Many custom-tiled showers are now using linear drains, which are also known as channel drains. Available in a variety of sizes, drain cover patterns and finishes, linear drains are considered to be the fastest-growing segment of the luxury plumbing industry according to Jim Van Landingham of Quick Drains USA.
Van Landingham has provided the following tips and facts about linear drains:
- The concept of the decorative linear drain was introduced to North America in 2007. Europe has had them for several decades because it can be easier and faster to slope the floor in one direction instead of four ways toward a center drain.
- With a linear drain, the step over curb of a traditional shower can be eliminated. The homeowner can have a curbless or barrier-free shower entrance, which is ideal when designing with universal design or certified aging-in-place principals, or when faced with the need to create an ADA environment. To meet this goal, the linear drain must be placed either across the complete entrance side of the shower or at the back wall opposite to the entrance. The reason for placing the drain across the complete length of the wall is to eliminate “dead areas” where the water will pool.
- Linear drains help designers keep continuity of design in their bath projects. With the single sloped floor used with a linear drain, a designer can use the same large-format tile in the shower that was used for the rest of the bathroom. There is then no need to use small mosaic tiles in the shower to create the traditional bowl-shaped floor with a center-placed drain to remove water.
- Decorative linear drains can also be used on outdoor decks, patios and around fountains or pools. The long lines are aesthetically pleasing and more often than not, blend into the design.
