How to Replace a Tub Drain | Ask This Old House

In this video, Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey helps a homeowner with an old 1950s bathtub replace the tub drain assembly when the current one stops plugging the tub.

Richard Trethewey visits a 1950s ranch house to help a homeowner replace his tub drain. The drain is rusted, and the stop can't be used to fill the tub. The homeowners have done some repairs and upgrades themselves but were nervous to touch the tub drain because they don't want to mess with water. Richard assures that replacing a drain is a straightforward project, as long as you have reasonable access underneath the drain and everything is correctly sealed.

Luckily, the drain is easily accessible from the basement, so the homeowner and Richard get to work. Richard lays out a mockup version of what he'll be installing and demonstrates what each piece will do. Together they remove the old drain and install the new one.

Skill: 2/5
Cost: Under $100
Time: 3-4 hours

Shopping list:

Tools:

How to replace a tub drain
1. Using a screwdriver, remove the two screws securing the overflow plate.
2. Using pliers, reach down to the drain show and turn counterclockwise. Depending on how old the tub is, you might have some trouble. Richard had to go in with a reciprocating saw for the 70-year-old drain.
3. Once the drain is completely removed, the drain piping should be loosened and removed with a pair of pliers and hand removed.
4. Remove the old putty.
5. Loosely assemble the bath waste and overflow kit.
6. Add putty to the underside of the shoe strainer and put it in the tub drain hole.
7. Underneath the tub, align the rubber gasket and show elbow under the tub drain.
8. Have the person in the tub catch the threads and turn the shoe strainer to tighten using pliers or a strainer wrench.
9. Align the overflow assembly to the overflow hole in the tub.
10. Attach the linkage assembly to the trip lever faceplate.
11. Insert the plunger linkage assembly into the overflow hole.
12. Screw the overflow plate back on.
13. Secure the slip nuts and washers.
14. Thread the new drain into the pipes.
15. Install strainer drain plate.
16. Test out new drain and stopper.

Where to find it?

Richard needed other tools and materials to replace the drain, including plumber's putty, screwdrivers, and the tub drain wrench.

About Ask This Old House TV:
From the makers of This Old House, America’s first and most trusted home improvement show, Ask This Old House answers the steady stream of home improvement questions asked by viewers across the United States. Covering topics from landscaping to electrical to HVAC and plumbing to painting and more. Ask This Old House features the experts from This Old House, including general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, landscape contractor Jenn Nawada, master carpenter Norm Abram, and host Kevin O’Connor. Ask This Old House helps you protect and preserve your greatest investment—your home.

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How to Replace a Tub Drain | Ask This Old House

[robertjones]

Having the basement underneath was sure handy…

[chuckchapman]

Ever notice how whatever they are working on has super easy access?

[Skammerd]

That tub might've been 70 years old but the grout and caulking was impressively sparkling and professional. That homeowner might just have missed his calling.

[salvadorsepulveda]

That drain was stuck, classic plumbers lament. Great job 👏

[swiss]

I laid a major dump in the shower the other day and while I was stomping it down the drain I noticed that my tub drain was a little loose.
That was quite a doozy to repair but this video helped me a lot.

[jamesabey]

Oh that PVC coupling at the very end that spun when he tightened the shoe end to the waste line. That's gonna leak. Thank God for editing. Lol

[hsabic]

Man that guy use whole small bucket of that plumber's potty LOL

[gimmedathotdog]

Great video! First time homeowner and got the tub drain replaced!

[ja]

Love seeing what they do when plan A fails. I don't know that I've ever gone with a plan A or even a plan B in any project I've done. C would be a good day by my standards.

[LFGM]

Literally the same exact issue i have with the same exact drain assembly. Love it when a plan comes together

[ryanroberts]

Surprisingly well done. Not just "call a plumber, buy an expensive thing" or somehow an outlet magically appears where you need it. More real life stuff is good.

[mejesse]

A plumber without a tub drain tool??? GOOD

[geeoye]

It seems Richard forgot to glue the new PVC adapter to the 2 in. pipe (7:58). It moved when he tightened the compression fitting.

[zenjon]

I want them to show more about 50's/60's ranch houses.

[mkl]

How about putting a drop cloth down, or some sort of protective towel/cardboard for the tub?

[knottewood]

Show us how you’d replace the drain when on a slab and the crossbars in the drain are broken out and it won’t unscrew. And yes, seriously, no drain removal tool? Seriously, I’d REALLY want to see that!

[AStanton]

I understand that that color pink was prevalent during WWII. It was an attempt to cheer the people up during a war.

I think this was the first real life video I have seen on this channel. Lol

[johnroberts]

Knock knock who's there ? Dwayne, Dwayne who ? Dwayne the tub I'm dwowning !!! Nice job Richard ! 😊

[peregrine]

I had to pull my tub and toilet to replace the subfloor (rot from behind the toilet). What I did when it came to that drain was to check the diameter and then go to the local restore and pick up a socket that fit down into the drain and then notch it out, so it fit down over the cross and worked very nicely to remove and reinstall the drain.