As a functional or performance tip I would recommend anyone that installs a primary linear drain (like shown above*) that looks like this that you trim the grate opening with something like a Butech or Schluter Tile Profile. This keeps most of the shower water from hydrating the thin-set at the drain edge. It keeps the shower drain looking better as well.

I recently installed some Butech Edging to a Schluter drain for just this reason.

It's hard to see in this photo but the edging is slightly tipped to the drain opening. I installed a thinner profile to the two sides of the tile insert grate as well. Those I kept flat.

I clipped the corners of the Butech Profile for weepage reasons and used a re-inforcing mesh to speed up capillary migration under the edging. I do not like the Schluter Grates at all and tossed the one given to me for this shower. This install shows a custom version of a Kerdi Line Drain install - pretty sure they would not like the fact that I replaced all the Kerdi with Laticrete Hydro Ban Sheet Membrane! ;)

* I'm guessing this since the tile is bonded directly to the floor with no 1 1/4"-2" mortar layer.

I looked some more online to see if this was a Mapei liner drain and it does not look like. I then googles Noble's drain and it appears it might be a Freestyle Linear Drain in ABS. I looks like the installer skipped a few stand off screws. This might explain why it is clogging up with hair.

Notice the tile and how tight it is to the membrane.

I wonder if they used sealant around the drain before installing the NobleSeal TS? I wonder if they used NobleSeal TS? Looks like a complete butchered install. Tile grout looks like crap.

FreeStyle Linear Drains: Tile-Top Strainer · More Info

This drain could have been installed so much better. Same with the prep for the tile. I love Noble Company. Use their stuff all the time. Their liner drain however is not one of my favourites. It does the job and can address some key install challenges but this install with the tile choice was a bad paring. If someone uses my name as a testimonial of a drain they are selling to you. Why not email me and ask if I did in fact sell it?

This client was under the impression I sold the drain to them via the North Vancouver Design Outfit. That is Beyond True.

I keep looking at the photo (first one) and I can see not a single trace of a waterproof membrane or the sealant that should be there. The sealant is NobleSealant 150 and is light blue in colour. A couple years back a client installed one of these in his master. This was another shower design client and he called me to ask if they should skip the flood test - they where in a hurry.

I told him no and insisted they flood test the work. That flood test failed. They had the wrong plug. So they tried again. It failed because there was no sealant used. Then the work was redone and then finally it passed.

I never did get my bottle of scotch sent to me! lol

Scary - hire a top designer, they bring in what you hope are skilled builders and they turn around and butcher the job....

I'd be beyond pi$$ed if someone used my name falsely. I'd ask for proof of purchase (which she won't have of course.) I'd give her a call and ask politely why she used your name.

But I'm confused... don't you want the drain grate to catch as much hair as possible? You don't want that stuff going down the drain - that's the point of the grate.

"....But I'm confused... don't you want the drain grate to catch as much hair as possible? You don't want that stuff going down the drain - that's the point of the grate...." - chicagoans

The grate shown in the pictures above is upside down. The flip side has tile. The idea is for the water to go in the sides of the drain and then get caught by the drains hair catchers. The problem as I guess it to be is that they are not using all the many screw stand offs to support the drain tile top grate off the base so water flow is lower. This is why it is clogging.

"...John , I'll bet you;re not getting the FULL story. Perhaps it went something like this..." - xedos

Ahhh Nope. I spoke with the Coquitlam Custom Builder and listened later to his voice mail. Both clear as day say that the drain was purchased from me. In the big picture this is just more sales ammo for me on my drain calls and my shower design calls. I have my recommendations - I recommend the ACO drain. But when I do get emails and texts from people with other drains and other problems it just goes to re confirm my choice a couple years back to only recommend the ACO linear drain.

^^^^

Thats the story youre being told. Which is always something different than the whole story ! Remember, your builder is relaying info passed on to him - and whats said isnt always fact.

Saying you sold a drain isnt selling a drain.

What? The builder said twice not once that the designer told him she bought the drain from me. That is why he called me. I never spoke with this builder prior to this. Never sold a drain to the design company at all. Pretty hard to misunderstand that.

I think the scenario went down like this. Client hires a design team to build curbless shower. Client reads my blog page and likes my drains. Asks the designer to use an ACO shower drain. The designer uses another drain. The drain does not work that well. Designer and builder are questioned. Client asks where did the drain come from. Designers says me since she was told to use the drain I prefer.

I'm not going to make a big deal about it. The designer is acting reckless. I hope it back fires in her face if she is indeed misleading people about the drain orders and where they are coming from.