to drain or not to drain

[motormitch]

Getting ready to pour a 70x55 slab and need to decide on drainage. Perfectly flat and squeegee liquids out the front to a grate drain at the entrance, put a drain in one part where liquid might used but leave the area for lifts flat, or just drain the whole thing in the center. I would love to hear everyone thoughts and experiences. In the winter or the hottest part of the summer here in Texas I will be detailing cars inside.

 

[darkk]

Too big for any useful slope imo. drains for all of it.

 

[motormitch]

I thought that might be the case.

 

[Elmo77166]

Check your building code. Some places now will not allow a floor drain in a garage. This is in case of gas or oil spills.

 

[TheShrine]

I put a drain on the lift side of my garage. Since there is a slight slope around it, I purposely offset it from center. I didn't want "stuff" (rolling tables, rolling tool boxes, etc.) rolling away while I was working under a car/truck. It is designed to collect accidents from tran pans, oil pans and the like. It has a collection station on the outside of the building and I have a large squeegee nearby to push said accidents toward the drain into collection containers outside. It is not connected to The Shrine's septic system.

 

[motormitch]

I will have a 18'x30' man cave inside the far back corner of the man cavern with bathroom, kitchen, lounge and storage on top so I need to worry about liquids moving in that direction. There will also be a retractable paint booth in that side so I was thinking of going to the far opposite corner area and doing a drain with slope area about the size of a 2 car garage and making that my wet sanding/detailing area. I would still put a grated drain in the front of the build to squeegee the unavoidable messes from using the lifts to the front. Does this make sense?

 

[venturesomerite]

I wish I had a drain, especially when I have to work on my truck in winter, all that packed snow you can't get off starts to melt and it's like noah's ark.

 

[ratdoggy]

My house built in 2009 has a floor drain and a slight slope to it.

 

[djjsr]

I've had both and prefer a nice flat level floor.

It seems like I'm often working on projects using a level to get something positioned right. If the floor is tilted, the project is tilted and the level is useless.

But I'd really like to have a separate waterproof 1 car sized room with a drain. I wonder what it would cost to spray all of the walls and ceiling with bedliner?

 

[Modifieddriver]

In my 34'x64' I put in walls for a 16'x24' wash bay/paint booth and put a drain in there. Get a good drain if ya' do it with a removable grate and small sump, not a cheapie like I've seen here. They make small good quality ones. I couldn't find them at HD or Lowes. I went to a commercial plumbing supply. They knew exactly what I wanted.

 

[AbitNutz]

Man I am glad I'm reading all of this. I didn't think too much about a drain until venturesomerite wrote about the freakin' snow melt. What a mess that is!

It looks like I'm going to have to figure a drain or two in my 36'x36' slab.

 

[motormitch]

All of folks that I respect around town here are telling me that where I am going to install my lifts and do a lot wrench work should not have any slope at all.

 

[venturesomerite]

Man I am glad I'm reading all of this. I didn't think too much about a drain until venturesomerite wrote about the freakin' snow melt. What a mess that is!

It looks like I'm going to have to figure a drain or two in my 36'x36' slab.

All it took was ONE time to get over to the drywall...

Glad I could save ya that head ache.

The way I see it, even if you didn't pitch towards the drain, having it there would still be great, a quick squeegee and it's down.

 

[RoadBeater]

I've got a level floor, not sure I'd do it again, as rain or snow sits and puddles. I'm not sure that a little slope would have helped to drain it out. If I didn't park any vehicles out there and it was only for working, it might not matter. I've heard from others that a floor drain will draw moisture and create rust issues.

 

[motormitch]

A friend mentioned that he saw a product that was a movable "dam" for capturing and directing water on shop floors. He thought it was like a long bean bag tube for lack of a better description. Anyone heard, seen, used it?

 

[930dreamer]

A friend mentioned that he saw a product that was a movable "dam" for capturing and directing water on shop floors. He thought it was like a long bean bag tube for lack of a better description. Anyone heard, seen, used it?

Power washing businesses use these's to reclaim water, so I'm sure a smaller version is available.

 

[Rich24]

No drain in my 30 by 50 garage and no pitch on the floor. I did put radiant heat in the slab though. Snow and ice melt off is dried up before you know it. Speedy dry for the oil spills. In my area due to town laws and such, drains have to have grease traps and all kinds off other BS. Someone told me it could cost 15k.

 

[Higgins]

Here in Kane County, IL. the local codes do not allow floor drains in a garage due to explosion issues, and oil spills going into the sewer system.

As for the cement floor, it has to pitch twords the garage door! No if's ands or buts!!!! It is a real PITA as snow melts and runs to the garage door and freezes under the door gasket!! The door is now frozen to the cenment! Have a radiant floor which will dry up most of the water, but not that which runs under the door!!!

 

[NUTTSGT]

I'd rather not have a drain in my garage (which I don't have one) but if you're detailing cars, including washing them, I'd want some type of drain.

That being said, I'd only want it in that area and a nice flat floor in the rest of the shop.

 

[BTC]

I have a three car garage with two center drains. I've only been in my house for about 16 months, and haven't really gotten the full benefit out of them yet, but they are very nice for snow melt. I guess if I wanted I could wash my car in my garage too. I know there is slope to the drains, but it's almost imperceptible.

 

[Sureshot]

I have multiple area with different setups. My main shop is 42 x 60 with two 12' wide doors on the 42' side. One door enters into the lift and welding area which is flat and the other into a dryout area with a slope on the floor to a drain with a grate and sump 36"x36". The addition (24x24) is half office and bathroom and one bay with a 12' door and it is sloped to a basement style small drain. I have never had any issues with these sloped floors. This shop is rural and has its own independant septic system with a surface pump out.
My previous place I built a 26'x26' and it was sloped out the doors. I didn't like the slope in there as it seemed to pronounced and your tool box could roll etc. This shop was in the city.
When I do my next one it will have sloped and flat areas again but I like it mainly for snow melt. I tend to break my shop into a parking bay, a long term project area, and a short term/lift/welding area.

 

[motormitch]

After reading everything all of the good folks here have posted and looking at the survey results, I am going with 2/3s flat where the lifts, paint booth, rest room, mini kitchen and hangout room are going. I am sloping the other 1/3 where I will wet sand and detail cars.
I am also installing a grated drain along the entire front edge where the roll up doors are to be able to push water forward and out as well as assist in run off management for the driveway.

Thanks to all of you for your time and experience. I will be starting a build thread maybe today since the permit is supposed to issue to today and I will finally be able to get started.