Best Floor Drains

For a basement, laundry or utility floor on a slab, the Sioux Chief FinishLine 832-2PNR is a complete 2-inch PVC-hub floor drain with a 6-1/2-inch round nickel-bronze ring and strainer that adjusts after the concrete pour. Choose the matching 832-2ANR if your drain line is ABS. Both are rated light-duty, for foot traffic, not cars or carts.

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A floor drain purchase includes more than the grate. The pipe connection, floor construction, trap protection, traffic and removable parts all need a verified match.

Floor-drain choices compared

The linked drains differ only in the base connection material. Sioux Chief’s part numbers are easy to decode: the number after 832- is the hub size (2, 36 for 3-inch, or 4), A or P is ABS or PVC, N or S is a nickel-bronze or stainless top, and Q or R is a 7-inch square or 6-1/2-inch round strainer. So 832-2PSQ would be a 2-inch PVC hub with a 7-inch square stainless top.

832-2PNR: the PVC-base connection choice

Choose Sioux Chief 832-2PNR when the specified drainage system needs this exact PVC-base on-grade assembly. The current maker listing (siouxchief.com) identifies a complete 2-inch hub assembly with a 6-1/2-inch round nickel-bronze ring and strainer.

Skip it for an unverified pipe connection, another floor construction or a location needing a different load class. The PVC designation concerns the base adapter; the family also contains other materials. Do not describe the entire assembly as PVC.

The checked new Amazon offer showed stock and matched 832-2PNR in model and part fields. Confirm the delivered marked assembly and current instructions. Sioux Chief describes the hub as a Schedule 40 connection.

Check Sioux Chief 832-2PNR on Amazon →

832-2ANR: the ABS-base alternative

Choose Sioux Chief 832-2ANR when the plan instead requires this exact ABS-base hub connection. The maker page (siouxchief.com) identifies the corresponding complete assembly with the round nickel-bronze finish fixture.

Skip it as a direct material substitution for the PVC model without an approved connection plan. Similar outside shape and the same top diameter do not establish the required joining method for another pipe material.

The checked standard new offer showed stock and part 832-2ANR, with Sioux Chief Manufacturing identified as manufacturer. Keep the complete suffix with the order. A rough-in-only fixture, finish-only fixture and complete drain assembly are different package choices.

Check Sioux Chief 832-2ANR on Amazon →

Identify the pipe and floor construction

Record the actual drain connection, material and nominal size. Compare them with the exact component drawing. The October 2025 specification (cdn.siouxchief.com) describes the 2-inch hub arrangement using a factory-included 2-by-3 bushing in the 3-inch hub model. Check the delivered configuration rather than inferring it from one opening measurement.

Confirm whether the work is on grade or above another occupied floor. These are on-grade examples. A location with a different floor assembly may need another drain design, waterproofing arrangement or support detail.

For cast-iron pipe or a different connection form, obtain a specifically approved drain and transition plan. Do not choose solvent-weld plastic solely because its nominal size resembles the existing connection.

Have the drainage layout and outlet destination confirmed before breaking or pouring concrete. A hole in a basement or garage floor does not establish that a suitable trapped and vented connection exists beneath it.

Adjustable height must suit the finished floor

Plan the drain with the actual slab, finish thickness and drainage layout. The FinishLine instructions (cdn.siouxchief.com) distinguish rough-in placement from adjustment of the finish fixture after construction. Keep those stages clear in the project details.

Check the exact permitted adjustment range and any required maker accessories. Do not use shipping dimensions, a previous model’s drawing or an improvised extension as the basis for floor height.

A level strainer and a floor that directs the intended water toward the drain are related but separate requirements. Adjusting the top cannot correct an unsuitable floor slope, an incorrectly located outlet or a damaged drain connection.

Retain access to the removable parts required for maintenance. Coordinate concrete and flooring work so the specified adjustment and fastening points remain usable.

Strainer replacement: measure more than the top

Identify the existing drain family and exact strainer or finish-fixture part before ordering a replacement. Record shape, outside dimension, seating detail, fastening arrangement and the condition of the supporting ring.

Do not rely on a listing headed four-inch drain cover alone. It may refer to a nominal drain category, actual strainer size or a different component altogether. A cover that fits loosely over the opening is not necessarily supported or retained as designed.

Check whether the required replacement is only a strainer or a ring-and-strainer finish fixture. Keep the correct screws and retention parts with it. A badly corroded ring or damaged fastening point may require more than a new perforated cover.

Have the maker confirm compatibility when the old assembly cannot be identified. Do not enlarge the holes, use improvised fasteners or substitute another brand’s top solely because the diameter is close.

Load rating belongs to the complete drain

The selected maker pages identify these assemblies for light-duty pedestrian use. Do not treat the weight of a vehicle, cart or machine as directly comparable to a strainer’s printed test load. The actual assembly and its support need the correct classification for the location.

