop sink

lol finishing the shower and shows a drop in box store pre built haha

I think I’ll stick with brass no caulk shower drains.

You should have used a pipe dope or something because you will hide the bottom nut and after ten years you will wish you would have because I have fixed about 5 out of 50 at my building

There's a brass version of that.

That Putty will fail. Silicone my friend especially on those threads

They forgot the paper washer after the rubber washer, before the nut.... very important

I’d like caulk free, but I gotta pay for mine.

Interesting , because these plastics always leak after while, I would not install it. We use either fully ceramic or fully brass one, that do not rust. And from reliable company, not some Chinese no name products.

try to find a plumber that will visit within a month here in VT… 😵

Whoa😮

Hate to say it but elkay came up with this for basket strainers first oatey never has had an original idea

Cool video, not a fan of the product for the same reason I don’t like propress, takes away from the art of plumbing. Thanks for making a video on it though, I’m sure I’ll have a customer demand I install one of these at one point 😂

How much is something like this?

No bed for the pan ?????

Anecdotal, but i bought a house that had one of these that had evidence of long term leakage. Had to remove drywall, disassemble, and reassemble with silicone. Dont install these, please!

Always use the Oatey threaded unit, not this compression gasket, which leaks in 2 years.

Personally, I’ll always use silicone when installing the drain frame AND also before I put in the gasket, too many times I’ve had to replace leaks drain frames because someone didn’t use caulking

The abs pipe from p-trap is usually 1.5 inch. This oatey drain is 2inch need a reducer.

Well when you Micky mouse things you'll just have to spend more money every time it leaks

Why would one ever you cheap plastic instead of brass drain.

Allen patterson plumbing

Other than putting plaster under that hollow feelings base. Put plaster down man.

#down with One piece pans

not that easy if youre on concrete

You forgot plumber's putty

I just did a video on this!

I hate fiberglass showers lol

That shitty putty looks so nice 😂

Trim cap not center

Wrong… when you first place the drain flange into the shower pan you need to seal it with plumbers putty or at least a bead of silicone… and then at least explain that the rubber washer goes against the shower pan in the bottom side, followed by the fiber washer and the plastic nut… do it right; or don’t.

My mom asked for a caulk free shower but my uncle gave her a big ol caulked one

Can we all agree that in 2024, plumbers putty is absolute trash and should never be used anymore? It ALWAYS dries out and leaks after only a couple of years.

Just what we need is more steps to install.. the more parts and pieces the higher chance of a step being missed or skipped

Are you hiring?

i hate plastic showers/baths.

At least center it. WTF

Those suck i always install glue shower drains

Like it matters. You’re aware that’s a plastic shower pan right? Why are you still allowing clients to talk you into installing junk? Never let the client talk you into anything cheap or unprofessional. Those are both DIY and flimsy brittle junk.

These drains suck, worst design I’ve had the displeasure to encounter, especially when the base of the shower has any flex at all, guaranteed leakers.

I can't read or write

Don't trust these seals, cheap rubber makes for terrible compression seal

Plastic strainer = Trash

Those plastic ones are trash. Brass all the way. Spend the extra $12 😅

I hate those, all they do is leak.

looks like a pain in the ass to spend more money

Still to much! 😭

American plumbing is so insanely outdated

Junk.

That's a lot of work to put a drain in ,it must be American, have a look at modern drains they are very simple 😅