Garage drain placement

Need advice for placement of “trench” floor drain in double garage that will be poured soon. YES, where I live, garage floor drains are legal.

Contractor has it dug out (easily changed) “vertically” in center of garage. IE: Between both vehicles.

I’m used to seeing most “trench” floor drains a bit inside the garage door, running “horizontally” IE – Have to drive across them.

Garage will be heated. Will be draining to daylight out the North end of the garage….Garage doors are at the South end of garage.

The only advantage to doing it the way it’s set up now, that I can see, is that we won’t be driving over it ever.

I’m not crazy about wife walking through the area that both vehicles will be draining into…If there’s some wisdom to this set up, I’d do it. If direction of run is an issue (running North & South vs. East & West, like I”m used to) would it be worth the extra $$ to put one under each vehicle??

btw, we’re also putting one in 3rd stall, running vertically, under boat, just like I want it….just not sure what to do in double, car area.

It’s an NDS Pro trench floor drain. Plastic grates for now….I believe they can be replaced with galvanized / SS steel.

Any experiences / advice would be appreciated! Thanks in advance, Mike

I just went through this and I think I posted here about it a few months back.

I centered the one in the third stall, and I centered the one in the main stall. Both were oriented vertically. If I remember correctly the vertical orientation seemed to work better with the 16w door x 24′ deep stall.

I have only been there for a few months and have not notice much negative affect. The wife walks over it to get to her car…..although she is not usually wearing heals of any sort.

Horizontal would probably work better. The slope of the floor might not be so strong. I had a round drain in the middle of the floor and it was fine, my brother has one behind each car horizontal and that seems a little better. You will want to place a strip of heat tape down the pipe or wrap the outside of the pipe. Mine seemed to freeze up some since it drained into the ground ( it might have not been deep enough)

One advantage to not having it under the vehicle or driving over it is you will get a lot lees dirt in the drain to plug it up. In the winter snow/slush will melt and run to the drain while most of the sand will stay under the car. Once the sand dries just sweep it up.

IMO, it is not a big deal as to where the drain is located. MUCH more important is the finishing of the garage floor so that ALL AREAS drain to it. “Bird baths” are annoying.

If you are heating with forced air, a ceiling fan is imperative. If floor heat, a dehumidifier is absolutely critical as well (I would recommend one with forced air as well).

T

Ceiling fans will be installed. Didn’t mention that. onestout, thanks. Good point about not much “junk” going down drain. Keep ’em coming….

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IMO, it is not a big deal as to where the drain is located. MUCH more important is the finishing of the garage floor so that ALL AREAS drain to it. “Bird baths” are annoying.

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Agree, Make sure plenty of slope and it it sloped to drain.

On the issue of sand and dirt clogging, they do make Floor Drains with Dirt Traps that you just clean out once or twice a year. Easy way is come Spring & Fall, Just Flush the line out with your garden hose. Use a 1″ size or larger drain pipe too. Much easier to clean than one that’s too small.

Good Luck

We always installed them just inside the garage door. Just make sure they are staked so they don’t push up while pouring. Bad deal when water runs down to the drain and the drain ends up too high and the water runs around the drain and to the door.

I have a 12′ drain between the stalls in my garage and my only complaint is when we have a driving rain against my garage doors water seeps under the doors and drains to the center of the garage twords the drain getting anything between the doors on the floor wet.

If I were to build again I will have one centered in each stall to make water drain away from the middle of the garage where things may be sitting.

Here is the previous post I made on this, and also a pic of what I ended up doing.

As others have posted, I did not want one between both stalls as I may have stuff on the floor that I don’t want getting wet from everything draining there.

I am also daylighted, and plan to install heat tape or something over the exposed pipe. Might has well have them put an outlet in near the pipe, unless there is a better way to do it. The drain at my last house froze multiple times during the winter.

Garage Floor Drain

311Hemi, thanks. I saw your post and hashed over it more than a couple times…. Mine’s an existing double, that I’m adding a third onto….not one new large slab…although I’m redoing the existing floor, it’ll be seperate from the new part (block and partial wall seperating them). I will never have anything stored on the floor between our vehicles. Don’t have the room to, and rarely keep boxes / items that can’t get wet in the garage, or at least on the floor.

I’m gonna stick with builders down the center, between the vehicles plan…The “worry” about my wife having to navigate / not trip on drain isn’t really too valid…she doesn’t even think so….currently, we’ve got the soft rubber mats with holes in them to keep out of water in winter…..could always just do that again, over area she gets in and out of.
btw, jealous of your garage

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I’m gonna stick with builders down the center, between the vehicles plan…The “worry” about my wife having to navigate / not trip on drain isn’t really too valid…she doesn’t even think so….

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My wife parks on the right hand side of the large stall, so she gets out of the car right around the area of the drain. I have not heard her mention one complaint, and I am sure she would if it were a big issue!

I need to keep the fan idea in mind. I need to insulate the garage first, but a fan over those areas is a good idea to help dry things in winter!

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My wife parks on the right hand side of the large stall, so she gets out of the car right around the area of the drain. I have not heard her mention one complaint, and I am sure she would if it were a big issue!

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You saying She wouldn’t complain if it was a Small issue?? Lucky!! Seriously, thanks for sharing that…Trying not to overthink this, but I’m only doing it once.

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My wife parks on the right hand side of the large stall, so she gets out of the car right around the area of the drain. I have not heard her mention one complaint, and I am sure she would if it were a big issue!

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You saying She wouldn’t complain if it was a Small issue?? Lucky!! Seriously, thanks for sharing that…Trying not to overthink this, but I’m only doing it once.

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I can assure you I would hear about it either way. We have only been in the house a few months, so we have not gone through a winter yet with wet floors. That will be the real test!

I know what you mean, I over think everything, and then do it again just to make sure I get it right the first time.

In my opnion the drain between the stalls is a mistake.

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In my opnion the drain between the stalls is a mistake.

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lol…okay. Why so?

Heels, ice sludge, mud, crap, that is still my opinion. Remember this will be the low point for the floor.

I should have kept my mouth shut, “It Is Your House, do as you wish” and I wish you the best.

lol…no worries Denny, and Thanks…Heels aren’t an issue (and for my sake, better never be– “Honey? Why’s there a 5″ heel stuck in the drain?” ), ice sludge will melt (heated garage)….No mud- my wife sticks off-roads. there might be some sand / dirt (crap)but,…it’s still a garage…it needs some dirt…I don’t want her out there in it all the time