FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHY CHOOSE TRIPLE ANODISED ALUMINIUM OVER STAINLESS STEEL?
The majority of stainless steel grates/drains come from China, where the minimum quality to be used in wet areas is 316 (according to Australian standards), there’s a huge amount of 304 stainless drains and linear grates getting around which can start to rust within as early as a month.
Stainless steel has iron in it and rust is an oxide of iron that is formed when iron reacts with oxygen gas in the presence of moisture or water. After a time of exposure to these conditions for some time, steel corrodes. So, if you have a stainless product that is constantly in the presence of water (especially near the coast) it will eventually rust.
Aluminium metal is a very active metal that oxidises very quickly. While this would be a weakness for most metals, this quality is actually the key to its ability to resist corrosion. When oxygen is present in the atmosphere or in the environment (in the air, soil, or water), aluminium reacts very quickly to form aluminium oxide. This aluminium oxide layer is chemically bound to the surface and it seals the core aluminium body from any further reaction.
So basically, the more that aluminium is oxidised the better (hence the anodising process we use).
The anodising process protects the aluminium from corroding as it adds three layers of protection to the product that is why Lauxes offer a lifetime rustproof guarantee.
IS THE SHOWER GRATE WATERMARKED?
Yes, it is Certified under the Australian Standard ATS 5200.040:2005 Technical Specification for plumbing and drainage products. Part 040: Waste pipe connection outlets and gratings, separate or integral Licence No: WM-022370.
WILL THE ALUMINIUM RUST?
No, the grate has a lifetime rustproof guarantee.
HOW DOES THE WATER DRAIN OUT?
The fall of the tiled area should fall towards the drain, the flow of the water will continue to push the water down the waste. As the water is turned off there’s a syphon like effect of the water pulling itself down the waste, leaving a maximum of 0.5mm of water in bottom of the tray, which is far less than what gets spilt on the floor when hopping out of the shower.
CAN THE GRATES BE JOINED TOGETHER?
Yes, the grates can easily be butt joined together with our joiners and secured with clear silicone. Position the top grate over the joint for a more continuous look.
WILL THE GRATE CATCH ALL THE WATER?
What is commonly misunderstood is how water drains through the plumbed drain. Water in your bathroom or wet area will slowly seep through grout and screed and will travel under the tiles, over the waterproof membrane (the waqterproofing) and into the drain.
In saying this, most water will actually drain through the grate, approximately 99.5%. The remaining 0.5% will drain via the process mentioned above.
HOW DO I KNOW WHAT SIZE WASTE I WILL NEED?
Simply put, if you are installing shower grate for one shower head you will only need a 40mm pop waste or larger and for a double shower (two shower heads) you will need a 50mm pop waste or larger.
WHAT KIND OF SAW WILL USE TO CUT THE GRATE?
We recommend using a fine metal blade drop saw, grinder or hacksaw for cutting grate to length and a bi-metal hole saw for cutting the drainage hole.
WHAT TYPE OF SILICONE DO I USE?
We recommend using a high strength bonding silicone in non-acetic or a polyurethane.
WHAT SHOULD I USE AS A TEMPLATE WHEN BEDDING UP MY WET AREA?
We recommend using a piece of timber cut to the same size as the grate. This will help decrease the risk in concrete spillage on your grate. Some mixes are quite acidic and could potentially be damaging to your grate.