Ideas for garage drains

jhortonvt · May 14, 2006

I am building a new house with an attached 30'x30' garage. It has 3 stalls, and two doors (an 8' and a 16'). We have already set up drain pipe for 3 drains. We aren't pouring for a few weeks so I have a chance to make some mods.

What we have ready now are the white 9 inch or so square drains with the round cover that have a bunch of 1/2 inch holes around its perimeter. People with experience with these say they aren't great especially if you don't have a real good floor taper to the drain, which I worry about with three of them. Like the concrete guy said 'this will be a roller coaster'. That tells me theres is a slim chance the floor will be sloped right for all of them.
Here's the Spec Sheet for what we have now.

So what I'd like to do is have a trough about 15' long, parallel to the garage door wall, centered in the garage. Then I will have a grate made for the void.

One question is how do I have void created when they pour? I could fix a 2x6 at the level I want, but I need to create the perimeter lip to catch the sediment.

What I'd really like is a pre made metal trough with the sediment catch and grate all built in but I can't seem to find anything like that.

Suggestions please...

jhortonvt · May 14, 2006

I am building a new house with an attached 30'x30' garage. It has 3 stalls, and two doors (an 8' and a 16'). We have already set up drain pipe for 3 drains. We aren't pouring for a few weeks so I have a chance to make some mods.

What we have ready now are the white 9 inch or so square drains with the round cover that have a bunch of 1/2 inch holes around its perimeter. People with experience with these say they aren't great especially if you don't have a real good floor taper to the drain, which I worry about with three of them. Like the concrete guy said 'this will be a roller coaster'. That tells me theres is a slim chance the floor will be sloped right for all of them.
Here's the Spec Sheet for what we have now.

So what I'd like to do is have a trough about 15' long, parallel to the garage door wall, centered in the garage. Then I will have a grate made for the void.

One question is how do I have void created when they pour? I could fix a 2x6 at the level I want, but I need to create the perimeter lip to catch the sediment.

What I'd really like is a pre made metal trough with the sediment catch and grate all built in but I can't seem to find anything like that.

Suggestions please...

beenthere · May 15, 2006

A few years ago I had two drains put in a two car garage (24 x 30) and the contractor didn't do anything special to get good slope going to each drain. No puddles either.
I'd look for a conrete contractor that isn't afraid (if that is what the roller coaster comment was about) to get the correct slope to the drains. I know that is real tough for some professionals. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
I wouldn't broom-finish the floor either, but have it smooth and hand-trowelled to get a good surface with no voids. Then sealed.
I for sure wouldn't put troughs (voids) in for the water to drain, as cleaning (sweeping and/or scrubbing) would not be much fun.
Just make it so the drains have a settling basin to catch dirt and sand, and that they can be cleaned out easily.
Good luck with the floor.

beenthere · May 15, 2006

A few years ago I had two drains put in a two car garage (24 x 30) and the contractor didn't do anything special to get good slope going to each drain. No puddles either.
I'd look for a conrete contractor that isn't afraid (if that is what the roller coaster comment was about) to get the correct slope to the drains. I know that is real tough for some professionals. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
I wouldn't broom-finish the floor either, but have it smooth and hand-trowelled to get a good surface with no voids. Then sealed.
I for sure wouldn't put troughs (voids) in for the water to drain, as cleaning (sweeping and/or scrubbing) would not be much fun.
Just make it so the drains have a settling basin to catch dirt and sand, and that they can be cleaned out easily.
Good luck with the floor.

Hib · May 15, 2006

( What I'd really like is a pre made metal trough with the sediment catch and grate all built in but I can't seem to find anything like that. ) 

I've seen just what you're looking for at a Lowe's or was it Home Depot. Although they were made of some sort of plastic. Very pricey for 4ft X 8in sections. Trough and grates sold seperately.

