| Question: 06-38 | Code Section: 7 | Date: | OBC 2006 Reference: 7.2.2.3.(1), 7.2.2.3.(3) |
Question submitted: Can the floor in a group shower slope to the floor drains in the centre of the shower area and can the plumber use the green or blue waterproofing that contractors spray on foundation walls as the pan or liner?
Interpretation: No, 7.2.2.3.(3) “Where two or more showerheads are served by a shower drain, the floor shall be sloped and the drain located so that water from one head cannot flow over the area that serves another head.” A person in the back corner would have to walk through the wastewater of the showerheads between themselves and the exit. The code technical committee recommends sloping the floor towards the back wall and place the drains in a depressed area at the wall. 7.2.2.3.(1) “Every shower receptor shall be constructed and arranged so that water cannot leak through the walls or floor.” The corresponding appendix offers examples such as a non-ferrous sheet metal or a rubber or plastic membrane but does not limit you to those methods. Waterproofing products or other materials should have a manufacturer’s and a certified testing agency approval for the use on shower areas before we could recommend their use.