For a tile shower built over a PVC liner, the best shower drain is the Sioux Chief 821-2P: a PVC clamping drain with a 2 in hub and a 4-1/4 in screw-on stainless strainer. If you build with a bonded membrane like Schluter KERDI, buy the Schluter KD2/PVC/E kit instead. For a fiberglass or acrylic shower base, use the Sioux Chief 826-2P when you can reach the pipe from below, or the 828-2 no-caulk drain when you cannot.
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The drain body is the part you set in the floor. The strainer and hair catcher sit on top of it, and our guide to shower drain size and hair catcher fit covers that side. If you are buying a one-piece base, read our shower pan guide first, since the base decides which drain you can use.
Quick comparison
| Check | Sioux Chief 821-2P | Schluter KD2/PVC/E | Sioux Chief 826-2P | Sioux Chief 828-2 | Sioux Chief 823-32PSS | Sioux Chief 863-435SQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floor type | Tile over a PVC or CPE liner | Tile over KERDI bonded membrane | Fiberglass or acrylic base | Base with no access below | Tile, curbless or one-way slope | Tile, high-flow showers |
| Body | PVC | PVC bonding flange | PVC | PVC | PVC, stainless channel | PVC |
| Pipe connection | 2 in Sch. 40 hub or 3 in inside | 2 in, solvent cement | 2 in hub, glue or gasket | 2 in no-caulk gasket | 2 in Sch. 40 hub | 3 in Sch. 40 hub |
| Strainer or grate | 4-1/4 in round, screw-on | 4 in square stainless | 4-1/4 in round, snap-in | 4-1/4 in round, snap-in | 32 in linear grate | Varies by suffix; check the listing |
| Exact purchase | Sioux Chief dealer (no in-stock Amazon listing for the 821-2P on Oct 14, 2026) | Check the Schluter KD2/PVC/E on Amazon → | Check the Sioux Chief 826-2P on Amazon → | Check the Sioux Chief 828-2 on Amazon → | Sioux Chief dealer (no in-stock Amazon listing for the 823-32PSS on Oct 14, 2026) | Check the Sioux Chief 863-435SQ on Amazon → |
How to pick a shower drain
Answer four questions before you buy.
- What is under the tile? A traditional mortar bed over a liner needs a clamping drain, where the liner is squeezed between the drain body and a ring. A bonded membrane like KERDI needs a drain with a bonding flange. A one-piece base needs a base drain that locks to the base with a nut or gasket.
- What pipe is in the floor? Look at the print on the pipe. Buy PVC for white PVC and ABS for black ABS. Our PVC vs ABS guide shows how to tell them apart. Then check the size printed on it, since the drain hub has to match.
- Can you reach the pipe from below? If there is a basement or crawl space, a hub drain glued to the pipe is the most solid joint. On a slab or upper floor with no ceiling access, a no-caulk drain seals from above.
- How much water will the shower use? A single head on a 2 in drain is the normal setup. Your local code sets the minimum size, so check with the inspector before you design a shower with several heads or body sprays. Sioux Chief makes the 863 series with a 3 in hub for those.
BEST FOR TILE OVER A LINER · 2 IN HUB · CLAMPING COLLAR
Sioux Chief 821-2P: the standard tile shower drain
Choose it when you are building a mortar-bed tile shower over a PVC or CPE liner. Sioux Chief lists the 821-2P (siouxchief.com) as a PVC body with a 2 in PVC/ABS Sch. 40 hub, made for tile floors with a waterproofing membrane. The strainer is 430 stainless, 4-1/4 in round, and screws on. The body is beveled and has mounting holes for the subfloor.
The Sioux Chief shower drain brochure (cdn.siouxchief.com) adds two details plumbers care about. The 821 base also accepts 3 in pipe inside the hub, and the invertible clamping collar gives 2 in of head adjustment, so you can set the strainer flush with the finished tile. The strainer has a 1/4 in grid and 3 sq in of open area. Sioux Chief lists ASME A112.18.2 and CSA B125.2 and shows the cUPC mark for this drain.
The 821-2P has no test plug. Buy the separate 821-TP if your inspector wants a flood test of the pan, or buy the 821-T2P, which includes one.
Skip it if your pipe is ABS (buy the 821-2A), if you are using a bonded membrane like KERDI, or if you are setting a prefab base.
Buy the Sioux Chief 821-2P from a Sioux Chief dealer or plumbing supply house; we found no in-stock new Amazon listing for that exact model on October 14, 2026.
BEST FOR KERDI SHOWERS · BONDING FLANGE · 4 IN GRATE
Schluter KD2/PVC/E: built for a bonded membrane
Choose it when the shower is waterproofed with Schluter KERDI membrane on top of the mortar bed or a foam tray. The KERDI-DRAIN (maker page: www.schluter.com/schluter-us/en_US/Shower-System/Drains/Shower-Drains/Schluter-KERDI-DRAIN/p/KERDI_DRAIN) has a sloped bonding flange the membrane sticks to, so the waterproof layer sits just under the tile instead of down at a liner. Schluter makes the ABS and PVC flanges with a 2 in or 3 in outlet joined with solvent cement.