Hib · May 15, 2006

( What I'd really like is a pre made metal trough with the sediment catch and grate all built in but I can't seem to find anything like that. ) 

I've seen just what you're looking for at a Lowe's or was it Home Depot. Although they were made of some sort of plastic. Very pricey for 4ft X 8in sections. Trough and grates sold seperately.

Farwell · May 15, 2006

The plastic ones are pricey and the metal ones are out of this world. A company called PE O'Hare in California's Bay Area sold them back in the 90's. The company was an industrial plumbing outfit. They were very pricey back then.
Farwell

Farwell · May 15, 2006

The plastic ones are pricey and the metal ones are out of this world. A company called PE O'Hare in California's Bay Area sold them back in the 90's. The company was an industrial plumbing outfit. They were very pricey back then.
Farwell

kennyd · May 15, 2006

When I built my house 2 years ago, I inquired about this very same thing (drains in the garage floor) with the plumbing inspector. He told me I would need to plumb in some kind of special oil traps and filters so any oil or salt runoff from the vehicles could not go into the drain tile or wherever the drains are ultimatly connected to. Gotta love the EPA!
So I did not put any drains in, just the standard sloped garage floor so it can all run into the driveway, I guess they think it's better that way /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

The moral of the story is to make sure what you are doing is up to code in your area, especially before the concrete is poured!

Good luck...

kennyd · May 15, 2006

When I built my house 2 years ago, I inquired about this very same thing (drains in the garage floor) with the plumbing inspector. He told me I would need to plumb in some kind of special oil traps and filters so any oil or salt runoff from the vehicles could not go into the drain tile or wherever the drains are ultimatly connected to. Gotta love the EPA!
So I did not put any drains in, just the standard sloped garage floor so it can all run into the driveway, I guess they think it's better that way /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

The moral of the story is to make sure what you are doing is up to code in your area, especially before the concrete is poured!

Good luck...

texbaylea · May 15, 2006

The units I bought were about 2' in length with trough and grate together. I don't remember the price but I don't remember them as being too costly. They have a tongue and groove joint and available end covers. Each grate is held in by 4 screws. Be sure and glue the joints, we did not and there was some shifting when the slab was poured.

Vernon

texbaylea · May 15, 2006

The units I bought were about 2' in length with trough and grate together. I don't remember the price but I don't remember them as being too costly. They have a tongue and groove joint and available end covers. Each grate is held in by 4 screws. Be sure and glue the joints, we did not and there was some shifting when the slab was poured.

Vernon

Builder · May 15, 2006

( I am building a new house with an attached 30'x30' garage. It has 3 stalls, and two doors (an 8' and a 16'). We have already set up drain pipe for 3 drains. We aren't pouring for a few weeks so I have a chance to make some mods.

What we have ready now are the white 9 inch or so square drains with the round cover that have a bunch of 1/2 inch holes around its perimeter. People with experience with these say they aren't great especially if you don't have a real good floor taper to the drain, which I worry about with three of them. Like the concrete guy said 'this will be a roller coaster'. That tells me theres is a slim chance the floor will be sloped right for all of them.
Here's the Spec Sheet for what we have now.

So what I'd like to do is have a trough about 15' long, parallel to the garage door wall, centered in the garage. Then I will have a grate made for the void.

One question is how do I have void created when they pour? I could fix a 2x6 at the level I want, but I need to create the perimeter lip to catch the sediment.

What I'd really like is a pre made metal trough with the sediment catch and grate all built in but I can't seem to find anything like that.

Suggestions please...
)

Like the members said above, it might be best to just slope the garage floor out to the driveway instead of floor drains, unless you have a driveway that slopes towards the garage making it impossible to shed water away from the garage.
The "physical" reason is because they add cost to the job that a simple downward slope could overcome. The concrete is rarely poured perfect enough to allow the whole slab to drain without a puddle here and there.
The "red tape" reason is that I've had personal experience with one building inspector failing a garage floor with drains because he said the township & EPA are afraid you'll pour motor oil, chemicals, etc. down the drain and contaminate the water table. I'm not saying YOU will, but that's what they say.

