How to Add Gravel to Shower Weep Holes

Weep holes, built into shower drains, protect your shower against water leaks in the floor. In a tiled shower, the shower water can penetrate the tiles or the grout between them. Once water gets beneath the shower tiles, it can build up until there is no more room for it in the shower pan and it is forced into the walls surrounding your shower. Weep holes funnel water out of the shower pan and into the drain, preventing leaks. If you accidentally mortar over a weep hole while installing a tile floor, the weep hole won’t work. Use gravel while mortaring to prevent closing a shower weep hole.

Things You'll Need

• Small bucket
• 2 handfuls of gravel

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Instructions

1. • 1

     Install the shower pan. Put the shower drain into place.

   • 2

     Take a loose handful of gravel out of the bucket. Sprinkle it over the weep holes on the shower drain so the small rocks cover the holes. If the drain comes with a built-in grate, fill it with gravel as well.

   • 3

     Lay mortar in the shower pan. Avoid spreading mortar over the gravel. If you accidentally cover some of the gravel, pull it and the mortar out of the drain. Re-cover the weep holes with fresh gravel and continue to spread the mortar.

   • 4

     Smooth the mortar. Once the mortar is properly sloped and smooth, pick up the gravel, revealing the weep holes. Scoop out any gravel from the shower drain.