Schluter’s KERDI-DRAIN product table (maker page: assets.schluter.com/asset/570120892212/document_nit795amql5tn0o7h1pl43s700/kerdidrain-products.pdf) lists the KD2/PVC/E as a complete kit: 2 in PVC flange, 4 in square stainless grate and frame, height adjustment collar, lateral adjustment ring, four inside corners, two outside corners, a pipe seal and a mixing valve seal. The grate assembly handles tile from 1/4 in to 1-1/4 in thick. Schluter lists IAPMO UPC certificate 4591/3273, a CSA certificate and ICC-ES PMG-1204.
Skip it if you are building with a traditional liner. The bonding flange is not a clamping drain. For ABS pipe, buy the KD2/ABS/E.
BEST FOR SHOWER BASES · OUTER LOCKNUT · GLUE OR GASKET
Sioux Chief 826-2P: for a base you can reach from below
Choose it when you are setting a fiberglass, acrylic or composite shower base over a basement or crawl space. Sioux Chief lists the 826-2P (siouxchief.com) as an outer-locknut shower module drain with a PVC body and a 2 in hub. You can glue the pipe into the hub or use the gasket seal. The strainer is 4-1/4 in round and snaps in.
The nut tightens from below and squeezes the base between the drain flange and the nut. Sioux Chief says not to use putty with its plastic shower drains, so seal the flange the way the base maker’s instructions say.
Skip it if you cannot get under the floor. Buy the 828-2 below. For ABS pipe, buy the 826-2A.
BEST NO-CAULK · SEALS FROM ABOVE · 2 IN PIPE
Sioux Chief 828-2: when there is no access below
Choose it when the base sits on a slab or an upper floor and you cannot reach the pipe. The Sioux Chief brochure (cdn.siouxchief.com) lists the 828-2 as a PVC-body, outer-locknut, 2 in no-caulk drain with a snap-in strainer. You set the base over the pipe stub, then drive the rubber gasket down between the pipe and the drain body. Sioux Chief also sells a brass-body version, the 827-2B, and a replacement gasket, the 827-2BG, which fits 2 in Sch. 40 PVC or ABS.
Cut the pipe stub to the height the base maker gives. Too long and the base will not sit down. Too short and the gasket has nothing to grab. Our walk-in shower kit guide covers kits that include a drain.
Skip it if you can reach below. A glued hub joint is easier to trust for the life of the shower.
BEST LINEAR DRAIN · 32 IN · 2 IN HUB
Sioux Chief 823-32PSS: one-way slope for big tile
Choose it when you want large-format tile, a curbless entry or a floor that slopes one way to a wall. Sioux Chief lists the 823 StreamLine linear drain in 24, 32, 40 and 60 in lengths, with a PVC 2 in Sch. 40 hub and stainless strainers in pyramid and slotted patterns. The 823-32PSS is the 32 in size. For a full mortar bed, Sioux Chief sells the 823-FK32 adapter kit.
Pick the length to fit the space between the finished walls, not the studs.
Skip it if you are setting a prefab base or want the simplest build. A center drain is less work to slope and set.
Buy the Sioux Chief 823-32PSS from a Sioux Chief dealer or plumbing supply house; we found no in-stock new Amazon listing for the StreamLine linear drain on October 14, 2026.
BEST FOR HIGH FLOW · 3 IN HUB
Sioux Chief 863-435SQ: when one drain has to take more water
Choose it when the design has multiple heads, body sprays or a rain head, and the code or the designer calls for a 3 in drain. Sioux Chief lists the 863 large-capacity series with a 3 in Sch. 40 hub: PVC in the 863-435 series and ABS in the 863-335 series. The link below is for the PVC 863-435SQ. The 863-435SR, another PVC model in the series, had no in-stock new Amazon listing on October 14, 2026. Check the strainer style on the listing or with Sioux Chief before you order.
Skip it if the pipe in the floor is 2 in. A bigger drain body does not help when the pipe below it is smaller.
PVC, ABS, brass or cast iron
Plastic bodies are the norm today. Match PVC to PVC and ABS to ABS, and the drain glues to the pipe like any other fitting. Metal bodies still have a place:
- Brass: the Sioux Chief 827-2B is a brass-body no-caulk drain for shower bases. Oatey also sells no-caulk shower drains for preformed bases in cast brass, PVC and ABS.
- Cast iron: Sioux Chief makes 821 cast iron drains for 2 in no-hub, 2 in FIP and 2 in no-caulk connections. Use them where the drain line is cast iron or the job spec calls for metal.