What you might want to consider is a horizontal drain in your concrete apron, just outside the door so you can catch runoff from entering the garage and not be subject to the scrutiny given to the interior drain.

Builder · May 15, 2006

( I am building a new house with an attached 30'x30' garage. It has 3 stalls, and two doors (an 8' and a 16'). We have already set up drain pipe for 3 drains. We aren't pouring for a few weeks so I have a chance to make some mods.

What we have ready now are the white 9 inch or so square drains with the round cover that have a bunch of 1/2 inch holes around its perimeter. People with experience with these say they aren't great especially if you don't have a real good floor taper to the drain, which I worry about with three of them. Like the concrete guy said 'this will be a roller coaster'. That tells me theres is a slim chance the floor will be sloped right for all of them.
Here's the Spec Sheet for what we have now.

So what I'd like to do is have a trough about 15' long, parallel to the garage door wall, centered in the garage. Then I will have a grate made for the void.

One question is how do I have void created when they pour? I could fix a 2x6 at the level I want, but I need to create the perimeter lip to catch the sediment.

What I'd really like is a pre made metal trough with the sediment catch and grate all built in but I can't seem to find anything like that.

Suggestions please...
)

Like the members said above, it might be best to just slope the garage floor out to the driveway instead of floor drains, unless you have a driveway that slopes towards the garage making it impossible to shed water away from the garage.
The "physical" reason is because they add cost to the job that a simple downward slope could overcome. The concrete is rarely poured perfect enough to allow the whole slab to drain without a puddle here and there.
The "red tape" reason is that I've had personal experience with one building inspector failing a garage floor with drains because he said the township & EPA are afraid you'll pour motor oil, chemicals, etc. down the drain and contaminate the water table. I'm not saying YOU will, but that's what they say.

What you might want to consider is a horizontal drain in your concrete apron, just outside the door so you can catch runoff from entering the garage and not be subject to the scrutiny given to the interior drain.

jhortonvt · May 15, 2006

I live in Vermont so I can't just send the water to the doors, in the winter it will freeze the doors shut. I have seen some people slope towards the doors but just a couple of feet inside the doors they have their drains, so it never actually gets to the door.

jhortonvt · May 15, 2006

I live in Vermont so I can't just send the water to the doors, in the winter it will freeze the doors shut. I have seen some people slope towards the doors but just a couple of feet inside the doors they have their drains, so it never actually gets to the door.

jhortonvt · May 15, 2006

Vernon,
Any idea where you got your trench drains, sounds like just what I'm looking for.

jhortonvt · May 15, 2006

Vernon,
Any idea where you got your trench drains, sounds like just what I'm looking for.

beenthere · May 15, 2006

I wash the cars in the garage in the winter time, and couldn't have the water running towards the door.

My two drains are about 12" square hard plastic boxes and the drains just drain to the ground beneath. When I first built this house in '67, code wouldn't allow the drains in the garage unless they went to the septic tank. No drains to daylight. Now they can be plumbed to daylight, but my 'soil' under the garage is glacial till, so it drains well and have no problem getting a car washed and the water drained away. If I wash both of them, then the water will pond at the drain for a short while.
Pic attached of one. I've seen them at Lowes, HD, and Menards.

beenthere · May 15, 2006

I wash the cars in the garage in the winter time, and couldn't have the water running towards the door.

My two drains are about 12" square hard plastic boxes and the drains just drain to the ground beneath. When I first built this house in '67, code wouldn't allow the drains in the garage unless they went to the septic tank. No drains to daylight. Now they can be plumbed to daylight, but my 'soil' under the garage is glacial till, so it drains well and have no problem getting a car washed and the water drained away. If I wash both of them, then the water will pond at the drain for a short while.
Pic attached of one. I've seen them at Lowes, HD, and Menards.