Floor waste
A floor waste (floor drain) is the drain point in wet area floors. Position and height are plumber scope; tilers work to the set floor waste to achieve the required fall.
Ask Chalkline about this →A floor waste (or floor drain) is the drain point built into a wet area floor: shower recesses, bathrooms, laundries, and covered outdoor areas with drainage. Water falls across the tile surface toward the floor waste for removal to the stormwater or sewer system.
Plumber scope: the position of the floor waste rough-in and its finished height are plumber scope. Setting the drain at the wrong height or off-centre in a shower recess forces the tiler to work with a compromised substrate, often producing non-compliant falls or lippage.
Tiler scope: once the floor waste is positioned and the substrate is prepared to fall, the tiler maintains the fall (no less than 1:80 under AS 3740:2021 and NCC 2022 HP 10.2) through the tile bed and neatly cuts tiles to meet the drain grate.
The floor waste must be set at the correct height before waterproofing. The puddle flange is the collar fixed to the floor waste outlet as part of the waterproofing system; it creates the bond point between the membrane and the drain.
Also known as: floor drain, wet area drain.
Category: Trades (plumbing and tiling interface).
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Last updated: 2026-05-10. Verified: 2026-05-10. Quarterly review for currency.