- Linear: the channel and grate are stainless, but the hub is still PVC or ABS.
Solvent weld vs compression
A solvent weld drain has a hub you glue the pipe into, just like a coupling. It is the strongest joint but needs access to set the drain at the right height before you glue. The 821, 825 and 826 series and the Schluter flange all use this method.
A compression or no-caulk drain seals with a rubber gasket squeezed between the pipe and the drain body. It is the fix for a base on a slab. The 826 can go either way, since Sioux Chief offers it with a gasket seal as well as a glue hub.
Flood test: on a liner or membrane shower, many inspectors want the pan plugged and filled before tile goes on. Plan for a test plug, such as the Sioux Chief 821-TP, and check your local permit rules.
Install mistakes to avoid
- Setting the drain at the wrong height. Work back from the finished tile. Use the adjustable collar to land the strainer flush, not proud.
- Clogging the weep holes. On a clamping drain, water that gets under the tile drains through small weep holes at the liner. Protect them with pea gravel or a weep guard before you pack mortar.
- Putty on plastic. Sioux Chief says not to use it on its plastic shower drains.
- A flat floor. The floor has to slope to the drain. A drain cannot fix a pan that holds water.
- Skipping the trap check. The trap under the drain must be there and sized right. If you cannot see it or the drain smells, call a licensed plumber before you tile.
Shower drain FAQ
What size drain does a shower need?
Most single-head showers are piped with a 2 inch drain, and every drain on this page except the Sioux Chief 863 has a 2 inch hub. Your local plumbing code sets the minimum, so ask your inspector before you build a shower with several heads or body sprays. Those can need a larger drain, such as the 3 inch 863 series.
Can I use a PVC shower drain on ABS pipe?
Buy the drain that matches your pipe. Sioux Chief and Schluter both sell the same drains in PVC and ABS. Gluing PVC to ABS needs a transition cement where your code allows it, so most plumbers avoid the joint by matching materials.
What is a no-caulk shower drain?
It is a drain for a shower base that seals to the drain pipe with a rubber gasket you push down from above. You do not need to reach under the floor. The Sioux Chief 828-2 and 827-2B are no-caulk drains for 2 inch pipe.
Do I need plumber’s putty on a shower drain?
Not on a plastic drain body. Sioux Chief says not to use putty with its plastic shower drains. Follow the base maker’s instructions, which usually call for the drain’s gasket or a silicone sealant.
Is a linear drain better than a center drain?
A linear drain lets you slope the floor one way, which suits large-format tile and curbless showers. A center drain costs less and is simpler to build. Both work when the floor is sloped and waterproofed correctly.
Should I replace a shower drain myself?
Swapping a strainer is easy. Replacing a drain body means cutting into the floor or the shower pan, and the joint to the liner has to pass a flood test. If you are not comfortable with that, call a licensed plumber.
How we chose
This is a document-based comparison from a licensed plumber’s point of view. We matched each drain to a floor type, then checked the maker’s product pages, brochure and product table for body material, pipe connection, strainer size and listings. We picked drains a supply house carries, in sizes that fit common 2 in and 3 in drain lines. Sources were read October 14, 2026; sellers and availability change. We do not publish prices or claim hands-on testing. More about our selection method and Plumbing Picks.
Primary sources
- Sioux Chief 821-2P product page (siouxchief.com): 2 in hub, PVC body, 4-1/4 in screw-on 430 stainless strainer, tile with membrane, ASME A112.18.2 / CSA B125.2, cUPC, 821-TP test plug.
- Sioux Chief 821-2 series spec sheet (PDF) (cdn.siouxchief.com): 821 series drawing and dimensions.
- Sioux Chief shower drains brochure (PDF) (cdn.siouxchief.com): 821 collar adjustment, 3 in inside connection, strainer open area; 825, 826, 827/828, 822, 823 and 863 series part numbers and connections.
- Sioux Chief 826-2P product page (siouxchief.com): Outer-locknut module drain, 2 in hub glue or gasket, no putty on plastic drains.
- Sioux Chief shower drains catalog page (siouxchief.com): Series list, cast iron and linear options.
- Schluter KERDI-DRAIN product page (maker page: www.schluter.com/schluter-us/en_US/Shower-System/Drains/Shower-Drains/Schluter-KERDI-DRAIN/p/KERDI_DRAIN): ABS/PVC flange outlets, tile thickness range, IAPMO, CSA and ICC-ES listings.
- Schluter KERDI-DRAIN product table (PDF) (maker page: assets.schluter.com/asset/570120892212/document_nit795amql5tn0o7h1pl43s700/kerdidrain-products.pdf): KD2/PVC/E and KD2/ABS/E kit contents.
- Oatey drains and flanges page (oatey.com): No-caulk shower drains in cast brass, PVC or ABS; Testable 130 series.