It used to be that all showers used a centre round drain. These are circular drains around the size of your palm. They work well enough, but more and more people are discovering the advantages of switching over to a linear drain. These longer, trough-shaped drains present several advantages over the traditional centre round drain, and here are just four.

1. Lower Risk of Blockages

Probably the clearest and most appealing advantage of linear drains is cutting down on the likelihood of blockages. It all comes down to surface area. A linear drain offers far more than a circular drain, so any hair or other common causes of shower drain blockages are going to get distributed across a wider area and have a harder job blocking things up. If you've ever had to put up with a blocked shower drain before, you'll appreciate just how big a benefit that can be.

2. Works With More Varied Designs

When you fit a linear shower drain, it can be fitted right along the side of your shower. In contrast, a centre round drain, as the name implies, needs to be fitted somewhere in the middle, which restricts your design options. If you want to use larger tiles or even play around with slabs of natural stone, you'll find it hard to work around a centre round drain. Use a linear drain instead, and you'll be able to use just about any material you could think of.  

3. Reduced Bathroom Humidity

When you have a larger shower drain, the water drains away much faster – just think how often you end up splashing around in a centimetre or two of water when your shower has a centre round drain. Such a small amount of water might not seem like a big deal, but consider the amount of humidity that builds up when water doesn't drain away quickly. From fogging up your mirror to encouraging the growth of mould, humidity causes a whole host of problems that you can avoid with a linear drain.

4. Less Noticeable Slope

Finally, your shower floor will have a gentler slope if you fit a linear drain. That's partly because it can be located off to the side and partly because it can drain water faster than a centre round drain. This makes for a more comfortable showering experience, and it's an especially important consideration if you have balance issues or are getting on in years.

For more information on stainless steel drainage grates, contact your local plumbing company.