A linear drain turns the shower floor from four converging slope planes into one clean plane falling in a single direction. That is why pros love it: large format tile works on the floor, cuts get simpler, and the finished look is seamless. Here is the tiling sequence once your pan and linear drain are in and flood tested.
Linear Drain Pan or Center Drain Pan: Pick the Pan First
If you care most about simple tile cuts, pick the single-slope linear drain pan. A linear pan falls on two slopes toward one channel, so the floor is one plane and your tile can be large format with straight cuts. A center drain pan falls on four slopes toward a point in the middle, which forces small tile or mosaic that can bend around the compound pitch. GURU builds both, so the choice is a pan you order, not a technique you improvise:
- Linear, two slopes: GURU W-S Heavy Duty Shower Tray for Linear Drains, in 37-1/2 in. x 60-1/8 in. (SKU IMU9200), 49-1/2 in. x 48-1/8 in. (IMU9201) and 49-1/2 in. x 72-1/8 in. (IMU9202).
- Center, four slopes: GURU W-S Heavy Duty Shower Tray, four slopes for square drains, in 36 in. x 60 in. (IMU9400), 48 in. x 48 in. (IMU9401) and 48 in. x 72 in. (IMU9402).
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The pan. Both trays are pre-sloped at the factory, so the pitch is built in and you are not screeding a slope by hand. Browse shower trays for the sizes in stock.
The channel. GURU EVOLUX linear drains run 16 in. (SKU IDU3216), 24 in. (IDU3224), 28 in. (IDU3228), 36 in. (IDU3236), 48 in. (IDU3248) and 60 in. (IDU3260). GURU REVOLUX linear drains come in 48 in. and 78 in. in CURVE and CAVITY grate styles. Match the channel length to your pan and to the GURU spec for that pan, and see the full range in linear shower drains.
The whole assembly, matched. The GURU Shower Linear Drain Superkit 37-1/2 in. x 60-1/8 in. PVC (SKU ISU0020) ships that pan already paired with a 48 in. REVOLUX drain in chrome, black or gold, which removes the sizing question. More builds in superkits.
The connection. The drain body is pipe specific, so order to the stack you actually have: GURU Linear Drain Connector PVC (SKU IGU6802) or ABS (SKU IGU6800). If you are not sure which you are running, read PVC versus ABS first.
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Plan the Layout From the Drain Back
Start your layout at the drain edge, not the doorway. You want a full tile or a clean factory edge meeting the channel, with cuts pushed to the walls where they are least visible. Dry lay a row before mixing anything.
One Slope Means Bigger Tile Is Fine
With a center drain you are forced into small mosaics that can bend around compound slopes. A single plane to a linear drain accepts large format tile, which clients love. Cut it accurately with a capable cutter or wet saw from the tile cutting tools collection; long straight cuts on porcelain are exactly what RUBI manual cutters and RUBI tile saws are built for.
Set With Full Coverage on the Slope
Back-butter and use the correct trowel for the tile size, keeping coverage complete on the sloped plane. Hollow spots near a drain edge chip under foot traffic. Use leveling clips across the field to hold lippage at zero while the thinset cures on the pitch.
Finish the Drain Edge Like a Pro
The tile edge meeting the channel should be eased or finished, never a raw cut. Keep the grate removable, keep the joint at the channel siliconed rather than grouted where the manufacturer specifies it, and check the final water test: everything should sheet toward the channel with no ponding.
Linear Pan and Channel Sizes We Stock
Pan and channel dimensions, read from the catalog on 2026-10-16. Prices are list at publication; the product pages carry the current figure.
| Item | Size | SKU | List |
|---|---|---|---|
| W-S Heavy Duty Shower Tray, linear, two slopes | 37-1/2 in. x 60-1/8 in. | IMU9200 | $202.67 |
| W-S Heavy Duty Shower Tray, linear, two slopes | 49-1/2 in. x 48-1/8 in. | IMU9201 | $222.53 |
| W-S Heavy Duty Shower Tray, linear, two slopes | 49-1/2 in. x 72-1/8 in. | IMU9202 | $285.05 |
| EVOLUX linear drain, PLUS | 16 in. | IDU3216 | $179.52 |
| EVOLUX linear drain, PLUS | 24 in. | IDU3224 | $265.93 |
| EVOLUX linear drain, PLUS | 28 in. | IDU3228 | $292.69 |
| EVOLUX linear drain, PLUS | 36 in. | IDU3236 | $334.91 |
| EVOLUX linear drain, PLUS | 48 in. | IDU3248 | $405.96 |
| EVOLUX linear drain, PLUS | 60 in. | IDU3260 | $463.08 |
| REVOLUX linear drain, chrome, CURVE | 48 in. | IDU1148 | $333.80 |
| REVOLUX linear drain, chrome, CAVITY | 48 in. | IDU2148 | $314.62 |
| REVOLUX linear drain, chrome, CURVE | 78 in. | IDU1178 | $482.85 |
| Linear Drain Superkit, PVC, pan plus 48 in. REVOLUX | 37-1/2 in. x 60-1/8 in. | ISU0020 | $804.40 |
| Linear drain connector, PVC | n/a | IGU6802 | $31.86 |
| Linear drain connector, ABS | n/a | IGU6800 | $31.86 |
Linear Drain Tiling FAQ
What slope does the floor need to a linear drain?
Follow your pan or code requirement; pre-sloped pans for linear drains build the correct single-direction pitch in at the factory. See installing a pre-sloped pan.
Can the linear drain go in the middle of the floor?
It can, but against the wall is the common pro choice: one slope plane, and the entry stays flat and comfortable. The wall position also hides the channel visually.
Do I grout or silicone at the drain edge?
Follow the drain manufacturer. Movement joints and metal-to-tile transitions typically get a flexible sealant, not rigid grout.
Should I pick a single-slope linear drain pan or a four-way slope center drain pan if I care most about simple tile cuts?
The linear pan. One falling plane lets you run large format tile with straight cuts and push the offcuts to the walls. A four-way slope center pan needs tile small enough to follow four pitches at once, which is more cuts and more lippage risk. We stock the linear version as the W-S Heavy Duty Shower Tray for Linear Drains and the center version as the four slopes tray for square drains. The full comparison is in linear drain versus center drain.
Can I keep large format floor tile in a shower without lots of tiny cuts?
Yes, on a single-slope pan draining to a linear channel. The floor is one plane, so a large tile sits flat on it and only needs straight cuts at the channel and the walls. On a four-way slope center pan the same tile would have to flex across converging pitches, which is why that layout pushes you to mosaic.
What length linear drain do I need for my pan?
Match the channel to the pan you ordered and to the GURU spec for that pan, not to the room width. EVOLUX PLUS runs 16 in. through 60 in. and REVOLUX comes in 48 in. and 78 in. If you would rather not size it yourself, the Linear Drain Superkit ships the 37-1/2 in. x 60-1/8 in. pan with a 48 in. REVOLUX drain already matched. Choosing between grate styles and finishes is covered in choosing the right linear shower drain.
Does the drain connector depend on my pipe?
Yes. The connector is sold PVC specific (SKU IGU6802) and ABS specific (SKU IGU6800), so identify the stack before ordering. PVC versus ABS walks through how to tell them apart.
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