Opinions on floor drains

[marc@kentucky]

Hello all,

I plan on breaking ground in the next week or so on a 32 X 48 wood-framed garage. I've learned an immense amount on the forum to help me shape the building plans.

One topic I am still contemplating is whether or not to do in-floor drains for my building. The building will be divided in two with a central wall, storage trusses on one half and scissor trusses on the other for a 2-post lift.

At this point I am considering doing a floor drain on each side, but leaving a flat "plane" where the lift will be installed (in other words not sloping that particular area so that the lift columns can be mounted level).

I am in western KY and feel that the floor drains will be handy should I want to wash vehicles in the winter. I will also have block foundation for the same reason.

Does anyone care to chime in with their experience either for or against floor drains? Aside from the lift consideration I can't seem to think of many reasons not to have them.

I'd appreciate any input.

Thanks-

Marc

 

[SteelHorseHD]

I put one in my 36x45 that I built last year and I love it! I didn't add a oil/water seperator or anything though (the county I live in could care less). It is very nice for washing the cars, mower, motorcycle or even better for washing off the floors. I just get the hose out, dump out some pine sol and go to town with a broom. I recommend it!

 

[kywildcat]

I put one in my 36x45 that I built last year and I love it! I didn't add a oil/water seperator or anything though (the county I live in could care less). It is very nice for washing the cars, mower, motorcycle or even better for washing off the floors. I just get the hose out, dump out some pine sol and go to town with a broom. I recommend it!

Exactly what I would say!! I love it.

What part of Western KY you in??

 

[dirttracker18]

^^^^^^^^^ same

 

[jimp]

Would love to have one, against code here. Might check with codes enforcement first.

 

[nate379]

If I ever built a garage to my specs it will have a flat floor.

Mine isn't too bad, about a 2" slope in 26ft from back to front, but it's still enough that I about had a car go through the garage door when it was not in gear and I leaned against the front (working underhood)

Had one garage that was an easy 3" low in the center for the drain. Garage was small, maybe 18x20. Was an absolute PAIN to do anything that needed a flat floor. I built the suspension of my Jeep in there and I had to shim all the jackstands with thin wood/metal so it would sit level. Also had to shim workbenches, toolbox, floor shelving, etc.

As far as car wash in the garage. I'd NEVER do it. The humidity in there will be unreal. When it's not freezing, I wash the **** outside. Otherwise $3 in the quarter wash to squirt off the worst of it is good enough for me.

 

[marc@kentucky]

Thanks for the comments guys.

Kywildcat- I live in Morganfield, close to Henderson.

 

[gyroplane]

I am SO happy that I decided to put a drain in the floor in my garage addition. Love being able to wash the car inside (Seattle weather can be rough on the wash routine 10 months out of the year). Plumbed a hose bib into the wall there, and would do it all again. Only regret is not bringing a hot water line to that location when the walls were open and it would have been easy. May well drop a small on-demand electric in the near future. I haven't had any issues with increased humidity because of it.
-Sky

 

[dguertler]

I just finished installing one in my new garage build. Below is a picture of the finished installation. I installed it myself with the help of some labor although you can do it with one person. I bought it from a local supplier and it cost me about $900 for 21'. The system I chose was a bit pricy but it was great to work with and is built to last.

http://www.abtdrains.com/poly-drain/poly-drain/

I pitched the floor 1/8" per foot. It drains quickly yet is still within the tolerance needed for the single post lift I plan on installing. Overall I am very happy with the decision.

Also, my town would not let me drain to the sewer even if I had a oil/water separator and check valve. I piped it to my sump pump pit in my basement which pumps to the street. It may not be a solution for all but it worked for me.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[brewchief]

We did the trench drains and a flat floor in my friends 50x100, only slope in the floor is a foot on each side of the drains. A broom or squeegee works just fine to get any water to the drains.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Although we get snow, I didn't put any drains in the floor when I poured over the old floor. I don't plan on washing any vehicles in it either, as I covered up the old drain.

If the next guy wants a drain, he gets to worry about it. I wanted a flat floor and no slopes.

 

[srode]

Gas fumes fall to the lowest point - if you have a drain something to think about if you do any hot work in a garage with a drain.

 

[jdieter]

Put in an inground scissor lift and eliminated two floor drains in the process. I had fought with them for several years, creeper catchers, can't setup anything level in those areas, everything on wheels rolls to the drain etc. Much happier without them. Now use a mop, squeegee and wet-vac to clean floor. If you don't have an adequate slope to the drains you're going to use the tools noted above anyway so why add the hassle of an un-level, en-even floor.

 

[BMS]

Couple other thoughts, if you don't keep water in the traps, they could let in sewer gas and make the space smell lovely. Now if you could find a drain that had a cover that screwed on nice and flush, that might be good. But you'd still have to pitch towards it. I like the trench drain at the entrance to the garage. My plan is to do it dead flat (within home concrete finishing limits anyway) but extend the concrete apron about 2' past the garage doors into the drive and then put in the joint. Every garage I have had has the concrete stop 6" past the door with a joint and is a pain to clean. Everything I wash out of the garage ends up in the joint, I clean out the joint (usually with a pressure washer) and it ends up back in the garage.

 

[mrobins297aaa]

If you put a floor drain in make sure you run a 2" branch so you can hook up a laundry tub for washing your hands, rinsing the coffee pot etc........I love mine.
mine drains to a dry sump just outside the garage wall, its 4' x4' x4' deep filled with stone.