Floor Wastes

Floor wastes are available as round, square, and linear (channel) drains in a wide range of finishes including chrome, matte black, brushed nickel, and tile-insert options that allow tiles to be laid over the grate for a seamless look. Linear floor wastes (shower channels) are particularly popular in contemporary Australian bathrooms for their streamlined appearance and ease of cleaning. All floor wastes in Australia must be installed by a licensed plumber and must comply with the relevant plumbing code.

A floor waste (also called a floor drain or shower drain) is a drainage fitting set into the bathroom floor that collects and drains excess water. In Australian bathrooms, a floor waste is mandatory in wet areas including shower recesses and is also commonly installed in the main bathroom floor area. Floor wastes prevent water damage in the event of an overflow or in wet area bathrooms designed for accessibility.

A floor waste (also called a floor drain) is a drainage fitting set into a wet area floor, most commonly a shower base or laundry floor, that collects water and channels it into the plumbing system. It sits at the lowest point of the floor's fall so water runs to it rather than pooling elsewhere. In Australian bathrooms, a floor waste in the shower recess isn't optional, it's a required part of a compliant wet area.

The floor waste is the visible grate and body fitted into the floor surface. The floor trap sits underneath it, further down in the plumbing, and holds a water seal that stops sewer gases and odours from coming back up through the drain into the room. In practice the two work together as one drainage assembly, but "trap" refers specifically to the sealed bend, not the grate you see and clean.

Yes, for wet areas. The Plumbing Code of Australia requires a floor waste in any shower recess and in bathrooms without a shower screen or enclosure, since these areas need a way for water to drain in the event of an overflow or general splashing. Requirements are set nationally through the Code with state plumbing regulators enforcing compliance, so a licensed plumber will confirm what's required for your specific renovation.

Round and square point wastes are the traditional shape, sitting as a single drain point in the floor. Linear (channel) floor wastes run along one edge of the shower base instead, which suits a frameless glass screen or barrier-free shower design. Tile-insert grates let you lay the same floor tile into a recessed frame so the drain blends into the floor rather than standing out as a separate fitting, this is a popular option where a flush, uninterrupted look matters.

Yes. The floor waste, and its flow rate and grate size, needs to be selected and installed before the tiler sets the fall (the slight slope that directs water to the drain), since the fall is calculated around that exact fitting's position and depth. A tiler and plumber need to coordinate directly on this step in any renovation, changing the floor waste after tiling is underway usually means redoing the screed.

Flow rate is usually listed in litres per minute and should comfortably exceed your showerhead's output so water can't back up during use. Most standard domestic showers are well served by a floor waste rated at 30 to 45 litres per minute, larger rainfall showerheads or multiple shower outlets may need a higher-rated waste, check the showerhead's own flow rate before matching a floor waste to it.