Sioux Chief’s load-rating bulletin (cdn.siouxchief.com) explains that heavier-duty configurations require specified iron components and appropriate slab support. Replacing only the top does not establish that a plastic rough-in has become a heavier-duty assembly.

For a garage or service area, have the designer identify the real traffic and permitted drainage use before selecting the product. Keep concentrated wheels and other expected loads in that assessment.

Use the current documentation for the exact configuration. A rating copied from an older family sheet or another strainer material must not be transferred to the purchased assembly.

Trap seal and primer provision are separate

A perforated strainer admits water and screens larger debris; it does not itself provide the drain’s required trap seal. Confirm the trap, venting and any required seal-protection arrangement as part of the complete system.

The current 832 specification identifies an optional knockout trap-primer connection. A port is not evidence that a primer is included, connected or suitable for the local design. Have the installer verify the actual protection method and approved parts.

Our trap-primer guide provides related selection context. A barrier device, primer and water-filled trap have distinct roles; do not assume one permits removal or omission of another required component.

If a floor drain develops odor or repeatedly loses its seal, have the cause assessed. Fitting a tighter-looking cover does not establish that the trap, vent or underlying drainage fault has been corrected.

Waterproofing and shower use need their own detail

Identify whether the floor requires a waterproofing membrane and how that membrane must connect to the drain. A grate at floor level does not itself establish a watertight connection through the surrounding floor assembly.

Oatey’s general-purpose drain description (oatey.com) expressly limits that family to areas where a waterproofing membrane is not required. Do not transfer a general-purpose floor-drain choice into a tiled shower because it has a stainless strainer.

Our linear shower drain guide covers a related wet-area category. Confirm the exact bonding, clamping or other approved waterproofing detail for the selected system.

Likewise, a drain selected for a preformed shower base is not automatically suitable for an unrelated basement floor assembly. Match the intended construction and complete connection rather than the top’s appearance.

Cleaning access and a useful purchase record

Keep the removable strainer and access points serviceable under the maker’s maintenance instructions. Remove ordinary debris using the appropriate method. Do not damage the ring or fastening points while trying to clear an unidentified blockage.

Persistent slow drainage, recurring backup or water appearing outside the intended drain path needs assessment of the complete system. A larger strainer opening alone does not establish that the pipe or outlet can carry the required flow.

1. Identify the floor. On-grade or another construction, finish and waterproofing.
2. Identify the connection. Actual pipe material, size and joining system.
3. Specify the assembly. Complete drain, rough-in or replacement finish parts.
4. Confirm use. Required flow, traffic class and permitted discharge.
5. Plan seal protection. Trap, vent and applicable primer or barrier detail.
6. Check the delivery. Full code, components and current instructions.

Save the drain and strainer codes with the property’s maintenance record. That makes later replacement more reliable than measuring an unidentified cover again.

Frequently asked questions

Are 832-2PNR and 832-2ANR the same material?

No. The maker identifies a PVC base adapter for 832-2PNR and ABS for 832-2ANR. Match the exact approved pipe connection.

Does a drain cover provide a trap seal?

No. A strainer and the system’s trap/seal-protection arrangement serve different functions.

Can I replace a strainer by diameter alone?

No. Match the drain family, seating detail, support, fasteners and required load class as well as shape and size.

Are these selected assemblies recommended for vehicle traffic?

No. They are light-duty pedestrian examples. Have the complete assembly and support specified for the actual traffic.

Can a general-purpose floor drain be used in any tiled shower?

No. Verify the complete waterproofing detail. The cited Oatey general-purpose family is for areas where a membrane is not required.

How we chose

This document-based guide makes no hands-on testing claim. We read current maker product pages, the October 2025 Sioux Chief specification and linked installation/load documents. The current specification and installation diagrams were visually checked. On October 14, 2026, both standard new offers showed stock and matching exact part identifiers. Confirm the delivered assembly and current application details. Read our selection method and about Plumbing Picks.

Primary sources

• Sioux Chief 832-2PNR (siouxchief.com): complete PVC-base assembly and light-duty application.
• Sioux Chief 832-2ANR (siouxchief.com): complete ABS-base assembly and finish-fixture variants.
• Sioux Chief 832 specification, October 2025 (cdn.siouxchief.com): current components, factory bushing and light-duty ratings; older ratings not adopted.
• FinishLine current-linked instructions (cdn.siouxchief.com): rough-in versus finish adjustment; diagrams visually checked.
• Sioux Chief DRN-2205, May 2022 (cdn.siouxchief.com): complete components/support needed for heavier-duty classification.
• Oatey general-purpose drain family (oatey.com): express limitation to areas without required waterproofing membrane; no Oatey offer selected.